Michigan Mechanic's Lien Template

Filing Deadline

Claim of Lien must be recorded within 90 days after the lien claimant's last actual furnishing of labor or material for the improvement (MCL 570.1111). Hard deadline — cannot be extended.

Clock starts: Last date the claimant actually furnished labor or materials to the project (NOT the date of invoice, NOT the date of substantial completion of the whole project, and NOT the date of any warranty/punch-list/repair work).

Where to Record

County Register of Deeds for EACH county where the improved real property is located. (Example: Wayne County Register of Deeds, 400 Monroe St., 7th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226 — 313-224-5850. Standard recording fee is set by statute; Wayne County's first fee increase since 1996 took effect Jan 1, 2026, so confirm current fee with the office.) Filing in the wrong county, or filing only in the county of the claimant's business, voids the lien as to that property.

Notarization

Required — document must be sworn before a notary.

MCL 570.1111 and the Wayne County Register of Deeds (and all 83 Michigan ROD offices) require the Claim of Lien to bear a notary acknowledgment. An unnotarized lien will be rejected at the recording c

Service Requirement

Within 15 days after recording the Claim of Lien, the claimant MUST serve a copy of the recorded Claim of Lien AND a copy of the proof of service of the Notice of Furnishing on the designee named in the Notice of Commencement, by (a) personal service, or (b) certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address shown on the Notice of Commencement. If no Notice of Commencement was recorded, serve the owner/lessee directly. Failure to serve within 15 days does not automatically void the lien, but unserved liens are unenforceable against the property until proper service is made, and the lien claimant cannot recover attorney fees in a foreclosure action.