Wyoming Mechanics Lien
File a Wyoming mechanics lien to secure payment for construction work. Learn the 20-day notice of intent, the 150-day filing deadline, and enforcement.
Introduction
A Wyoming mechanics lien is a legal claim filed against real property by a contractor, subcontractor, or materialman who improved the property and was not paid. Once filed, the lien statement attaches to the property, clouds the title, and can be enforced by a court-ordered sale. That security is what gives the lien its leverage, and Wyoming grants the right in Title 29, Chapter 2. The lien only works if you perfect it on time. Every claimant sends the owner a preliminary notice of the right to lien, and then a notice of intent at least 20 days before filing. A general contractor files the lien statement with the county clerk within 150 days, and a subcontractor or materialman within 120 days, of the last work or substantial completion. You then must sue to foreclose within 180 days of filing. DocDraft prepares a Wyoming lien statement and its notices from your project details, and attorney review is available before you file.
Key Things to Know
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A Wyoming mechanics lien secures payment against the improved property. Contractors, subcontractors, and materialmen who furnished work or materials to improve real property and were not paid can file a lien statement under Title 29, Chapter 2.
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Every claimant sends a preliminary notice. Under section 29-2-112 a contractor sends it before receiving any payment or advance, and a subcontractor or materialman sends it to the owner within 30 days after first providing services or materials.
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The filing deadline depends on your role. Under section 29-2-106 a general contractor files the lien statement with the county clerk within 150 days, and every other claimant within 120 days, of the last work or substantial completion, whichever is earlier.
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You have 180 days to foreclose. Section 29-2-109 requires all actions to enforce the lien to be commenced within 180 days after the lien statement is filed, and the lien does not continue past that date without a suit.
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Wyoming reads these rules strictly. Missing the preliminary notice, the 20-day notice of intent, the 150- or 120-day filing window, or the 180-day deadline to sue generally forfeits the lien, though a contract claim for the debt may remain.
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Wyoming prescribes the forms. Chapter 10 sets out fill-in forms for the preliminary notice, the notice of intention to file, and the lien statement, and section 29-2-106 lists the contents the lien statement must include.
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Wyoming stacks two notices before filing. Beyond the preliminary notice, section 29-2-107 requires a written notice of intent to the owner, stating the amount and who owes it, no later than 20 days before you file the lien statement.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Mechanics Lien in Wyoming, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Mechanics Lien guide walks through them.
Open the Mechanics Lien guideCustomize your Mechanics Lien Template with DocDraft
Wyoming Requirements for Mechanics Lien
File the Wyoming mechanics lien in the correct office, a county recorder or court as Wyoming requires, within the state's deadline after you last furnish labor or materials. Wyoming applies the deadline strictly, so filing late or in the wrong office can void the lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Wyoming mechanics lien is a claim a contractor, subcontractor, or materialman files against property they improved but were not paid for. Filed as a lien statement, it attaches to the real estate, clouds the title so the owner cannot easily sell or refinance, and can be foreclosed through a court-ordered sale. Title 29, Chapter 2 of the Wyoming Statutes governs it.
Contractors, subcontractors, and materialmen who furnished work or materials to improve real property and were not paid can file a Wyoming lien statement. Each must first send the record owner a preliminary notice of the right to assert a lien, and a subcontractor or materialman must also give a copy to the contractor it is serving.
The deadline turns on your role. A general contractor files the lien statement with the county clerk within 150 days, and every other claimant, such as a subcontractor or materialman, within 120 days, of the earlier of the last day of work or substantial completion of the project, under section 29-2-106. Both are firm.
Yes. Wyoming requires a preliminary notice of the right to lien from every claimant under section 29-2-112. A contractor must send it before receiving any payment from the owner, including advances. A subcontractor or materialman must send it to the record owner within 30 days after first providing services or materials, and copy the contractor it works for.
You must commence an action to foreclose the lien within 180 days after the lien statement is filed, under section 29-2-109. The lien does not continue in force beyond that 180-day window unless a foreclosure action is started, so a filed lien statement is not the end of the process.
Missing the preliminary notice, the 20-day notice of intent, the 150- or 120-day filing deadline, or the 180-day deadline to sue generally means the Wyoming lien is lost, because courts apply these rules strictly. You may still sue the party who hired you for breach of contract to recover the debt, but you give up the lien's security.
Wyoming is notice-heavy. Before filing you generally send two separate notices to the owner: the preliminary notice of the right to lien early in the job, and a notice of intent at least 20 days before you file the lien statement, stating the amount due and who owes it. Both are prescribed by form in Chapter 10 of Title 29.
When the debt is paid, the claimant should file a release of the lien with the county clerk to clear the title. A Wyoming lien also expires if no foreclosure action is commenced within 180 days of filing the lien statement. An owner who believes a lien is invalid can challenge it in court. Attorney review is available if the notice sequence is unclear.