Statute of Limitations
From the Latin from Latin 'statutum,' meaning an established rule or law.
In one sentence
A law setting the maximum time period within which a lawsuit can be filed after an injury or breach occurs.
Plain English
Every type of legal claim has a deadline. Once that deadline passes, you lose the right to sue, even if you have a valid claim. The statute of limitations varies depending on the type of case—contract disputes might have a different deadline than personal injury claims, for example. These time limits exist to protect defendants from being sued years or decades after an event, when evidence may be lost and memories fade. Once the deadline expires, the claim is essentially dead, and courts will dismiss any lawsuit filed after that point.
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Example
You discover that a contractor did shoddy work on your roof three years ago. If your state's statute of limitations for construction defects is two years, you've missed the deadline and cannot sue, even though the damage is real and provable.
Used in a sentence
“The plaintiff's breach of contract claim was dismissed because it was filed after the statute of limitations had expired.”
How Statute of Limitations differs by state
Statute of Limitations can apply differently depending on the state. Click a state to see local specifics.
Alabama
Alabama generally allows 3 years for personal injury claims and 6 years for contract breaches from the date of injury or breach.
Alaska
Alaska uses a 2-year deadline for personal injury claims and a discovery rule that can extend the filing window.
Arizona
Arizona enforces a 2-year deadline for personal injury claims and a 3-year limit for contract breaches.
Arkansas
Arkansas allows 3 years for personal injury claims and applies a discovery rule for certain hidden injuries.
California
California uses a 2-year deadline for personal injury claims but applies a discovery rule that can extend the filing window.
Colorado
Colorado generally allows 2 years for personal injury claims and 3 years for contract breaches from the injury or breach date.
Connecticut
Connecticut requires most personal injury claims within 2 years, but medical malpractice has a 2-year discovery rule with a 3-year absolute cap.
Delaware
Delaware sets a 2-year limit for personal injury claims and a 3-year limit for written contract breaches from the date of injury or breach.
Florida
Florida allows 4 years for personal injury claims and 5 years for written contracts, with medical malpractice subject to a discovery rule and 2-year cap.
Georgia
Georgia requires personal injury claims within 2 years and contract claims within 4 years from the date of injury or breach.
Hawaii
Hawaii generally allows 6 years for contract claims and 2 years for personal injury lawsuits.
Idaho
Idaho sets a 2-year deadline for personal injury claims and 5 years for written contracts.
Illinois
Illinois requires personal injury suits within 2 years and contract claims within 10 years.
Indiana
Indiana allows 2 years for personal injury claims and 6 years for written contracts.
Iowa
Iowa requires personal injury suits within 2 years and written contracts within 10 years.
Kansas
Kansas sets most civil claims at three years, with longer periods for real property and contract disputes.
Kentucky
Kentucky uses a five-year deadline for most civil actions, one of the longer standard periods in the nation.
Louisiana
Louisiana's civil law tradition creates unique timelines: one year for personal injury, three years for movable property, and ten years for immovable property.
Maine
Maine generally allows six years for most civil actions, with shorter periods for personal injury claims at three years.
Maryland
Maryland uses three years for most personal injury claims and five years for written contracts, with medical malpractice capped at five years from injury.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts generally allows three years to sue for personal injury, but only one year for defamation claims.
Michigan
Michigan sets a three-year deadline for personal injury claims, with a discovery rule that can extend the timeline.
Minnesota
Minnesota requires personal injury suits within four years, longer than many states, with discovery rule protections.
Mississippi
Mississippi enforces a three-year deadline for personal injury claims with limited discovery rule exceptions.
Missouri
Missouri allows five years for personal injury claims, one of the longest periods in the nation.
Montana
Montana generally allows three years to file most civil lawsuits, with some claims extending to five years.
Nebraska
Nebraska imposes a four-year limit on most contract and personal injury claims, with some exceptions extending to five years.
Nevada
Nevada generally allows two years for personal injury claims and four years for contract disputes.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire allows three years for most personal injury claims, but only three years from discovery for medical malpractice.
New Jersey
New Jersey allows two years for personal injury and medical malpractice claims, with discovery rules extending some deadlines.
New Mexico
New Mexico generally allows three years to file most civil lawsuits, with some claims having longer periods.
New York
New York sets three years for most personal injury claims and six years for contract breaches.
North Carolina
North Carolina requires most personal injury claims within three years, with medical malpractice having a one-year discovery window.
North Dakota
North Dakota allows six years for most contract claims and two years for personal injury lawsuits.
Ohio
Ohio requires most personal injury claims within two years and contract claims within six years.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma generally allows two years to file most civil lawsuits, with longer periods for specific claims like fraud or property damage.
Oregon
Oregon uses a two-year deadline for most personal injury claims, but discovery rule exceptions can extend the timeline significantly.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sets a two-year deadline for personal injury claims, with a discovery rule that can delay the start date substantially.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island enforces a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, longer than many neighboring states.
South Carolina
South Carolina allows three years for personal injury claims and uses the discovery rule to determine when the clock starts.
South Dakota
South Dakota generally allows three years for personal injury claims and six years for contract breaches.
Tennessee
Tennessee sets a three-year deadline for personal injury claims and four years for contract breaches.
Texas
Texas imposes a two-year deadline for personal injury and medical malpractice claims, among the shortest in the nation.
Utah
Utah allows four years for personal injury claims and six years for written contract breaches.
Vermont
Vermont allows six years for personal injury claims and six years for contract breaches, offering longer windows than many states.
Virginia
Virginia generally allows five years for contract claims and three years for personal injury lawsuits from the injury date.
Washington
Washington imposes a three-year limit for most personal injury claims and a four-year limit for written contracts.
West Virginia
West Virginia sets a two-year limit for personal injury claims and a five-year limit for written contracts.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin generally allows three years for personal injury claims and six years for written contract actions.
Wyoming
Wyoming sets a four-year limit for personal injury claims and a ten-year limit for written contracts.
District of Columbia
D.C. generally allows 3 years for personal injury and contract claims, with some exceptions extending to 10 years.
Related terms
Contract
A legally binding agreement between two or more parties to do or not do something.
Breach of Warranty
Failing to fulfill a promise or guarantee made about a product or service.
commencement of proceedings
The official start of a lawsuit or criminal case in court.
Lapse
An offer that expires because a deadline passes or too much time has gone by.
complaint
A formal written accusation that starts a criminal case.
Remedy
A legal action or payment a court awards to fix a harm or enforce a right after a breach.
Offer
A proposal to enter into a binding agreement on specific terms.
Acceptance
Agreeing to the exact terms of an offer, creating a binding contract.
This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney.