Filing deadline

Since 1/1/2013 liens are posted electronically on the Secretary of State's Mechanic's Notice and Lien Registry (MNLR), not with county offices: a Mechanic's Lien plus a Verified Statement of Account (amount due after credits, furnishing period, legal description, local address, tax parcel number, owner name/address) within 90 days of the claimant's last furnishing; the registry administrator notifies the owner. A late lien can still be perfected after 90 days by posting plus serving written notice on the owner in the manner of original notices, but a subcontractor's late lien is limited to the balance the owner still owes the GC at service. Punch/repair/warranty work tied to substantial completion generally counts toward last furnishing; manufactured extensions do not. Public projects instead use a Chapter 573 sworn claim with the letting agency within 30 days of completion/final acceptance.

Notice prerequisites

Depends on project type. Commercial: a party furnishing labor/materials to a subcontractor (sub-sub or supplier-to-sub) must give the GC/owner-builder a one-time written notice identifying itself and its subcontractor within 30 days of first furnishing, and later support its lien with a certified statement that the notice was given. Residential: the GC must (a) give the owner statutory lien-warning language in the contract or a separate owner notice and (b) post a Commencement of Work notice on the state MNLR website within 10 days of starting, or it loses its own lien; every subcontractor/supplier must post an electronic Preliminary Notice on the MNLR as soon as it first furnishes to protect its lien against the unpaid balance due the GC.

Service on the owner

No claimant-side service for a timely private lien - the MNLR administrator sends notice to the owner; claimant service on the owner is required only for late-filed liens (original-notice manner).

Enforcement

Equitable foreclosure petition in district court of the county where the property lies within 2 years from expiration of the 90-day filing window; no other cause of action may be joined. The owner or contractor can serve a 30-day written demand to sue, and failure to commence within 30 days forfeits the lien. Public (Ch. 573) actions on retainage/bond must be brought between 30 and 60 days after completion and final acceptance.

Iowa Code Chapter 572 (private), esp. §§ 572.2, 572.8-572.14, 572.28; Chapter 573 (public)