Alabama Prelien - Alabama Preliminary Notice - Alabama Notice of Intent

The prelien notices required by Alabama's statutes are required in order for a lienor to maximize the amount of its mechanics lien claim.  Known as a "notice of intent" to file a mechanics lien, the prelien notices in Alabama must be filed by certain project participants within a certain time frame.

[What Does an Alabama Prelien Do?]

[Who Should File an Alabama Prelien?]

[Is There a Time Frame in Which an Alabama Prelien Should Be Filed?]

What Does an Alabama Prelien Do? 

Prelien notices are designed to provide the owner with notice of the people and companies that are working on the Project.  In Alabama, this is meant to ensure that the owner is aware at all time that there are potential mechanics lien claimants at work, and that if payment is not made to those potential claimants, a mechanics lien may be filed.  

Filing a Alabama prelien notice is a significant requirement for many companies working on the project or delivering materials to the project.

Who Should File an Alabama Prelien? 

Alabama requires that, in order to obtain a mechanics lien, the potential lien claimant must first take certain steps within time frames set forth in the statutes. If the statute is not followed, there is a chance that th mechanics lien claim will not be valid. One of these steps is the filing of a prelien notice.

Anyone without a direct contract with the owner should file a prelien notice, known as a notice of intent to claim a lien, before filing a property lien.

Is There A Time Frame In Which an Alabama Prelien Should Be Filed? 

The first step is for the claimant to serve the owner and construction lender with written notice of intent to file a lien, under Alabama Code 35-11-218, before they file a verified statement of lien. The intent to file a lien, or prelien notice, should be filed prior to the filing of a verified statement of lien.

To retain the maximum mechanics lien rights, suppliers to Alabama construction projects should file a prelien notice right after they deliver materials to a project site. Anyone without a contract with the owner should always file a prelien notice prior to filing a mechanics lien.