Connecticut Mechanic Lien Law: Complete Guide
Your Complete Guide to Mechanic Lien Rights Under C.G.S. §49-33 et seq. — Private Works, Public Works & Payment Bond Claims
Connecticut mechanic lien deadline table with toggles for project type and claimant type.
Connecticut Preliminary Notice & Mechanic Lien Deadlines
Select your project type and role to see the deadlines that apply to you.
Prime Contractor — In privity with the property owner
Record the Certificate of Lien with the town clerk in the town where the property is located within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials.
Serve a copy of the recorded Certificate of Lien on the owner within 30 days after filing.
The Certificate of Lien must be sworn to by the claimant under oath, with a jurat confirming the oath.
Commence a foreclosure action and record a Notice of Lis Pendens within 1 year after the Certificate of Lien is recorded. Foreclosure proceeds in the same manner as a mortgage.
Preliminary Notice
Mechanic Lien
Record the Certificate of Lien with the town clerk in the town where the property is located within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials.
Serve a copy of the recorded Certificate of Lien on the owner within 30 days after filing.
The Certificate of Lien must be sworn to by the claimant under oath, with a jurat confirming the oath.
Enforcement
Commence a foreclosure action and record a Notice of Lis Pendens within 1 year after the Certificate of Lien is recorded. Foreclosure proceeds in the same manner as a mortgage.
Connecticut private project deadlines
Prime Contractor
Preliminary Notice: Not required. Prime contractors in direct contract with the owner are exempt from the Notice of Intent requirement.
Mechanic Lien: Record the Certificate of Lien with the town clerk in the town where the property is located within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials. Serve a copy of the recorded Certificate of Lien on the owner within 30 days after filing. The Certificate of Lien must be sworn to by the claimant under oath, with a jurat confirming the oath.
Enforcement: Commence a foreclosure action and record a Notice of Lis Pendens within 1 year after the Certificate of Lien is recorded. Foreclosure proceeds in the same manner as a mortgage.
Subcontractors & Suppliers
Preliminary Notice: Serve a Notice of Intent on the owner within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials. A subcontractor or supplier with a written contract with the prime contractor that has been assented to in writing by the owner is exempt from the Notice of Intent requirement. Absent that written assent, the notice is required. The Notice of Intent must be served by an indifferent person — someone who is not a party to the claim and has no financial interest in the outcome. Best practice is to serve the Notice of Intent promptly after a payment issue arises, not wait until the 90th day.
Mechanic Lien: Record the Certificate of Lien with the town clerk in the town where the property is located within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials. Serve a copy of the recorded Certificate of Lien on the owner within 30 days after filing. The Certificate of Lien must be sworn to by the claimant under oath, with a jurat confirming the oath.
Enforcement: Commence a foreclosure action and record a Notice of Lis Pendens within 1 year after the Certificate of Lien is recorded. Failure to commence the foreclosure suit within 1 year discharges the lien as a matter of law.
Remote Claimants
Preliminary Notice: Remote claimants not in direct contract with the owner must serve a Notice of Intent on the owner within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials. Failure to serve the Notice of Intent within 90 days extinguishes the lien. The Notice of Intent must be served by an indifferent person — someone who is not a party to the claim and has no financial interest in the outcome.
Mechanic Lien: Record the Certificate of Lien with the town clerk in the town where the property is located within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials. Serve a copy of the recorded Certificate of Lien on the owner within 30 days after filing. The Certificate of Lien must be sworn to by the claimant under oath, with a jurat confirming the oath.
Enforcement: Commence a foreclosure action and record a Notice of Lis Pendens within 1 year after the Certificate of Lien is recorded. Failure to serve the foreclosure suit within 1 year discharges the lien as a matter of law.
Connecticut public works deadlines
Prime Contractor
Preliminary Notice: Not applicable. The prime contractor is the principal on the payment bond and pursues payment through contract remedies, not a bond claim.
Bond Claim: Not applicable. Mechanic liens cannot attach to public property in Connecticut. Prime contractors pursue payment through contract remedies.
Lawsuit to Enforce Bond Claim: Contract remedies against the public owner, subject to any applicable notice-of-claim and limitations periods.
Subcontractors & Suppliers
Preliminary Notice: Serve a Notice of Claim on Bond on the prime contractor within 180 days after last furnishing labor or materials. For retainage, the 180-day period runs from the date the prime contractor applied for payment of retainage. The notice must state the amount claimed with substantial accuracy, the name of the party who hired the claimant, and a description of the project. Serve the notice by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or by civil process, and retain proof of service.
Bond Claim: Not applicable. Mechanic liens cannot attach to public property in Connecticut. Payment rights run through the payment bond under the Little Miller Act.
Lawsuit to Enforce Bond Claim: After the Notice of Claim on Bond is served, the surety has 90 days to pay the claim or serve a denial. Suit may be filed once the surety denies the claim or the 90 days run without payment. Suit on the bond must be commenced within 1 year after the last date labor was performed or materials were supplied by the claimant. For retainage-only claims, suit must be commenced within 1 year after the date retainage was due.
Remote Claimants
Preliminary Notice: Serve a Notice of Claim on Bond on the prime contractor within 180 days after last furnishing labor or materials. For retainage, the 180-day period runs from the date the prime contractor applied for payment of retainage. The notice must state the amount claimed with substantial accuracy, the name of the party who hired the claimant, and a description of the project. Serve the notice by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or by civil process, and retain proof of service.
Bond Claim: Not applicable. Mechanic liens cannot attach to public property in Connecticut. Payment rights run through the payment bond under the Little Miller Act.
Lawsuit to Enforce Bond Claim: After the Notice of Claim on Bond is served, the surety has 90 days to pay the claim or serve a denial. Suit may be filed once the surety denies the claim or the 90 days run without payment. Suit on the bond must be commenced within 1 year after the last date labor was performed or materials were supplied by the claimant. For retainage-only claims, suit must be commenced within 1 year after the date retainage was due.
Connecticut Mechanic Lien Law Overview
Last updated June 2026 · Reviewed by Thomas Emalfarb, Esq.
Connecticut construction mechanic lien rights are governed by C.G.S. §49-33 et seq. This statutory framework protects the payment rights of contractors, subcontractors, materialmen, and suppliers who furnish labor, services, or materials for the improvement of real property in the State of Connecticut.
Connecticut does not require preliminary notices for mechanic lien claimants on private works. Original contractors may record a mechanic lien without prior service of a Notice of Intent. Subcontractors whose contracts are not signed or assented to in writing by the owner must serve a Notice of Intent to File Mechanic Lien upon the owner within 90 days of last performance under C.G.S. §49-35(a). All mechanic liens must be recorded within 90 days after the last date of performance.
Connecticut law requires that mechanic liens be sworn to by the claimant under C.G.S. §49-34, meaning the claimant must personally sign and take an oath before a notary or other authorized official. The Connecticut Supreme Court reinforced this requirement in Stone-Krete Concrete, Inc. v. Jill P. Eder, 280 Conn. 672 (2006). Enforcement requires a Notice of Lis Pendens to be recorded within one year of the mechanic lien recording date, and the mechanic lien is foreclosed in the same manner as a mortgage.
For public works, Connecticut requires a minimum 100% payment bond on contracts exceeding $50,000 under C.G.S. §49-41 et seq. Subcontractors and materialmen must send a 180-day Notice of Claim on Bond to the surety and principal if payment is not made within 60 days of the applicable payment date. Suit on the bond must be filed within one year after last performance. Connecticut also provides escrow account protections for retention payments under §42-158j.
National Lien & Bond provides authoritative guidance on every aspect of Connecticut construction mechanic lien compliance, from Notice of Intent requirements through mechanic lien recording, payment bond claims, and mechanic lien foreclosure proceedings.
Topics on This Page
Connecticut Mechanic Lien Law: Key Topics
Navigate the critical compliance areas for Connecticut construction mechanic lien law.
Notice Requirements
Notice of Intent to File Mechanic Lien obligations for subcontractors, contractor exemptions, and public works bond claim notice requirements under Connecticut law
Mechanic Lien Deadlines
90-day mechanic lien recording requirements, sworn mechanic lien obligations under C.G.S. §49-34, service on owner, and mechanic lien form requirements
Mechanic Lien Enforcement Deadlines
One-year Lis Pendens deadline, mechanic lien foreclosure procedures, payment bond suit timelines, and escrow account protections
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the mechanic lien rights available in Connecticut?
Connecticut provides mechanic lien rights under C.G.S. §49-33 et seq. for contractors, subcontractors, materialmen, and suppliers who furnish labor, services, or materials for the improvement of private real property. Mechanic Liens must be recorded within 90 days of last performance, sworn to under oath per §49-34, and enforced within one year of recording.
Is a preliminary notice required to file a mechanic lien in Connecticut?
No preliminary notice is required for original contractors. Subcontractors whose contracts are not signed or assented to in writing by the owner must serve a Notice of Intent to File Mechanic Lien on the owner within 90 days of last performance under C.G.S. §49-35(a), served by an indifferent person.
What is the deadline to record a mechanic lien in Connecticut?
All mechanic lien claimants must record the mechanic lien within 90 days after the last date of performance of labor or furnishing of materials under C.G.S. §49-33. The mechanic lien must be sworn to by the claimant and a copy must be served on the owner within 30 days of recording.
How are public works payment rights protected in Connecticut?
Public works projects with contracts over $50,000 require a minimum 100% payment bond under C.G.S. §49-41 et seq. Subcontractors and materialmen must send a 180-day Notice of Claim on Bond to the surety and principal if not paid within 60 days of the applicable payment date. Suit must be filed within one year of last performance.
What prompt payment protections exist under Connecticut law?
Owners must pay for labor and materials within 30 days of receiving a payment request. General contractors must pay subcontractors within 30 days of receiving payment from the owner under C.G.S. §42-158j. If a GC fails to pay within 30 days, the subcontractor may claim 1% per month interest and require escrow of the amount due.
Can mechanic lien rights be waived in a Connecticut construction contract?
No. Under C.G.S. §42-158i, any contractual provision or waiver that purports to release the right to claim a mechanic lien or make a payment bond claim for services, labor, or materials not yet performed and paid for is invalidated. Pre-performance mechanic lien waivers are unenforceable in Connecticut.
Do Connecticut contractor registration rules affect mechanic lien rights?
They can. Home improvement work is governed by the Home Improvement Act (C.G.S. §20-418 et seq.), and noncompliance has been treated as a serious bar to contract enforcement (see All American Pools, Inc. v. Lato, 20 Conn. App. 625 (1990)). New home construction is governed by the New Home Construction Contractors Act (§20-417a et seq.); in D'Angelo Development & Construction Co. v. Cordovano, 278 Conn. 237 (2006), the court held that Act did not invalidate the contract or the mechanic lien because it does not include contract invalidation as a penalty. Confirm the project category and registration before contracting.