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How to Check for Liens on a Property for Free

Whether you're a homeowner or potential homebuyer, knowing how to check for liens on property is an important step to protect yourself financially. Plus, you can do it for free.

By Ashley Donohoe, MBA, FPWM®, CFEI®

Edited by Steve Miller

Updated Feb. 9, 2026

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You think of all the red flags to watch out for when buying a house for yourself or as an investment, but did you consider possible liens on the property?

Many homebuyers miss this step and only realize it when the title company can't clear the mortgage to close because the owners owe someone else money. I found this out the hard way when I tried to buy a property, only to learn in the final hour that it had a $100,000 lien.

Fortunately, you can check for liens on a current or potential property to spot potential issues to address. You might not even have to pay a cent.

What is a property lien?

A property lien is basically a legal claim against a property for a debt that you or another owner hasn't paid. The lender places a lien on the property to ensure it eventually gets the money. That might be when you simply send in the payment, or you sell or refinance the property.

Knowing whether there's a lien on a property is important because it can cause headaches when you go to buy, sell, or transfer a property. Unpaid liens can even lead to foreclosure.

What types of liens are there?

Property liens come in three main types: voluntary, statutory, and judgment.

Voluntary liens

Voluntary liens are agreements between two parties, which is why they're sometimes called consensual liens. You're likely most familiar with these liens, since they include home mortgages and car loans.

For example, when you use a mortgage, the lender agrees to give you money to buy the house, but your house will be the collateral. If you don't repay your mortgage as agreed, the lender can foreclose on the home and sell it to cover your debt.

I also dealt with a voluntary lien when I purchased a new car several years ago. My lender was the lienholder while I made payments. Once I paid off my car and the lien was released, the lender no longer had a legal claim on my vehicle.

Statutory liens

Statutory liens happen when you break some state or federal law. You may be familiar with a tax lien, which the IRS, your state, or your county might place on your property if you don't keep up with your tax payments.

These liens are superior to other types of liens, such as voluntary liens or judgment liens, meaning they take priority over other claims to the property. Statutory liens must be paid off first if a property is sold or foreclosed, and before any other liens on the property.

Some real estate investors invest in tax liens by purchasing tax lien certificates issued by local governments. This effectively transfers ownership of a lien from the original creditor to the investor. While this can be profitable when a homeowner pays off their debt or when the property is foreclosed, it also comes with risks and requires due diligence.

Judgment liens

A judgment lien is a type of legal claim against a property that a court grants to creditors as a way to collect an owed debt. The courts can place a lien on your property if someone wins a lawsuit against you because you owe them money.

These liens are often called involuntary liens because they aren't something both parties agree to, and you're unlikely to be able to sell or mortgage a property until the judgment lien is paid off or expires.

Each state's laws differ on how long liens can last; on average, they last five to 20 years, and in some states, they can be renewed.

Free ways to check for property liens

Whether you're buying a house for yourself or want to start real estate investing, you can check for liens by contacting the local county or using an online lien search tool. While this will take a little more work on your end than paying for professional help, it's a good place to start if you want to save some money.

Check with the county

Liens are usually public records once filed, so they're available to anyone.

How you access these records varies by state, but one common method is to contact the property's county office, such as the county clerk, assessor, or recorder. This step may involve a learning curve and patience, so be aware.

Here are the methods to try:

View property records online: Many county clerk or recorder offices have a search tool that lets you look up a property by the owner's name, address, parcel number, or other identifying information. Depending on the platform, you might find liens listed on the property's details page or need to browse a separate document database. I've done both when checking liens on family members' properties.
Visit or call the relevant county office. If you can't find what you need on the county website, reach out to the office directly. They can help you locate details about the lien and answer questions you may have. Be warned, though, that you might need to wait a while or pay a fee if you need physical copies.

Good to know

Public lien records may be difficult to read or understand, as some counties may list information in a format that needs a set of experienced eyes to understand the document's content.

Use a third-party property search tool

If you'd rather not sift through public records yourself, you can use a third-party online search tool. While you'll find several easy-to-use options available that can simplify your search, PropertyShark is worth a look if you want to save money.

You can create an account on PropertyShark.com and get one free property report that shows a wealth of information for any valid address, including any liens on the property. This works well if you're interested in a single property.

However, you have to subscribe to get more than one report. Pricing varies by region but typically starts around $50 to $60 per month.

When to pay for a title search

While I've tried the free methods to check for liens, working with a title company is my favorite option. Not only does it save time, but it also doesn't require having any special expertise to research the property yourself.

Title companies are third parties that can help lenders and buyers navigate important parts of the homebuying process. This includes:

Researching the history of property owners
Performing a title search
Ensuring the property title is clean of any liens, disputes and other issues

Hiring a title company is typically not a legal requirement, but many buyers do so because title agents can help ensure a smooth home-buying process. I find it well worth the money if you can avoid headaches with the property later.

If you're financing a new property, your mortgage company will eventually work with a title company on the transaction, but if you want to know about liens sooner, you can get a head start. You can just ask your real estate agent.

What to do if you find a property lien

Finding a property lien isn't necessarily the end of the world. However, your next moves depend on whether you find the lien on your own home or a house you want to buy.

Existing property

Finding a lien on your property is cause for concern, but it may not be a big deal.

Paid-off lien: If you paid off the debt but still see the lien on the property, contact the party responsible for the lien (such as a lender, government agency, or homeowners association) to have it released. This may involve filling out a lien release form and providing proof you paid off the debt, which is what I had to do for my car back in the day.
Unpaid lien: If you believe the lien is incorrect, you can dispute it. But if you genuinely owe the debt, see what you can do to pay it. While paying in full is ideal, you may be able to negotiate a partial amount or post a bond to secure the lien (in select states). After you resolve the unpaid lien, request a lien release because it may not be automatic.

Good to know

Your title insurance may protect you if the lien is something the title searcher missed when you bought the home. While this is uncommon, it does happen and is worth looking into.

Keep in mind that you cannot refinance or sell the property without satisfying the lien, so the sooner you take care of it, the better.

Potential property

If you find a lien on the property you want to purchase, it's not automatically a deal-breaker. Here's what you can do:

Clear the lien: The easiest option is to get the lien paid off. Typically, this is the seller's responsibility, but you should follow up to ensure it's cleared so it doesn't come back to haunt you.
Negotiate a deal: If the seller doesn't want to pay off the lien, you may negotiate with them for a lower sale price in exchange for you taking care of the lien.

Typically, having the seller pay off the lien is the better option since you don't want to take on the responsibility of the debt, but if you can work it into the sales price, it can work out the same. However, I recommend being cautious and asking a real estate agent or an attorney about the risks of this arrangement.

FAQs

Can someone put a lien on my house without me knowing?

Yes, someone can put a lien on your house without your knowledge, though it's not common. Liens are typically placed on a property after a legal process, such as a lawsuit or a judgment.

Depending on how your county or state notifies of liens, you may not be aware of those that exist on your property. However, if you haven't paid a debt, you likely know about it, and the lien shouldn't be a surprise if too much time has passed.

How do I get rid of a lien on my property?

There are five common ways to get rid of a lien on your property:

Pay the debt in full to get a lien release.
Negotiate a lower payment for a lien release.
Get a wrongful lien removed in court.
Post a bond to secure the lien, which is allowed in some states.
Wait for liens, such as judgment liens, to become invalid after they expire.

How do you put a lien on a property?

The requirements to put a lien on a property vary by state but may involve the following steps:

Exhaust all possible solutions to get the money you're owed paid to you.
Notify the debtor that you'll file a lien if the debt isn't paid.
Check lien filing deadlines in your state.
File a lien through the proper channels in your state, which may be through your local county or court.

Bottom line

While checking for property liens might seem like a hassle, you don't want to regret this step as a property owner or buyer. Otherwise, you won't know what type of debt you're in for, what legal actions you might face, or what restrictions you could experience if you decide to sell or refinance.

I recommend starting with the free options, like checking public county records online. But if you have trouble finding the information or you're in the buying or selling process, working with a title company is a smart move.