A Lien On Your House
Lien Law § 10 — four months on a single family home, eight on other property, and one year to foreclose
In New York, a contractor, subcontractor, laborer or materialman who performs labor or furnishes materials to improve real property with the consent or at the request of the owner has a lien from the time a notice of lien is filed.
| Filing the notice of lien | When |
|---|---|
| Filing the notice of lienSingle family dwelling | WhenDuring the work, or within four months after completion or the last work or materials |
| Filing the notice of lienOther property | WhenDuring the work, or within eight months after completion or the last work or materials |
One year. No lien lasts longer than one year after the notice was filed unless an action to foreclose is commenced and a notice of pendency filed in that time. An extension by filing is not available for a lien on a single family dwelling.
Whether a particular lien is valid, and how to contest or discharge one, are questions for a licensed New York attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- Lien Law § 10 — Filing of notice of lien
- Lien Law § 3 — Mechanic's lien on real property
- Lien Law § 17 — Duration of lien
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New York attorney.