Lien waiver guide

Lien waiver requirements by state

Every state has a page here, and so does DC. On 26 of them the state prescribes a form or changes how the waiver has to be handled. On the other 25, our reference finds nothing state-specific — and those pages say exactly that. Every page has a free PDF of blank lien waiver forms for that state: the statutory form text where the state prescribes one (for Texas, SubLien’s adaptation of it), otherwise SubLien’s own template.

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Compiled from the cited sources on 2026-10-04. Statutes move, and we make no claim that this reflects today’s law. Which form belongs on a given project is your decision — SubLien doesn’t make it for you.

At a glance

All 51 jurisdictions in one table

Of the 51, 11 prescribe the waiver form in a statute, 1 prescribes one only for some projects, 5 set rules the waiver has to follow without a form, and 34 have no statutory form. Only 2 require a notary on the form, and 1 more requires a witness.

Lien waiver form, mechanics’ lien statute and notarization for all 50 states and the District of Columbia
State	Waiver form	Lien statute	Notarization
Alabama	No statutory form	Ala. Code Title 35, Chapter 11, Article 5, Division 8 (Mechanics and Materialmen), §§ 35-11-210 to 35-11-234	No
Alaska	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	Alaska Stat. Title 34, Chapter 35 (Liens), Article 2 (Mechanics and Materialmen), AS 34.35.050–34.35.120	No
Arizona	Prescribed by statute	Ariz. Rev. Stat. Title 33, Chapter 7, Article 6 (Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens), §§ 33-981 to 33-1008	No
Arkansas	No statutory form	No state-hosted chapter page	No
California	Prescribed by statute	Cal. Civ. Code, Division 4, Part 6 (Works of Improvement), §§ 8000–9566 (private works: Title 2, §§ 8160–8851)	No
Colorado	Statute sets rules, no form	Colo. Rev. Stat. Title 38, Article 22 (General Mechanics' Lien), §§ 38-22-101 to 38-22-133	No
Connecticut	No statutory form	Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 49, Chapter 847 (Liens), §§ 49-33 to 49-40a	No
Delaware	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	Del. Code Ann. tit. 25, Chapter 27 (Mechanics' Liens)	No
District of Columbia	No statutory form	D.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 3 (Mechanics, Materialmen, and Contractors), §§ 40-301.01 to 40-307.03	No
Florida	Prescribed by statute	Fla. Stat. ch. 713, pt. I (Construction Liens), §§ 713.001–713.37	No
Georgia	Prescribed by statute	O.C.G.A. §44-14-366(d)-(f)	Witness, no notary
Hawaii	No statutory form	Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 507 (Liens), Part II — Mechanic's and Materialman's Lien, §§ 507-41 to 507-49	No
Idaho	No statutory form	Idaho Code Title 45, Chapter 5 (Idaho Code §§ 45-501 to 45-525)	No
Illinois	Statute sets rules, no form	770 ILCS 60/1 et seq. (Mechanics Lien Act)	No
Indiana	No statutory form	Ind. Code Title 32, Art. 28, Ch. 3 (Mechanic's Liens), IC 32-28-3-1 to 32-28-3-18	No
Iowa	No statutory form	Iowa Code Chapter 572 (Iowa Code §§ 572.1 to 572.34)	No
Kansas	No statutory form	Kansas Statutes Chapter 60, Article 11 (K.S.A. §§ 60-1101 to 60-1112)	No
Kentucky	Statute sets rules, no form	Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 376 (KRS §§ 376.010 et seq.)	No
Louisiana	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 9:4801 et seq. (Private Works Act — tit. 9, ch. 2, pt. I)	No
Maine	No statutory form	Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 10, ch. 603 (10 M.R.S. §§ 3251–3269)	No
Maryland	No statutory form	Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. §§ 9-101 to 9-114 (Title 9, Subtitle 1 — Mechanics' Liens)	No
Massachusetts	Prescribed by statute	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 254 (Liens on Buildings and Land)	No
Michigan	Prescribed by statute	Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 570.1101–570.1305 (Construction Lien Act, 1980 PA 497)	No
Minnesota	No statutory form	Minn. Stat. ch. 514, §§ 514.01–514.17 (Liens Against Property — Improvement of Real Estate)	No
Mississippi	Prescribed by statute	Miss. Code §§85-7-419, 85-7-433	Yes
Missouri	Prescribed for some projects	Mo. Rev. Stat. Chapter 429 (Statutory Liens Against Real Estate), §§ 429.005–429.630	No
Montana	No statutory form	Mont. Code Ann. Title 71, Chapter 3, Part 5 (Construction Liens), §§ 71-3-521 to 71-3-564	No
Nebraska	No statutory form	Neb. Rev. Stat. Chapter 52, §§ 52-125 to 52-159 (Nebraska Construction Lien Act)	No
Nevada	Prescribed by statute	Nev. Rev. Stat. Chapter 108 (Statutory Liens), Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens, NRS 108.221–108.246	No
New Hampshire	No statutory form	N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. Title XLI, Chapter 447 (Liens for Labor and Materials), RSA 447:1–447:18	No
New Jersey	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	N.J. Stat. Ann. Title 2A, ch. 44A (Construction Lien Law), §§ 2A:44A-1 et seq.	No
New Mexico	No statutory form	NMSA 1978, ch. 48, art. 2 (Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens), §§ 48-2-1 to -17	No
New York	Statute sets rules, no form	N.Y. Lien Law §34	No
North Carolina	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 44A, art. 2 (Statutory Liens on Real Property)	No
North Dakota	No statutory form	N.D. Cent. Code ch. 35-27 (Construction Lien)	No
Ohio	No statutory form	Ohio Rev. Code ch. 1311 (Liens)	No
Oklahoma	No statutory form	Okla. Stat. tit. 42, ch. 3, §§ 141–154 (Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens)	No
Oregon	No statutory form	Or. Rev. Stat. ch. 87 (Statutory Liens) — Construction Liens, ORS 87.001–87.093	No
Pennsylvania	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	Mechanics' Lien Law of 1963, 49 P.S. §§ 1101–1902 (Act of Aug. 24, 1963, P.L. 1175, No. 497)	No
Rhode Island	Statute sets rules, no form	R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-28 (Mechanics' Liens)	No
South Carolina	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	S.C. Code Ann. tit. 29, ch. 5, §§ 29-5-10 to 29-5-440 (Mechanics' Liens)	No
South Dakota	No statutory form	S.D. Codified Laws ch. 44-9 (Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens)	No
Tennessee	No statutory form	No state-hosted chapter page	No
Texas	Prescribed by statute	Tex. Prop. Code Title 5, Subtitle B, Chapter 53 (Mechanic's, Contractor's, or Materialman's Lien)	No
Utah	Prescribed by statute	Utah Code Title 38, Chapter 1a (Preconstruction and Construction Liens)	No
Vermont	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	9 V.S.A. Chapter 51 (Miscellaneous Liens), Subchapter 1 (Contractors' Liens for Labor or Material), §§ 1921-1928	No
Virginia	No statutory formSubLien-written state template	Va. Code Title 43, Chapter 1 (Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens), §§ 43-1 et seq.	No
Washington	No statutory form	Wash. Rev. Code Title 60, Chapter 60.04 (Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens)	No
West Virginia	No statutory form	W. Va. Code Chapter 38, Article 2 (Mechanics' Liens)	No
Wisconsin	No statutory form	Wis. Stat. Chapter 779, Subchapter I (Construction Liens)	No
Wyoming	Prescribed by statute	Wyo. Stat. Ann. Title 29, Chapter 2 (Contractors or Materialmen)	Yes

Statute links open the state’s own code site. “No statutory form” means the statute prints no waiver form to follow; other sections can still limit what a waiver may say. The notarization column covers state law only, so also check the subcontract, the owner contract and the lender’s draw rules. Notarization, state by state

Where the state has a say

The 26 states with a form or a rule of their own

State-specific covers three situations, and each one asks something different of you before the waiver goes out. Every page below carries its citation and the date we read it.

The state wrote the wording

11 states

You check that the form fits the job; you never draft it. Each page cites the section, and flags anything extra, such as a notary or witness line.

ArizonaA.R.S. §33-1008 CaliforniaCivil Code §8132-8138 FloridaFla. Stat. §§713.20, 713.23(5), 713.235, and 713.245 GeorgiaO.C.G.A. §44-14-366, including interim/final and 90-day provisions MassachusettsM.G.L. c.254 §§2, 32 MichiganMCL §570.1115 Mississippi§§85-7-419, 85-7-433, including notarial-certificate and 60-day provisions NevadaNRS §108.2457(5)(a)-(d)TexasProperty Code §§53.281-53.284 UtahUCA §38-1a-802 and Lane Myers WyomingWyo. Stat. §29-10-101 and a notarial-certificate workflow

One thing to check before you send

6 states

No full form set to copy. The statute fixes a sentence the waiver has to carry, a date it cannot precede, or a project question that decides which form applies. Each page names the rule.

ColoradoC.R.S. §38-22-119(1)-(2), including the mandatory third-party-debt statement Illinois770 ILCS 60/1(d), 5, 21-23 and 35 plus 30 ILCS 550/2 KentuckyKRS 371.400(1)-(2), 371.405(2)(b), 371.425, and 376.070 MissouriRSMo §§429.005, 429.016 and 429.032 New YorkLien Law §34 Rhode IslandR.I. Gen. Laws §§34-28-1(b), 34-28-26 through 34-28-29

Know what the waiver cannot reach

9 states

No form here either. These statutes set when lien rights may be waived and how far — usually no further than the payment actually made. Our form follows those sections.

Alaska Delaware Louisiana New Jersey North Carolina Pennsylvania South Carolina Vermont Virginia

Common questions

The three we get most

Which states get a workflow of their own?

26 of them, as of 2026-10-04: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming. That is 11 where the state prescribes the waiver form, 6 where a statute sets rules the waiver must follow without prescribing a full form, and 9 where SubLien wrote its own template, reviewed against the state's own sources. Every other jurisdiction uses the general workflow. Laws and project facts both change, so check the current requirements and the completed form against your project facts before sending.

What happens if I use the wrong lien waiver form?

Wording and form choice can affect enforceability and lien rights. What we publish is a cited reference, not a legal determination — review the current law, the form, and the facts of the project.

My state is not on the flagged list. What does that mean?

It means the state's statutes print no lien waiver form to follow. Other state rules can still govern what a waiver may say. Those pages cover what the four waiver types usually contain, and each one has SubLien's own blank lien waiver forms for that state as a free PDF download.

Every state, one workflow

The form is the easy part. Knowing who still owes you one is not.

Pick the project and SubLien puts up the system template recorded for that state, already carrying the fields it knows. Your sub signs from a link, and the signed waiver lands on the same record as that sub's certificate — with W-9 collection included.

See how it works →Book a demo15 minutes · no commitment

Your sub signs from a link — no account, nothing to install.
Reminders run on their own and stop when the requested document arrives or the ladder ends.
Every signed waiver keeps a signed PDF, its signature record and a public check that shows whether the PDF matches the stored record.

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most recent changes to the law. Statutory lien-waiver and insurance requirements change — check the current rules for your project and jurisdiction. Nothing here is a legal determination that a form or workflow is correct for a project; your organization is responsible for selecting the form and workflow.