How to check for liens on a property
What kinds of liens exist, where they're recorded, and the gaps every lien search has.
A lien is a legal claim against property that secures a debt. Liens can block or complicate a sale or refinance until they are paid and released, so checking for them is one of the first steps in evaluating a property.
Common types of liens
- Mortgages and deeds of trust: voluntary liens securing a loan. Recorded with the county.
- Property tax liens: unpaid property taxes. Shown by the county tax collector or treasurer; some counties sell tax certificates or liens to investors.
- Judgment liens: a court judgment against the owner, which in many states attaches to real property once recorded or docketed.
- Federal and state tax liens: filed by the IRS or a state revenue agency against the owner.
- Mechanics' liens: filed by contractors or suppliers who weren't paid for work on the property.
- HOA and municipal liens: unpaid association dues, code-enforcement fines, utilities or special assessments. These are often not in the county's land records index and can be missed.
How to search
Search the county recorder's index by owner name and by parcel, check the tax collector for delinquent taxes, and check court records for judgments. A current owner & encumbrance report covers recorded mortgages, liens and judgments against the property and the names searched, plus tax status, in one place.
What any lien search can miss
Unrecorded liens, liens indexed under a different name or spelling, HOA and municipal liens kept outside the land records, and anything recorded after the search date. Name searches can also return records for unrelated people with similar names. For a closing, rely on a title commitment and title insurance, not an informational report.
Order a lien & ownership report
Frequently asked questions
How can I check if a property has liens?
Search the county recorder's records by owner name and parcel, check the county tax collector for unpaid taxes, and check court records for judgments — or order a current owner & encumbrance report that compiles recorded mortgages, liens, judgments and tax status.
Does a lien search find HOA and municipal liens?
Often not. HOA dues and municipal liens (code fines, utilities, special assessments) are frequently kept outside the county land records index and may not appear until a title company requests payoff or estoppel letters.
Is a lien search the same as title insurance?
No. A lien search or informational report has no insurance behind it. For a purchase or loan, obtain a title commitment and title insurance policy from a licensed title agency or insurer.