Michigan Construction Lien Documents
You did the work. You didn't get paid. Michigan gives you a lien right on the property — but only if you hit the deadlines, and they start running the day you first show up on the job.
Important: Clear Path Document Services is a non-attorney document preparation service and cannot provide legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created. Read full disclaimer
Quick Answer
Michigan's Construction Lien Act gives contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers a lien against improved real property when they aren't paid. The deadlines are unforgiving and they run from when you furnished labor or materials — not from when the invoice went unpaid. Subcontractors and suppliers on most residential projects must serve a notice of furnishing early in the job to preserve their rights, a claim of lien must be recorded with the county register of deeds and served within the statutory period after the claimant's last furnishing, and an action to enforce the lien must be started within the statutory period after recording. Miss a step and the lien right can be lost entirely. Clear Path prepares these documents at your direction — we are not a law firm and cannot advise you on whether you have a valid lien. We review every matter first, then send a written quote.
Who qualifies for this service?
This document preparation service is a fit for Michigan residents who match the criteria below. If your situation is different, contact us and we'll tell you whether we can help or whether you should speak with an attorney.
- General contractors who completed work and weren't paid
- Subcontractors and trades on residential and commercial jobs
- Material suppliers and equipment providers
- Laborers who furnished work on an improvement to real property
- Property owners who need a lien discharged after payment
- Owners or contractors who need sworn statements and waivers for a draw
- Anyone who received a notice of furnishing and isn't sure what it means
How the process works
Clear, predictable steps from intake to court-ready paperwork.
Send us the job details
The property, the contract, when you first and last furnished, what is owed, and who hired you.
We review the timeline
We map your dates against the statutory deadlines so you know where you stand before spending anything.
Written quote
Flat preparation fee. County recording fees are separate. Nothing is purchased online.
Document preparation
Notice of furnishing, claim of lien, sworn statement, or waiver — whichever the situation calls for.
Notarization
Lien documents are notarized at our office or by mobile notary.
Recording and service instructions
We tell you exactly where to record, who must be served, and by what date.
Paperwork we organize for you
Document preparation only. We do not represent you in court.
Documents and information you'll need
- The contract, proposal, or work order
- The property address and, ideally, the legal description or parcel number
- Name of the property owner and of whoever hired you
- The notice of commencement, if one was provided
- Dates you first and last furnished labor or materials
- Invoices, change orders, and a statement of the unpaid balance
- Any waivers you have already signed
- Proof of delivery for anything already served
Common mistakes to avoid
Small errors can cost you weeks. Here's what we see most often.
- Waiting until the invoice is 90 days late. The clock started when you furnished, not when they stopped answering.
- Skipping the notice of furnishing on a residential job, which can eliminate a subcontractor's lien rights.
- Recording a lien for more than what is actually owed, or including amounts that aren't lienable.
- Recording in the wrong county or against the wrong legal description.
- Recording but never serving the owner and designee as required.
- Signing an unconditional waiver before the payment actually cleared.
- Letting the enforcement deadline pass, which extinguishes the recorded lien.
Local Michigan considerations
Michigan's Construction Lien Act sets hard deadlines measured from the date the claimant last furnished labor or materials, and a separate deadline for filing suit to enforce a recorded lien. On residential projects the notice of furnishing requirement is where most subcontractor and supplier claims are lost — it has to be served early in the job, not at the end. Liens are recorded with the register of deeds in the county where the property sits, and the legal description must be right. Whether your claim is lienable, whether you served the right parties, and whether a deadline has already run are legal questions we cannot answer for you. Bring us your dates as soon as payment goes sideways and we will prepare the documents; if the timeline looks like it needs an attorney, we will tell you that straight.
Key Terms
- Construction lien
- A claim recorded against real property by someone who furnished labor or materials improving that property and was not paid.
- Notice of furnishing
- The early written notice a subcontractor or supplier serves to preserve lien rights on a project.
- Notice of commencement
- The document recorded or posted at the start of a project identifying the owner, contractor, and designee.
- Claim of lien
- The recorded document asserting the lien amount against the property's legal description.
- Sworn statement
- A signed statement listing subcontractors and suppliers and amounts owed, usually required before a payment draw.
- Lien waiver
- A signed release of lien rights for work performed, either conditional on payment clearing or unconditional.
People Also Ask
Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.
Ready to get your paperwork started?
Start the guided intake, or call or text us — we review every matter before quoting a price, and nothing is purchased online.