Colorado Mechanic's Lien Template

Filing Deadline

Standard claimants (GCs, subs, suppliers): record lien within 4 months after last day labor was performed or materials furnished. Day laborers (labor only, no materials): 2 months. If a Notice of Extension is recorded before the 4-month deadline expires, time to file is extended to the earlier of 4 months after completion of the structure/improvement OR 6 months after the extension notice was recorded (C.R.S. 38-22-109(5)).

Clock starts: Last date the claimant actually furnished labor or materials to the project (NOT punchlist/warranty work, NOT correction work). For laborers, last day of labor.

Where to Record

Office of the County Clerk and Recorder in the Colorado county where the real property is physically located (determined by legal description, NOT mailing address - Denver mailing addresses often sit in Arapahoe, Adams, Jefferson, or Douglas County). Denver and most Front Range counties (Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Boulder, Larimer, Adams) accept e-recording through approved vendors (Simplifile, CSC, ePN); in-person and mail filing also accepted.

Notarization

Required — document must be sworn before a notary.

C.R.S. 38-22-109(1) requires the lien statement to be 'signed and sworn to' by the claimant (or one of multiple claimants). In practice this means notarized acknowledgment/jurat before a notary public

Service Requirement

No statutorily required service AFTER recording (Colorado is unusual in this respect - the heavy lifting is the pre-recording 10-day Notice of Intent). However, to enforce/foreclose the lien, claimant must commence a foreclosure lawsuit within 6 months after completion of the building/improvement OR within 6 months after the last work was done, whichever is later, AND must record a Notice of Lis Pendens within 30 days of filing suit (C.R.S. 38-22-110). Best practice: send a courtesy copy of the recorded lien to owner and GC by certified mail to start payment-demand pressure.