What to keep in a South Carolina lien file before day 90

South Carolina suppliers get 90 days after last furnishing to serve and file a mechanics lien, and six months from that same last-furnishing date to start the suit. Neither clock waits for the paperwork to come together, so it helps to have the file built before anyone decides to lien.

Three things are worth having in hand early. First, the delivery ticket that shows the last furnishing date, signed if you can get it. Second, the owner's name and the legal description from county records, not from the contractor's letterhead. Third, a record of when the owner got notice of your claim, because the lien amount is tied to what the owner still owed at that point.

With those three pieces, filing on day 60 is a half-day job instead of a scramble on day 88. The dates and who they apply to are in LienDeadline's South Carolina supplier lien timeline.

From the LienDeadline team. General information, not legal advice. Have a qualified reviewer check the facts on any live job.