Statute of Limitations Lookup
Pick your state and claim type to see the general deadline to file a lawsuit, with the statute cited. Add the incident date and we estimate the filing deadline. These are general rules, not legal advice, and exceptions can shorten or extend them.
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100% freeYour state's deadlines at a glance
- This is general information compiled from state statutes, not legal advice. Deadlines change, and 2023 to 2024 reforms in Florida and Louisiana show how fast.
- Exceptions can shorten or extend the period: claims against the government often need notice within months, the discovery rule can delay the start, and the clock can pause for minors or out-of-state defendants.
- Medical malpractice and wrongful death usually have their own periods and repose limits not shown here.
- A deadline estimate from a date is arithmetic, not a legal calculation. The accrual date itself is often the disputed issue.
Information only, not legal advice. Limitation periods vary by claim and can be shortened or extended by exceptions. Verify the cited statute before relying on this.
What is a statute of limitations?
A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to file a lawsuit. Miss it, and the court will almost always dismiss the case no matter how strong it is. Each state sets its own periods, and they differ by claim type: the same fall on the same staircase can have a one-year deadline in Kentucky and a six-year deadline in Maine.
Most states give you one to three years for personal injury and two to six years for contract claims, with written contracts usually getting more time than oral ones. Defamation deadlines are the shortest, often a single year.
When does the clock start?
The period usually starts when the claim accrues. For an injury that is the date of the accident, for a contract the date of the breach, and for defamation the date of publication. The accrual date is often the most contested issue in a limitations fight, which is why a date calculation is only an estimate.
Many states apply a discovery rule for harms you could not reasonably have known about at the time, such as a misdiagnosis or hidden property damage. The clock then starts when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the injury. Louisiana now applies exactly this rule to damage to immovable property.
Exceptions that change the deadline
The lookup shows the general rule, but several exceptions routinely move the real deadline in both directions.
| Exception | Effect |
|---|---|
| Claims against a city, county, or state | A notice of claim is often required within 30 days to one year, far before the lawsuit deadline. |
| Plaintiff is a minor or legally incapacitated | The clock is usually paused (tolled) until majority or capacity, with state-specific limits. |
| Defendant leaves the state or hides | Many states pause the clock while the defendant cannot be served. |
| Discovery rule | Starts the clock when the harm was or should have been discovered, not when it happened. |
| Statute of repose | A hard outer limit, common in construction and product cases, that can cut off claims regardless of discovery. |
Two recent changes worth knowing
Florida cut its negligence deadline in half, from four years to two, for claims accruing on or after March 24, 2023 under HB 837. Anyone relying on an older four-year table can miss a live deadline by two full years.
Louisiana moved the other way. Its famous one-year prescription for torts became two years for actions arising on or after July 1, 2024, under new Civil Code article 3493.1. Claims from before that date keep the one-year period, so the incident date controls which rule applies.
Statutes of limitations by state
Search any state to compare the personal injury and written contract deadlines. Open the lookup above for property damage, oral contracts, defamation, the statute citation, and a deadline estimate.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I file after the statute of limitations?
The defendant can raise the deadline as a defense and the court will almost always dismiss the case, regardless of how strong it is. A few narrow exceptions exist, such as tolling or estoppel, but they are hard to win. Treat the deadline as absolute.
Does the statute of limitations differ by claim type?
Yes. The same state can give one year for defamation, two for personal injury, and ten for a written contract. Always check the period for your specific claim type, not just your state.
When does the clock start running?
Generally at accrual: the date of injury, breach, or publication. Many states delay the start under a discovery rule when the harm could not reasonably have been known, and some events pause the clock after it starts.
Can the deadline be paused or extended?
Yes, this is called tolling. Common grounds are the plaintiff being a minor or incapacitated, the defendant being out of state, ongoing bankruptcy stays, or written agreements to toll while negotiating. Each ground has state-specific limits.
Are deadlines shorter for claims against the government?
Usually, yes. Suing a city, county, state, or the federal government typically requires a formal notice of claim within 30 days to one year, and missing the notice deadline can end the claim even though the general lawsuit period is longer.
Did Florida really cut its deadline to two years?
Yes. HB 837 reduced the negligence period from four years to two for claims accruing on or after March 24, 2023. Older claims keep the four-year period. The change covers most injury and negligence-based property damage claims.
Is Louisiana still a one-year state?
Not for new claims. Torts arising on or after July 1, 2024 get two years under Civil Code article 3493.1. Claims from before that date keep the one-year prescription, so the incident date decides which rule applies.
Does this tool cover medical malpractice or wrongful death?
No. Both usually have their own periods, special accrual rules, and hard repose limits that vary widely by state. The general personal injury period shown here is not a safe substitute, so check the specific statute or ask a lawyer.