Statute of Limitations by State
Filing deadlines for personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and product liability — all 50 states plus DC, with citations to the actual statute. Miss the deadline and even a strong case is dead, so understand both the SOL and any state-specific statute of repose before you delay.
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated · What is an SOL?
| State | Personal InjuryPI | Medical MalpracticeMed Mal | Wrongful DeathWD | Product LiabilityPL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 yr Ala. Code § 6-2-38 | 2 yr Ala. Code § 6-5-482 4-year repose | 2 yr Ala. Code § 6-5-410 | 2 yr Ala. Code § 6-2-38 |
| Alaska | 2 yr AS § 09.10.070 | 2 yr AS § 09.10.070 Discovery rule applies | 2 yr AS § 09.55.580 | 2 yr AS § 09.10.070 |
| Arizona | 2 yr A.R.S. § 12-542 | 2 yr A.R.S. § 12-542 No statute of repose (Constitution Art. 2 §31) | 2 yr A.R.S. § 12-542 | 2 yr A.R.S. § 12-542 |
| Arkansas | 3 yr Ark. Code § 16-56-105 | 2 yr Ark. Code § 16-114-203 | 3 yr Ark. Code § 16-62-102 | 3 yr Ark. Code § 16-116-103 |
| California | 2 yr CCP § 335.1 | 1 (discovery) or 3 (injury), earlier CCP § 340.5 Dual trigger | 2 yr CCP § 335.1 | 2 yr CCP § 335.1 |
| Colorado | 2 yr C.R.S. § 13-80-102 3 yr for auto | 2 yr C.R.S. § 13-80-102.5 3-yr repose | 2 yr C.R.S. § 13-80-102 | 2 yr C.R.S. § 13-80-106 |
| Connecticut | 2 yr Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 | 2 yr Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 3-yr repose | 2 yr Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-555 | 3 yr Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-577a 10-yr repose |
| Delaware | 2 yr 10 Del. C. § 8119 | 2 yr 18 Del. C. § 6856 3-yr repose | 2 yr 10 Del. C. § 8107 | 2 yr 10 Del. C. § 8119 |
| District of Columbia | 3 yr D.C. Code § 12-301(8) | 3 yr D.C. Code § 12-301(8) | 2 yr D.C. Code § 16-2702 | 3 yr D.C. Code § 12-301(8) |
| Florida | 2 (was 4) Fla. Stat. § 95.11 HB 837 cut 4→2 in 2023 | 2 yr Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(b) 4-yr repose; 7-yr for fraud | 2 yr Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(d) | 4 yr Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3) 12-yr repose |
| Georgia | 2 yr O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 | 2 yr O.C.G.A. § 9-3-71 5-yr repose | 2 yr O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 | 2 yr O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 10-yr repose |
| Hawaii | 2 yr HRS § 657-7 | 2 (discovery) or 6 (act) HRS § 657-7.3 | 2 yr HRS § 663-3 | 2 yr HRS § 657-7 |
| Idaho | 2 yr Idaho Code § 5-219 | 2 yr Idaho Code § 5-219(4) | 2 yr Idaho Code § 5-219 | 2 yr Idaho Code § 6-1403 |
| Illinois | 2 yr 735 ILCS 5/13-202 | 2 yr 735 ILCS 5/13-212 4-yr repose | 2 yr 740 ILCS 180/2 | 2 yr 735 ILCS 5/13-213 10–12-yr repose |
| Indiana | 2 yr Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4 | 2 yr Ind. Code § 34-18-7-1 Strict occurrence | 2 yr Ind. Code § 34-23-1-1 | 2 yr Ind. Code § 34-20-3-1 10-yr repose |
| Iowa | 2 yr Iowa Code § 614.1(2) | 2 yr Iowa Code § 614.1(9) 6-yr repose | 2 yr Iowa Code § 614.1(2) | 2 yr Iowa Code § 614.1(2A) 15-yr repose |
| Kansas | 2 yr K.S.A. § 60-513 | 2 yr K.S.A. § 60-513(c) 4-yr repose | 2 yr K.S.A. § 60-513 | 2 yr K.S.A. § 60-513 |
| Kentucky | 1 yr KRS § 413.140 Tightest SOL in U.S. | 1 yr KRS § 413.140 | 1 yr KRS § 413.180 | 1 yr KRS § 413.140 |
| Louisiana | 1 yr La. Civ. Code Art. 3492 Civil law: "prescription" | 1 yr La. R.S. 9:5628 3-yr repose | 1 yr La. Civ. Code Art. 2315.2 | 1 yr La. Civ. Code Art. 3492 |
| Maine | 6 yr 14 M.R.S. § 752 Longest standard SOL | 3 yr 24 M.R.S. § 2902 | 3 yr 18-C M.R.S. § 2-807 | 6 yr 14 M.R.S. § 752 |
| Maryland | 3 yr Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 | 3 (discovery) or 5 (injury), earlier Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-109 | 3 yr Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-904 | 3 yr Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 |
| Massachusetts | 3 yr M.G.L. ch. 260, § 2A | 3 yr M.G.L. ch. 231, § 60D 7-yr repose | 3 yr M.G.L. ch. 229, § 2 | 3 yr M.G.L. ch. 260, § 2A |
| Michigan | 3 yr MCL § 600.5805 | 2 yr MCL § 600.5805 6-yr repose | 3 yr MCL § 600.5805 | 3 yr MCL § 600.5805 |
| Minnesota | 6 yr Minn. Stat. § 541.05 | 2 (cut from 4) Minn. Stat. § 541.076 SF3489 Aug 2025 | 3 yr Minn. Stat. § 573.02 | 6 yr Minn. Stat. § 541.05 |
| Mississippi | 3 yr Miss. Code § 15-1-49 | 2 yr Miss. Code § 15-1-36 7-yr repose | 3 yr Miss. Code § 11-7-13 | 3 yr Miss. Code § 15-1-49 |
| Missouri | 5 yr Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 | 2 yr Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.105 10-yr repose | 3 yr Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100 | 5 yr Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 |
| Montana | 3 yr Mont. Code § 27-2-204 | 3 yr Mont. Code § 27-2-205 5-yr repose | 3 yr Mont. Code § 27-2-204 | 3 yr Mont. Code § 27-2-204 |
| Nebraska | 4 yr Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207 | 2 yr Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-2828 10-yr repose | 2 yr Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-810 | 4 yr Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-224 |
| Nevada | 2 yr NRS § 11.190 | 3 (injury) or 1 (discovery), earlier NRS § 41A.097 | 2 yr NRS § 11.190 | 2 yr NRS § 11.190 |
| New Hampshire | 3 yr RSA § 508:4 | 3 yr RSA § 508:4 | 6 yr RSA § 556:11 | 3 yr RSA § 508:4 |
| New Jersey | 2 yr N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2 | 2 yr N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2 AOM required | 2 yr N.J.S.A. § 2A:31-3 | 2 yr N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2 |
| New Mexico | 3 yr N.M. Stat. § 37-1-8 | 3 yr N.M. Stat. § 41-5-13 | 3 yr N.M. Stat. § 41-2-2 | 3 yr N.M. Stat. § 37-1-8 |
| New York | 3 yr CPLR § 214(5) | 2.5 CPLR § 214-a Lavern's Law cancer exception | 2 yr EPTL § 5-4.1 | 3 yr CPLR § 214(5) |
| North Carolina | 3 yr N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 | 3 yr N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-15(c) 4-yr repose; Rule 9(j) cert | 2 yr N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-53 | 3 yr N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 12-yr repose |
| North Dakota | 6 yr N.D.C.C. § 28-01-16 | 2 yr N.D.C.C. § 28-01-18(3) 6-yr repose | 2 yr N.D.C.C. § 28-01-18 | 6 yr N.D.C.C. § 28-01-16 10-yr repose |
| Ohio | 2 yr R.C. § 2305.10 | 1 yr R.C. § 2305.113 4-yr repose; affidavit | 2 yr R.C. § 2125.02 | 2 yr R.C. § 2305.10 |
| Oklahoma | 2 yr 12 Okla. Stat. § 95 | 2 yr 76 Okla. Stat. § 18 | 2 yr 12 Okla. Stat. § 1053 | 2 yr 12 Okla. Stat. § 95 |
| Oregon | 2 yr ORS § 12.110 | 2 yr ORS § 12.110(4) 5-yr repose | 3 yr ORS § 30.020 | 2 yr ORS § 30.905 10-yr repose |
| Pennsylvania | 2 yr 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 | 2 yr 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 7-yr repose | 2 yr 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 | 2 yr 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 |
| Rhode Island | 3 yr R.I.G.L. § 9-1-14 | 3 yr R.I.G.L. § 9-1-14.1 | 3 yr R.I.G.L. § 10-7-2 | 10 yr R.I.G.L. § 9-1-13 Longest in U.S. |
| South Carolina | 3 yr S.C. Code § 15-3-530 | 3 yr S.C. Code § 15-3-545 6-yr repose | 3 yr S.C. Code § 15-3-530 | 3 yr S.C. Code § 15-3-530 |
| South Dakota | 3 yr SDCL § 15-2-14 | 2 yr SDCL § 15-2-14.1 | 3 yr SDCL § 21-5-3 | 3 yr SDCL § 15-2-14 |
| Tennessee | 1 yr Tenn. Code § 28-3-104 | 1 yr Tenn. Code § 29-26-116 3-yr repose | 1 yr Tenn. Code § 28-3-104 | 1 yr Tenn. Code § 28-3-104 6/10-yr repose |
| Texas | 2 yr Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003 | 2 yr Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.251 10-yr repose | 2 yr Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003 | 2 yr Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003 15-yr repose |
| Utah | 4 yr Utah Code § 78B-2-307 | 2 yr Utah Code § 78B-3-404 4-yr repose | 2 yr Utah Code § 78B-2-304 | 2 yr Utah Code § 78B-6-706 6-yr repose |
| Vermont | 3 yr 12 V.S.A. § 512 | 3 yr 12 V.S.A. § 521 | 2 yr 14 V.S.A. § 1492 | 3 yr 12 V.S.A. § 512 |
| Virginia | 2 yr Va. Code § 8.01-243 | 2 yr Va. Code § 8.01-243 10-yr repose | 2 yr Va. Code § 8.01-244 | 2 yr Va. Code § 8.01-243 |
| Washington | 3 yr RCW § 4.16.080 | 3 yr RCW § 4.16.350 8-yr repose | 3 yr RCW § 4.16.080 | 3 yr RCW § 7.72.060 |
| West Virginia | 2 yr W.Va. Code § 55-2-12 | 2 yr W.Va. Code § 55-7B-4 10-yr repose | 2 yr W.Va. Code § 55-7-6 | 2 yr W.Va. Code § 55-2-12 |
| Wisconsin | 3 yr Wis. Stat. § 893.54 | 3 yr Wis. Stat. § 893.55 5-yr repose | 3 yr Wis. Stat. § 893.54 | 3 yr Wis. Stat. § 893.54 15-yr repose |
| Wyoming | 4 yr Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105 | 2 yr Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-107 | 2 yr Wyo. Stat. § 1-38-102 | 4 yr Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105 |
Six Things That Change the Deadline
1. Discovery Rule
In most states, the SOL clock starts when you discover the injury (or reasonably should have) — not when it actually happened. Critical for med-mal, asbestos, and product cases where harm shows up years later.
2. Statute of Repose
A hard outer deadline that runs from the act itself, regardless of discovery. A 4-year repose on med-mal kills cases discovered 5+ years after the surgery — even with the discovery rule. Repose vs SOL →
3. Minors / Incapacity
Most states toll (pause) the SOL until a minor turns 18 or an incapacitated person regains capacity. Med-mal tolling for minors is often shorter (e.g., to age 8 or 10 in many states).
4. Fraudulent Concealment
If the defendant hid the wrongful conduct, most states toll the SOL until the concealment is discovered. Doctrine of estoppel applies.
5. Pre-Suit Notice & Affidavit of Merit
Many states require pre-suit notice (e.g., 90 days in CA CCP §364) or an affidavit of merit filed with the complaint. Some statutes toll the SOL during the notice period; others don't. Get this wrong and the case dies on a technicality.
6. Government Defendants
Suing a state, city, or federal agency triggers a separate, much shorter notice-of-claim deadline (often 90–180 days) before the underlying SOL even matters. Federal Tort Claims Act: 2-year claim filing + 6-month suit window after denial.
Already past the SOL?
You may still have options: ask a local attorney about discovery-rule tolling, equitable estoppel, fraudulent concealment, or whether the statute of repose is the harder bar. The earlier you ask, the more options you have.
Run your state’s numbers
Once you know you’re inside the deadline, see what the case is actually worth using state-specific damage caps, comparative-negligence rules, and 22M+ real settlement records.
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