Selling a Las Vegas Home With a Judgment or Mechanic's Lien
How judgment liens and mechanic's liens affect a Las Vegas home sale, how long each lasts under Nevada law, and how sellers clear them at closing.
Quick answer: Yes, you can sell a Las Vegas house with a judgment lien or a mechanic's lien recorded against it. In most sales the title company gets a payoff figure, the lien is paid from your proceeds at closing, and a release is recorded. The harder cases are liens larger than your equity, liens you dispute, and judgments against someone with a similar name. Each has its own Nevada fix.
As of September 2026, the two liens that most often surprise Southern Nevada sellers at the title stage aren't mortgages or HOA dues. They're court judgments and contractor liens, because both can be recorded with the Clark County Recorder without the owner ever signing anything. Here's how each one works under Nevada law, what it does to your sale, and what your options are when the numbers don't line up.
What's the difference between a judgment lien and a mechanic's lien?
They come from different places and follow different clocks. The table below summarizes the Nevada Revised Statutes that govern each.
| Judgment lien | Mechanic's lien | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it comes from | A creditor wins a court judgment against you, then records it with the county recorder | A contractor, subcontractor, or supplier who improved the property says they weren't paid |
| What it attaches to | Your non-exempt real property in the county where it's recorded, including property you buy later (NRS 17.150) | The specific property where the work was done |
| Recording deadline | None tied to the property; it's recorded after judgment | Generally within 90 days after completion of the work or the claimant's last work or delivery, or 40 days after a recorded notice of completion (NRS 108.226) |
| How long it lasts | 6 years from docketing, and continued each time the judgment is renewed (NRS 17.150, NRS 17.214) | No longer than 6 months after recording unless the claimant files suit to enforce it or a recorded written extension is signed (NRS 108.233) |
| Main ways to clear it | Pay or negotiate the payoff, let it expire, or resolve it through the court | Pay it, post a surety bond, challenge it in district court, or confirm it has lapsed |
That duration difference matters more than most sellers realize. A judgment lien can follow you for years. A mechanic's lien that nobody has sued on may already be past its 6-month window, which changes what title will require.
How do I find out if there's a lien on my Las Vegas house?
Liens against Clark County property are recorded with the Clark County Recorder, and the Recorder offers an online records search. In practice, most sellers find out when the title company runs its preliminary title report after you go under contract. If you suspect a problem, it's cheaper to ask for a title search before you list or accept an offer. Surprises at week three of escrow are where deals fall apart.
Look for three things on the report: the recording date, the amount, and the name of the debtor. Each one points to a different fix.
Does a judgment against someone with my name block my sale?
It can hold things up, but it's usually solvable. Title searches run by name, so a judgment against a "Maria Lopez" or "David Kim" can pop up on your report even if it isn't yours. Nevada law helps here. Since a creditor who records a judgment to create a real property lien must also record an affidavit of judgment with the debtor's address and the last four digits of a driver's license, ID card, or Social Security number (NRS 17.150(4)), the title officer has something to compare against. Expect to fill out an identity statement so title can rule out judgments that belong to someone else.
What if a contractor filed a mechanic's lien I dispute?
This comes up after roof, pool, solar, HVAC, and remodel jobs that ended in an argument. You have more options than simply paying whatever the notice says:
- Check the dates. If the notice was recorded more than 6 months ago and no lawsuit to enforce it was filed and no recorded extension exists, NRS 108.233 says it no longer binds the property. Title may still want documentation before insuring over it, so ask early.
- Ask for a release after payment. Once a lien is fully satisfied, NRS 108.2437 requires the claimant to record a discharge or release within 10 days. Get that in writing and make sure it's recorded.
- Bond around it. Under NRS 108.2413 and 108.2415, a surety bond equal to 1.5 times the lienable amount releases the property from the lien, so the fight moves to the bond and your sale can close.
- Challenge a frivolous or excessive lien. NRS 108.2275 lets an owner ask the district court in the county where the property sits to release or reduce a lien that was filed without reasonable cause or overstates the amount.
Bonds and court motions have costs and procedural requirements, so talk with a Nevada construction or real estate attorney before choosing one. Sometimes a negotiated payoff through escrow is cheaper than winning.
What happens if the liens add up to more than my equity?
When the mortgage, liens, and selling costs exceed the price, there isn't enough money at closing to pay everyone. The sale can still happen, but only if lienholders agree to accept less, or you bring money to closing. Judgment creditors and contractors will sometimes take a reduced payoff if the alternative is a long collection effort. Those negotiations happen in writing through escrow, and any agreed amount should be reflected in a signed payoff letter before you close.
Nevada's homestead exemption is also part of this conversation. NRS 17.150 limits judgment liens to property "not exempt from execution," and NRS 115.010 protects up to $605,000 of equity in a declared homestead from forced sale, with exceptions. How those rules apply to your specific judgment and your sale is a legal question. Get an attorney's answer before you agree to pay a judgment creditor from your proceeds.
Yvonne's Lien-to-Closing Plan
- Order a title search before you commit to a price. You'll know every recorded lien, its date, and its amount before you negotiate.
- Sort each lien into one of three piles: yours and valid, disputed, or not yours. Each pile has a different fix, so mixing them wastes time.
- Request written payoff figures for every valid lien. Escrow needs a current number, and a written payoff is also your starting point for any reduction request.
- Run the net sheet with every lien included. A cash offer and an MLS listing can then be compared on what you'll actually walk away with.
- Bring in an attorney for anything disputed, expired-looking, or tied to homestead questions. Those are legal calls, and getting them right can change your net by thousands.
Common mistakes Las Vegas sellers make with liens
- Assuming a lien is "old" and harmless without checking whether the judgment was renewed.
- Paying a contractor without getting a recorded release under NRS 108.2437.
- Accepting an offer before seeing a title report, then discovering the net is negative.
- Ignoring a name-match judgment instead of completing the identity paperwork right away.
- Letting a buyer's representative, rather than your own advisor, decide which lien you "should" pay.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my house in Nevada with a judgment lien on it?
Yes. In most sales the title company obtains a payoff from the judgment creditor and pays it from your proceeds at closing, then the release is recorded. Problems arise when there isn't enough equity, the judgment isn't yours, or you dispute the amount. Each of those needs its own fix before closing.
How long does a judgment lien last in Nevada?
Under NRS 17.150, a recorded judgment lien generally continues for 6 years after the judgment was docketed, and it's continued each time the judgment is renewed. Renewal is done by affidavit filed within 90 days before the judgment expires (NRS 17.214). Child support arrearage judgments follow a different rule.
How long does a mechanic's lien last in Nevada?
NRS 108.233 says a mechanic's lien can't bind the property longer than 6 months after the notice of lien was recorded, unless the claimant files suit to enforce it within that time or a written extension is signed and recorded. Title may still want proof before treating it as lapsed.
Can I close my sale while I'm still disputing a contractor's lien?
Often, yes. Nevada lets the property be released by recording a surety bond equal to 1.5 times the lienable amount (NRS 108.2415). The dispute then continues against the bond instead of your house. An attorney can tell you whether bonding is cheaper than settling in your situation.
Want to know what you'd net with the liens paid?
Send your property address and I'll put together a no-obligation net comparison that includes every recorded lien, so you can see what a cash sale and an MLS listing would each leave you. If you'd rather talk it through, call Yvonne at (702) 819-0035.
Related reading: selling a Vegas house with HOA violations or HOA liens, what to do when Clark County property taxes are behind, the full cost of selling a house in Las Vegas, and what to check before accepting a cash offer. Or start from the Sell Vegas House for Cash homepage.
Disclaimer: This article is general information about liens and selling residential property in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it doesn't create an attorney-client or agency relationship. Lien rules have exceptions and depend on the facts. Consult a Nevada attorney about any specific judgment, mechanic's lien, or homestead question.
About the author: Yvonne Khoo is a licensed Nevada real estate agent, NV Lic. S.0069489.PC, with eXp Realty, 10845 Griffith Peak Drive, Suite 2, Las Vegas, NV 89135. She represents home sellers across Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Summerlin, Paradise, Enterprise, Boulder City, Mesquite, and Pahrump. She is not the buyer of the properties she helps sell. Reach her at (702) 819-0035.
Sources: Nevada Revised Statutes NRS 17.150, 17.214, 108.226, 108.233, 108.2275, 108.2413, 108.2415, 108.2437, and 115.010, Nevada Legislature, accessed September 19, 2026; Clark County Recorder, official website, accessed September 19, 2026.
