How Long Do You Have to File a Mechanics Lien in Washington?

90 Days, and the Clock Starts at Last Furnishing

Record the Claim of Lien within 90 days after you ceased furnishing labor, professional services, materials, or equipment, in the county where the property is located. RCW 60.04.091. The deadline is identical for every tier: contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers.

It is a period of limitation. No action to foreclose may be maintained unless the claim was recorded inside it.

The anchor is last furnishing, not project completion, not final acceptance, and not the last invoice date. Punch-list and warranty work generally will not restart it, so do not rely on a callback to revive an expired window.

Then 14 Days to Deliver a Copy

Within 14 days after recording, give a copy of the recorded claim to the owner or reputed owner by certified or registered mail or personal service. RCW 60.04.091.

The consequence is narrower than most claimants assume, and worth knowing precisely: missing it forfeits the right to recover attorney fees and costs against the owner under RCW 60.04.181. The statute does not say the lien becomes invalid. On a $30,000 claim that goes to trial, though, the fee forfeiture can be the larger number.

The Prerequisite That Sits Behind the Deadline

Recording on time is necessary but not sufficient. RCW 60.04.031(6) makes the lien unenforceable unless the claimant complied with the notice section. And because the Notice of Right to Claim Lien is a look-back, the lien covers only what was furnished inside the 60-day or 10-day window before that notice was served.

A perfectly timed lien can still be worth a fraction of the balance if the notice went out late.