Discharge of Construction Lien
The bill is paid, but the lien is still sitting on the property record — and it will surface the day you try to sell or refinance.
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
A discharge of lien is the recorded document that removes a construction lien from the property record after the claim has been paid or resolved. It is signed by the lien claimant — the party that recorded the lien — notarized, and recorded with the register of deeds in the same county where the original claim of lien was recorded. Paying the contractor does not remove the lien automatically; someone has to record the discharge. A recorded lien that is never discharged stays visible on the title and reliably becomes a problem at a closing or refinance. Clear Path prepares discharges for lien claimants who have been paid and prepares the paperwork for property owners who need one signed. We are not a law firm — a disputed lien is a matter for an attorney.
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.
- Contractors and suppliers who have been paid and need to release their lien
- Property owners who paid and need the lien removed from their title
- Sellers who discovered an old lien during a title search
- Homeowners refinancing with an unreleased lien on record
- Parties who settled a payment dispute and need the record cleaned up
- Estates and buyers dealing with liens recorded years ago
How the process works
Clear, predictable steps from intake to court-ready paperwork.
Send us the recorded lien
A copy of the claim of lien with the recording information, or the property address so we can locate it.
We review
We confirm who must sign the discharge and what the payment status is.
Written quote
Flat preparation fee. Recording fees are paid to the county. Nothing is purchased online.
Preparation
Discharge referencing the original recording details and the property's legal description.
Notarized signing
The lien claimant signs before our notary, in office or by mobile appointment.
Recording
Recording instructions for the correct register of deeds, and confirmation of what to keep.
Paperwork we organize for you
Document preparation only. We do not represent you in court.
Documents and information you'll need
- Copy of the recorded claim of lien, including the liber and page or instrument number
- Property address and legal description
- Name of the lien claimant exactly as it appears on the lien
- Proof or confirmation of payment or settlement
- Photo ID for the person signing the discharge
- Title company or closing agent requirements, if there is a pending closing
Common mistakes to avoid
Small errors can cost you weeks. Here's what we see most often.
- Assuming the lien disappears once the check clears. It does not — the discharge has to be recorded.
- Recording in the wrong county, so the original record stays untouched.
- A discharge signed by someone who is not the actual lien claimant of record.
- Wrong liber and page reference to the original claim of lien.
- Partial payment treated as a full discharge.
- Never getting a copy back from the register of deeds to prove it was recorded.
Local Michigan considerations
A Michigan construction lien is recorded with the county register of deeds, and the discharge is recorded in the same office to clear the record. Timing matters in a different way here too: under MCL 570.1117, enforcement proceedings must be brought no later than 1 year after the claim of lien was recorded, so an old undischarged lien and a live enforceable one are not the same thing — but title companies will still want the record cleaned up. If the claimant refuses to discharge a lien you believe has been paid or is invalid, that is a dispute, and disputes belong with an attorney. We prepare discharges where the parties agree on the outcome.
Key Terms
- Discharge of lien
- The recorded document releasing a previously recorded construction lien against a property.
- Lien claimant
- The contractor, subcontractor, supplier, or laborer who recorded the lien.
- Liber and page
- The recording reference identifying where a document sits in the county's records.
- Clouded title
- A title with a recorded claim or defect that interferes with a sale or refinance.
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.