Minnesota Mechanic’s Lien

Select a State

Below is an overview of the preliminary steps for filing a mechanic’s lien in the state of Minnesota.

COMMERCIAL:

  • Upfront Notice:
    • Lien Claimant’s Notice:
      • Required only if working on a project of less than 5,000 square feet.
      • If required, it must be sent within 45 days of first delivery, but since a lien cannot be enforced if all money has been paid to the Contractor before this notice is received, this notice should be sent as soon as possible.
      • No statutory upfront notice is required for larger jobs.
      • This notice is similar to a Courtesy Notice so BICA sends this notice regardless of the square footage.
  • Follow-up Notice:
    • If you wish to take civil action for non-payment, a Notice of Non-Payment must first be sent and if not paid within 15 days, civil and criminal proceedings can be started involving a charge of theft for not passing on required owner payments.
      • This notice is not required to file a claim of lien; but is an alternative route requiring the above actions.
      • This notice must be personally requested from BICA.

RESIDENTIAL:

  • Upfront Notice:
    • Lien Claimant’s Notice:
      • Must be sent within 45 days of first delivery. However, since you can lose your lien rights if all money has been paid to the Contractor before this notice is received by the Owner, this notice should be sent as soon as possible.
  • Follow-up Notice:
    • If you wish to take civil action for non-payment, a Notice of Non-Payment must first be sent and if not paid within 15 days, criminal proceedings can be started.
      • This notice is available on the BICA member portal.

PUBLIC:

  • Upfront Notice: BICA sends a Courtesy Notice.
  • Follow-up Notice (if not paid):
    • Notice of Claim on Payment Bond:
      • Required within 120 days of last delivery.
      • This notice must be verified by the claimant so requires special handling.
      • You can request this notice by directly emailing or contacting BICA.

Throughout our site you can find more resources on the process of filing mechanic’s liens and preliminary notices. If you’re ready to get started, be sure to reach out to us on our contact page, or call us at (800) 722-2422.