Contractors' Liens for Labor or Material

V.S.A. tit. 9, ch. 51, subch. 1

in effect

9 V.S.A. § 1921 Extent of lien; notice

1921. Extent of lien; notice (a) When a contract or agreement is made, whether in writing or not, for erecting, repairing, moving, or altering improvements to real property or for furnishing labor or material therefor, the person proceeding in pursuance of such contract or agreement shall have a lien upon such improvements and the lot of land on which the same stand to secure the payment of the same. (b) A person who by virtue of a contract or agreement, either in writing or parol, with an agent, contractor, or subcontractor of the owner thereof, performs labor or furnishes materials for erecting, repairing, moving, or altering such improvements shall have a lien, to secure the payment of the same upon such improvements and the lot of land upon which the same stand, by giving notice in writing to such owner or his or her agent having charge of such property that he or she shall claim a lien for labor or material. The notice shall include the date that payment is due, if known. Such lien shall extend to the portions of the contract price remaining unpaid at the time such notice is received. (c) A lien herein provided for shall not continue in force for more than 180 days from the time when payment became due for the last of such labor performed or materials furnished unless a notice of such lien is filed in the office of the town clerk as hereinafter provided. (d) A lien under this section shall not take precedence over a deed or other conveyance to the extent that consideration therefor has been paid in good faith before record of such lien. Such lien shall not take precedence over a mortgage given by the owner thereof upon such building, property, or improvements and the lot of land on which the same stand, as security for the payment of money loaned and to be used by such owner in payment of the expenses of the same, if such mortgage is recorded before such lien is filed in the office of the town clerk as hereinafter provided. If such mortgagee shall receive written notice that any lien hereunder is to be claimed, such lien shall take precedence over such mortgage as to all advances thereafter made under such mortgage to such mortgagor, except such advances as the mortgagee may show were actually expended in completing such improvements to real property. (e) The lot of land covered by such lien shall be deemed to be all of the land owned or held by the owner and used or designed for use in connection with such improvements, but such lien shall not extend to other adjacent lands used for purposes of profit. (f) A lien under this section may not be waived in advance of the time such labor is performed or materials are furnished, and any provision calling for such advance waiver shall not be enforceable. Amended 1985, No. 128 (Adj. Sess.); 2003, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.

9 V.S.A. § 1922 Effect of lien

1922. Effect of lien Unless a person has satisfied or paid the claim upon which such lien is founded after the person has received written notice of a lien as provided for in subsection 1921(b) of this title, or unless the lien has not been perfected within the time required under section 1924 of this title, such person shall not deed, mortgage, or otherwise convey property that is subject to a lien as provided herein without disclosing such lien to the vendee or mortgagee in writing or stating the existence of the same in the instrument conveying or mortgaging such property. If the person shall fail so to disclose such lien, he or she shall be liable to the person injured in a civil action on this statute for the damages so sustained. Amended 2003, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.

9 V.S.A. § 1923 Recording notice of lien

1923. Recording notice of lien A person claiming a lien under section 1921 of this title shall file for record in the clerk’s office of the town where such real estate is situated a written memorandum, signed by him or her, asserting his or her claim, which shall charge such real estate with such lien as of the visible commencement of work or delivery of material to the extent and subject to the exceptions provided in sections 1921 and 1922 of this title. Several such liens, asserted as aforesaid, shall be paid pro rata, if the sum due or to become due from the owner thereof is not sufficient to pay the same in full.

9 V.S.A. § 1924 Action to enforce lien

1924. Action to enforce lien Within 180 days from the time of filing such memorandum, if such payment is due at the time of such filing and within 180 days from the time such payment becomes due, if not due at the time of such filing, such person may commence his or her action for the same and cause such real estate or other property to be attached thereon. If he or she obtains judgment in the action, the record of such judgment shall contain a brief statement of the contract upon which the same is founded. Amended 2003, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 3.

9 V.S.A. § 1925 Foreclosure

1925. Foreclosure Within five months after the date of such judgment, the plaintiff may cause a certified copy of the record thereof to be recorded in the office of the clerk of the town in which such real estate or other property is situated. Thereupon the same shall be holden for the amount due upon such judgment, with the costs of such copy and recording the same, as if it had been mortgaged for the payment thereof, from the time of the visible commencement of work or delivery of materials, subject, however, to the priorities provided in section 1921 of this title, and the plaintiff may obtain possession and foreclose the defendant’s equity of redemption as in case of a mortgage.

9 V.S.A. § 1926 Death of landowner; effect on lien

1926. Death of landowner; effect on lien When the owner of real estate dies after a lien has been recorded, or dies pending an action brought against him or her to enforce a lien on such real estate, the action or lien shall not abate or be affected by the death of such owner, but the executor or administrator of the deceased shall be cited in and the action shall proceed to final judgment against the representative of the deceased defendant. Such real estate shall be holden for the amount due upon such judgment, with the cost of the copy of the record of the judgment and recording, as if it had been mortgaged for the payment of the same, in like manner as if the deceased defendant were alive. Such lien shall not be enforced to the diminution of a right or interest given by law to the surviving husband or wife, as the case may be, or to the children of such deceased person.

9 V.S.A. § 1927 Application to homestead

1927. Application to homestead The provisions of this subchapter shall apply to property held as a homestead.

9 V.S.A. § 1928 Married woman’s property

1928. Married woman’s property Under the provisions of this subchapter, the real estate of a married woman may be charged with a mechanic’s lien when she assents to the contract.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/09/051Fetched: 10/21/2026