Iowa Code § 572.34 — IA Code / Title XIV / Chapter 572 / Section 572.34
Mechanics’ notice and lien registry.
Status: in_force

(1) A mechanics’ notice and lien registry is created and shall be administered by the administrator. The administrator shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A for the creation and administration of the registry.

(2) The mechanics’ notice and lien registry shall be accessible to the general public through the administrator’s internet site.

(3) The registry shall be indexed by owner name, general contractor name, mechanics’ notice and lien registry number, property address, legal description, tax parcel identification number, and any other identifier considered appropriate as determined by the administrator pursuant to rule.

(4) Any person who posts fictitious, forged, or false information to the mechanics’ notice and lien registry shall be subject to a penalty as determined by the administrator by rule in addition to all other penalties and remedies available under applicable law.

(5) A person may post a correction statement with respect to a record indexed on the mechanics’ notice and lien registry internet site if the person believes the record is inaccurate or wrongfully posted.

(6) The administrator shall charge and collect fees as established by rule necessary for the administration and maintenance of the registry and the registry’s internet site. The administrator shall not charge a posting fee for a preliminary notice required pursuant to this chapter that exceeds the cost of sending such notice by certified mail with restricted delivery and return receipt. The administrator shall not charge a posting fee that exceeds forty dollars for a mechanic’s lien.

(7) Notices may be posted to the mechanics’ notice and lien registry electronically on the administrator’s internet site, or may be sent to the administrator for posting by United States mail or facsimile transmission, or other alternate method as provided by the administrator pursuant to rule. Notices received by United States mail or facsimile transmission shall be posted by the administrator to the mechanics’ notice and lien registry within three business days of receipt.

(8) Mechanics’ liens may be posted to the mechanics’ notice and lien registry electronically on the administrator’s internet site or may be sent to the administrator for posting by United States mail. Liens received by United States mail shall be posted by the administrator to the mechanics’ notice and lien registry within three business days of receipt.

(9) The administrator shall send a receipt acknowledging a notice or lien submitted by United States mail or facsimile transmission, as provided by the administrator by rule.

(10) Information collected by and furnished to the administrator in conjunction with the submission and posting of notices pursuant to sections 572.13A and 572.13B shall be used by the administrator solely for the purposes of the mechanics’ notice and lien registry.

(11) Registration under chapter 91C shall not be required in order to post a notice or a lien under this chapter.

(12) A preliminary notice that remains posted on the mechanics’ notice and lien registry internet site two years after the date of posting shall be declared inactive by the administrator, unless renewed. A notice of commencement of work, if there are no related active postings, shall be declared inactive two years from the date of posting, unless renewed. The administrator shall establish a process for the removal of inactive notices and for the renewal of notices pursuant to rule.

(13) The administrator shall make, or cause to be made, preservation duplicates of mechanics’ notice and lien registry records, including records stored in a computer database. Any preservation duplicate record shall be accurate, complete, and clear, and shall be made, preserved, and made accessible to the public by means designated by the administrator by rule.

2012 Acts, ch 1105, §25, 27, 28; 2012 Acts, ch 1138, §13, 41, 43; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §257; 2013 Acts, ch 99, §17; 2013 Acts, ch 140, §79; 2014 Acts, ch 1092, §129