Your liens give you power, but if improperly filed or forgotten about, you can lose all the leverage they’re meant to give you. Don’t let that happen. Learn the construction lien laws for your state, and file them the right way. We’re here to take away the complexity and confusion and give it to you straight. If you work in Ohio and need to know the lien laws, this is the blog for you. Here, we break down exactly what the state of Ohio requires for you to properly file a valid lien and bond claim.
How to File a Valid Lien in Ohio:
- Place 2* Contractors must send the Owner a “Notice of Furnishing” within twenty-one (21) days of first work and/or materials supplied.
- Place 3* and below Contractors must send the Owner and the Place 1* Contractor a “Notice of Furnishing” within twenty-one (21) days of first work and/or materials supplied.
- You must file your lien within seventy-five (75) days of the last work and/or materials supplied.
- You must send the Owner a copy of the lien that was filed within thirty (30) days of it being filed.
How to Have a Valid Bond Claim in Ohio:
- Bonds are required on all public projects.
- You must send notice of your claim to the Sureties on the bond within ninety (90) days of the acceptance of the work.
- You must wait sixty (60) days after you send your notice of claim to file suit to enforce your claim.
- You must bring suit to enforce your claim within one (1) year of acceptance of the work.
- You can also file a lien against the funds due to a Place 1* Contractor on a public project. For Place 2* Contractors and below: to have a lien on the funds, you must send a sworn statement of how much you are owed within one hundred and twenty (120) days of the last work and/or materials supplied, to the public authority that hired the Place 1* Contractor.
- Place 3* and below Contractors and Material Suppliers must also send the Place 1* Contractor a “Notice of Furnishing” within twenty-one (21) days of first work and/or materials supplied, to have a lien on the funds.
If you work in Ohio, you must understand the above rules, and prioritize putting them into practice. Filing a valid lien is the best way to get you and your team paid for the work you’ve done. To make sure you have the best grasp of Ohio's Lien Laws possible, consider listening to The Quit Getting Screwed Construction Podcast's episode on them! If you’d like someone else to take care of filing your construction liens or bonds, and do it the right way, contact a professional Ohio lien attorney who is experienced in construction law and let them take care of it for you. Our sister company, The Cromeens Law Firm, has a 90% success rate of collections before having to foreclose on a lien, saving you costly legal fees. Security is important. Maintain yours and file your liens the right way.
*The “places” referenced in the rules above correlate to the Construction Food Chain Chart from Karalynn Cromeens’ book,
Quit Getting Stiffed. The chart can be found here to use when following these lien and bond rules.