South Carolina Mechanic's Lien Template

Filing Deadline

Must be filed within 90 days after the claimant last furnished labor or materials to the project (S.C. Code Ann. Sec. 29-5-90). The lien must ALSO be served on the owner within the same 90-day window.

Clock starts: Last date claimant actually performed labor or delivered materials. 'Call-back' or punch-list/warranty work generally does NOT restart the clock — only original contract work counts. Enforcement suit must be filed within 6 months of last furnishing (Sec. 29-5-120).

Where to Record

Office of the Register of Deeds (or Clerk of Court in counties that lack a separate ROD) of the SC county where the building/structure is located. For the largest county: Greenville County Register of Deeds, Suite S-2100, County Square, 301 University Ridge, Greenville, SC. Recording fees in Greenville: $25 for the first 4 pages, $1 each additional page (8.5x11 or 8.5x14). Most SC counties follow the same statewide fee schedule.

Notarization

Required — document must be sworn before a notary.

Sec. 29-5-90 requires the statement to be 'subscribed and sworn to' — i.e., a jurat (not a simple acknowledgment) executed before a notary public. Generator MUST emit a jurat block ('Sworn to and subs

Service Requirement

After (or concurrent with) recording, the claimant MUST serve a copy of the recorded lien statement on the owner — or on the person in possession if the owner cannot be found — within the 90-day window (Sec. 29-5-90). Levelset and SC practitioner guides report that service is commonly accomplished via the county sheriff; while the statute itself does not name the sheriff exclusively, sheriff service is the prudent default to defeat any service challenge. An affidavit of service should be recorded (separately is acceptable in Greenville County). Failure to timely serve the owner within the 90 days voids the lien even if it was recorded on time.