N.Y. Lien Law § 17: Duration of lien

§ 17. Duration of lien. No lien specified in this article shall be a

lien for a longer period than one year after the notice of lien has been

filed, unless within that time an action is commenced to foreclose the

lien, and a notice of the pendency of such action, whether in a court of

record or in a court not of record, is filed with the county clerk of

the county in which the notice of lien is filed, containing the names of

the parties to the action, the object of the action, a brief description

of the real property affected thereby, and the time of filing the notice

of lien; or unless an extension to such lien, except for a lien on real

property improved or to be improved with a single family dwelling, is

filed with the county clerk of the county in which the notice of lien is

filed within one year from the filing of the original notice of lien,

continuing such lien and such lien shall be redocketed as of the date of

filing such extension. Such extension shall contain the names of the

lienor and the owner of the real property against whose interest therein

such lien is claimed, a brief description of the real property affected

by such lien, the amount of such lien, and the date of filing the notice

of lien. No lien shall be continued by such extension for more than one

year from the filing thereof. In the event an action is not commenced to

foreclose the lien within such extended period, such lien shall be

extinguished unless an order be granted by a court of record or a judge

or justice thereof, continuing such lien, and such lien shall be

redocketed as of the date of granting such order and a statement made

that such lien is continued by virtue of such order. A lien on real

property improved or to be improved with a single family dwelling may

only be extended by an order of a court of record, or a judge or justice

thereof. No lien shall be continued by court order for more than one

year from the granting thereof, but a new order and entry may be made in

each of two successive years. If a lienor is made a party defendant in

an action to enforce another lien, and the plaintiff or such defendant

has filed a notice of the pendency of the action within the time

prescribed in this section, the lien of such defendant is thereby

continued. Such action shall be deemed an action to enforce the lien of

such defendant lienor. The failure to file a notice of pendency of

action shall not abate the action as to any person liable for the

payment of the debt specified in the notice of lien, and the action may

be prosecuted to judgment against such person. The provisions of this

section in regard to continuing liens shall apply to liens discharged by

deposit or by order on the filing of an undertaking. Where a lien is

discharged by deposit or by order, a notice of pendency of action shall

not be filed.

A lien, the duration of which has been extended by the filing of a

notice of the pendency of an action as above provided, shall

nevertheless terminate as a lien after such notice has been canceled as

provided in section sixty-five hundred fourteen of the civil practice

law and rules or has ceased to be effective as constructive notice as

provided in section sixty-five hundred thirteen of the civil practice

law and rules.