Maine Construction Lien Guide
Maine mechanics lien law is governed by 14 M.R.S.A. §§ 3251–3261.
If you provide labor, materials, equipment, or professional services that improve private real property in Maine and are not paid, you may secure payment through a mechanics lien, but only if every statutory deadline and procedural requirement is followed exactly.
Maine lien law is strict, formal, and unforgiving. Missing a notice, filing late, or failing to enforce the lien on time results in a complete loss of lien rights, even if the debt is undisputed.
Keep in mind that “Maine Mechanics Lien,” “Construction Lien,” and “Claim of Lien” are commonly used interchangeably to describe the same statutory lien right.
LET’S LEARN THE BASICS OF MAINE CONSTRUCTION LIENS
⭐ Who Can File a Mechanics Lien in Maine?
Maine grants lien rights to parties who improve real property, including:
General contractors
Subcontractors
Sub-subcontractors
Material suppliers
Laborers
Certain design professionals (when services improve the property)
Public projects are different, mechanics liens generally attach to private property.
⭐ Maine Lien Deadlines (Critical)
Deadline #1 — Record the Maine Claim of Lien (most subs/suppliers)
Your Maine Claim of lien is dissolved unless, within 90 days after you stop furnishing labor/materials/services, you record a sworn lien statement in the Registry of Deeds where the property is located AND mail a copy to the owner.
Owner-contract exception: If you have a direct contract with the owner, this 90-day recording requirement does not apply. Instead, go straight to step 2.
Make sure your Maine Claim of Lien contains the following information:
The name of the lien claimant
The name of the property owner
A description of the property sufficient for identification
The amount claimed
A statement of the labor or materials provided
The date of last furnishing
be subscribed and sworn (verified).
Deadline #2 — Enforce / Preserve Maine Claim of Lien by Lawsuit
To preserve and enforce a Maine claim of lien, an action must be filed in court within 120 days after the last labor/materials/services are furnished.
Important procedural nuance for subs/suppliers: if you didn’t contract with the owner, Maine law restricts service timing on the owner (you generally may not serve the owner until 30 days after filing the complaint, and service deadlines are tolled for that period).