What Is a Mechanics Lien in Alabama — Complete 2026 Guide
✓ Verified against Alabama statutes · Reviewed August 2026 · By Michael Evan — Founder · 50 states · 799 rules
Alabama mechanics lien deadlines at a glance
Preliminary Notice
None (sub) — No pre-lien required for subs
Mechanics Lien
6 months — From last date of furnishing
Enforcement
6 months — From filing
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Tiered 6-Month / 4-Month / 30-Day Filing Deadlines Under Ala. Code § 35-11-215
Under Ala. Code § 35-11-215, Alabama tiers the mechanics lien filing deadline by claimant type. Original contractors must file a verified statement of lien with the Probate Judge of the county where the property is located within 6 months from the date the labor or materials were last furnished. Subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and material suppliers must file within 4 months from their last date of furnishing. Day laborers and journeymen must file within 30 days from their last day of work. All three deadlines are absolute. Missing the applicable filing window permanently eliminates the claimant's lien rights for that project. The three-tier structure creates several traps for the unwary: subcontractors and material suppliers who track only the 6-month original-contractor deadline lose their lien rights at month 4; day laborers and journeymen who track the 4-month sub deadline lose their lien rights at Day 30. Each claimant's clock runs from that claimant's own last date of substantive furnishing — not the project completion date and not the prime contractor's last day on site.
'Full Price' vs. 'Unpaid Balance' Lien Under §§ 35-11-210 and 35-11-218
Alabama's mechanics lien statute creates two distinct lien types: the 'full price' lien under § 35-11-210 (covering the full unpaid contract amount) and the 'unpaid balance' lien (capped at amounts the owner still owes the prime contractor at the time the materialman gives notice of the lien claim). Under § 35-11-218, materialmen — those furnishing materials only, not labor — who want the 'full price' lien must serve written pre-furnishing notice on the property owner before any materials are furnished, stating that the materialman is about to furnish materials and the kind and price thereof. A materialman who skips the pre-furnishing notice or serves it after delivery begins is limited to the 'unpaid balance' lien. On a project where the owner has already paid the prime contractor in full before the materialman files, the unpaid-balance lien yields zero recovery — even though the underlying contract debt may be in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The pre-furnishing notice rule applies only to material suppliers — not to laborers, subcontractors performing labor, or original contractors.
67 Counties and Alabama's Distinctive Probate Judge Filing
Alabama mechanics liens are filed with the Probate Judge of the county in which the improved property is located under § 35-11-213. Alabama is one of a handful of states that uses the Probate Judge — rather than the Circuit Clerk, County Clerk, or Recorder of Deeds — for real-property recording, including mechanics liens. The Probate Court in Alabama has historical jurisdiction over real-property records, estates, and probate matters. Alabama has 67 counties. The most active construction counties include Jefferson County (Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills — the highest-volume county and the heart of the Birmingham metro), Madison County (Huntsville, Madison — the rapidly growing aerospace and technology hub anchored by Redstone Arsenal and Cummings Research Park), Mobile County (Mobile — the Gulf Coast port and shipbuilding hub), Montgomery County (Montgomery — the state capital), Shelby County (Pelham, Alabaster, Hoover suburbs), Baldwin County (Daphne, Fairhope, Gulf Shores — the rapidly growing Eastern Shore and beach communities), Tuscaloosa County (Tuscaloosa — home to the University of Alabama), Lee County (Auburn, Opelika), Morgan County (Decatur), and Calhoun County (Anniston). A mechanics lien filed with the Alabama Circuit Clerk by mistake creates no valid lien — the Circuit Clerk handles civil litigation and criminal matters, not real-property records.
6-Month Enforcement Deadline Under Ala. Code § 35-11-221
Under Ala. Code § 35-11-221, an action to enforce an Alabama mechanics lien must be commenced in the Circuit Court of the county where the property is located within 6 months from the maturity of the indebtedness — generally measured from the date the underlying debt became due and owing. Alabama's 6-month enforcement window is among the shortest in the country, comparable to South Carolina's 6 months, Mississippi's 180 days, and Idaho's 6 months. The brief enforcement period requires Alabama claimants to move from filing to enforcement litigation efficiently. Calendar the 6-month enforcement deadline immediately upon filing the verified statement of lien. Set a 4-month reminder to evaluate payment status and a 5-month reminder to retain Alabama construction counsel if the dispute remains unresolved. Once the 6-month window closes under § 35-11-221, the lien expires by operation of law and cannot be enforced regardless of merit — only an unsecured contract claim against the responsible party survives.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Alabama?
Alabama mechanics lien filing deadlines under § 35-11-215 are tiered. Original contractors have 6 months from last furnishing, subcontractors and material suppliers have 4 months, and day laborers/journeymen have only 30 days. All claims are filed with the Probate Judge of the county where the property is located. Each claimant's clock runs from that claimant's own last date of substantive furnishing.
Do material suppliers need a preliminary notice in Alabama?
Alabama materialmen who want the 'full price' lien under § 35-11-210 must serve written pre-furnishing notice on the property owner before furnishing any materials under § 35-11-218. Without it, the materialman is limited to the 'unpaid balance' lien — capped at amounts the owner still owes the prime contractor. The pre-furnishing notice rule applies only to material suppliers, not to laborers, subs performing labor, or original contractors.
Where do I file a mechanics lien in Alabama?
File with the Probate Judge of the county where the improved property is located under § 35-11-213 — Alabama is one of the few states that uses the Probate Judge rather than the Circuit Clerk or Recorder of Deeds. Alabama has 67 counties. Major construction-volume counties include Jefferson (Birmingham), Madison (Huntsville), Mobile, Montgomery, Shelby, Baldwin, Tuscaloosa, Lee (Auburn), Morgan, and Calhoun.
How long do I have to enforce an Alabama mechanics lien?
Under § 35-11-221, an action to enforce the lien must be commenced in the Circuit Court within 6 months from the maturity of the indebtedness. Alabama's 6-month enforcement window is among the shortest in the country. Calendar the deadline immediately upon filing.
Who can file a mechanics lien in Alabama?
Under §§ 35-11-210 through 35-11-234, every contractor, subcontractor, sub-subcontractor, material supplier, equipment lessor, and laborer who furnishes labor, services, materials, fixtures, or equipment for the construction, alteration, or repair of any building, structure, or improvement on real property in Alabama has a mechanics lien — provided the applicable tiered filing deadline under § 35-11-215, materialman pre-furnishing notice under § 35-11-218 (if applicable), and 6-month enforcement deadline under § 35-11-221 are all satisfied.