4-215.Liens not filed cease.

Article IV. Attachment · Part 2. Watercraft · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026

In one sentenceSection 4-215 extinguishes any watercraft lien under this Part that is not filed before the craft is sold under a judgment.

Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/4-215

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All liens upon any water craft which are not filed hereunder before sale under judgment, as hereinafter provided, shall cease.

Plain-English Summary

This section states a firm rule in a single sentence: every lien on a water craft that is not filed under Part 2 before the judicial sale of that craft ceases. There is no carve-out in the text for a lienholder who did not know about the sale.

The rule serves the sale process rather than any individual lienholder. It lets a sale conducted under judgment pass a clean claim to the buyer and settle competing interests once and for all, which is also why Sections 4-212 and 4-214 give lienholders a defined window — up through bonding or the distribution order — to file before that window closes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to a lien that is not filed before the vessel is sold?

It ceases — the lienholder loses the claim against the craft.

Does this rule apply to every type of lien recognized under Part 2?

Yes; the text says "all liens" not filed before sale cease.

Why does the statute impose a use-it-or-lose-it deadline?

So a sale conducted under a judgment can pass a clean claim and finally resolve competing interests in the craft.

What should a lienholder do to avoid losing the claim?

File a complaint or an intervening petition before the sale, within the windows Sections 4-212 and 4-214 describe.

Is there an exception for a lienholder unaware the sale was coming?

The text states no exception; the deadline is tied to the sale itself.

Amendment History

(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: illinois boat lien deadline before saleunfiled vessel lien extinguisheduse it or lose it maritime lien illinoislien cutoff judicial sale watercraft