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How long does a construction lien stay on my property in Florida?

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Short answer

A recorded claim of lien in Florida is generally good for 1 year from the date it's recorded — unless someone shortens that clock. Under Florida's Construction Lien Law (Fla. Stat. ch. 713 Part I), the owner has tools to cut that year down to as little as 60 days. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm exact dates on your recorded document with the county clerk and a Florida construction attorney.

The clock, step by step

• 90 days — the lienor must record the claim of lien within 90 days of their last furnishing of labor or materials. If they missed that window, the recording itself may be a problem — but confirm the actual dates with a construction attorney, don't assume.
• 1 year — once recorded, the lien stays valid and enforceable for 1 year from the recording date, unless it's contested (see below).
• 60 days — if the owner records a Notice of Contest of Lien under Fla. Stat. 713.22, the lienor's time to sue drops from 1 year to just 60 days from the date the Notice of Contest is recorded.
• 30 days — separately, if you send the lienor a written request for a sworn statement of account under Fla. Stat. 713.16, they have 30 days to answer or they can lose the lien.

Ways to shorten or clear it

• Notice of Contest of Lien (713.22) — cuts the lienor's time to sue to 60 days. Worth considering if you believe the lien is wrong or you want certainty faster than waiting out the full year.
• Sworn statement of account request (713.16) — ask the lienor, in writing, to account for what's owed. No answer within 30 days can cost them the lien.
• Show-cause action — the material mentions an owner can require the lienor to sue within 20 days rather than wait out the year. Ask a construction attorney whether this fits your situation.
• Transfer the lien to a bond — the material describes this as a way to clear the lien off the title (for example, if you're selling or refinancing) while the underlying dispute continues separately.

If you do nothing

If nobody contests it, a recorded lien simply sits on the property for up to 1 year, and the lienor can sue to enforce it any time during that year. A lien on record can complicate a sale or refinance even before anyone sues. Doing nothing isn't necessarily wrong — but it means the full 1-year window stays open, instead of the shorter 60-day window a Notice of Contest creates.

Selling or refinancing while a lien is on record

A title company or lender will usually flag a recorded lien. The material describes transferring the lien to a bond as a way to clear title so a sale or refinance can proceed while the lien claim itself is resolved separately. Whether that's the right move — and how to do it correctly — is something to confirm with a Florida construction attorney or your closing agent.

What to do next

The exact dates that matter — when the lien was recorded, when the work was last furnished, whether an NTO was served — are on your own recorded document and job file, not in any general guide. The free tool reads your notice, lien, or the dates and numbers you describe, and tells you where you are on this timeline and what the law requires next. Nothing you paste is stored. This is not legal advice — confirm every deadline and filing with a Florida construction attorney before you record, sue, or pay anything.

Owner Lien Shield FL explains Florida's Construction Lien Law from the homeowner's side in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. Deadlines and forms under Fla. Stat. ch. 713 are strict — confirm with a Florida construction attorney or legal aid. Nothing you paste is stored.