Statutes of limitations (SOL) is the time in which a lawsuit is initiated by an injured person or victim. In most cases, unless there is a special circumstance, the SOL begins to run from the date of the occurrence that caused the injury. Statutes of limitations are enacted by the legislature, which might extend or reduce time limits, based on certain restrictions. Nearly every state has a basic suspension of the statute of limitations (tolling) for civil actions while the person is a minor.
The chart below contains common statutes of limitations for all 50 states, expressed in years.
*Please check with your state’s actual statute of limitation as it may be different than what is posted on this page.
Statute of Limitations for the 50 States (and the District of Columbia)
Choose a link from the list below to learn more about MEDICAL MALPRACTICE laws in your state.
State | Time Limitation | Statute Citation |
Alabama | 2 years | Code of Alabama section 6-5-482 |
Alaska | 2 years | Alaska Statutes section 09.10.070 |
Arizona | 2 years | Arizona Revised Statutes section 12-542 |
Arkansas | 2 years | Arkansas Code section 16-114-203 |
California | 1 year | California Code of Civil Procedure section 340.5 |
Colorado | 2 years | Colorado Revised Statutes section 13-80-102.5 |
Connecticut | 2 years | Gen. Stat. of Connecticut section 52-584 |
Delaware | 2 years | Title 18 Delaware Code section 6856 |
District of Columbia | 3 years | D.C. Code section 12-301 |
Florida | 2 years | Florida Statutes section 95.11(4)(b) |
Georgia | 2 years | Code of Georgia Annotated section 9-3-71 |
Hawaii | 2 years | Hawaii Revised Statutes section 657-7.3 |
Idaho | 2 years | Idaho Statutes section 5-219 |
Illinois | 2 years | Illinois Comp. Statutes section 5/13-212(a) |
Indiana | 2 years | Indiana Code section 34-18-7-1 |
Iowa | 2 years | Iowa Code section 614.1 |
Kansas | 2 years | Kansas Statutes Annotated section 60-513 |
Kentucky | 1 year | Kentucky Revised Statutes section 413.140 |
Louisiana | 1 year | Louisiana Revised Statutes section 9:5628 |
Maine | 3 years | Maine Revised Statutes Title 24 section 2902 |
Maryland | 3 yrs / 5 yrs | Maryland Cts & Jud. Proc. Code section 5-109 |
Massachusetts | 3 years | Massachusetts General Laws Ch. 260 section 4 |
Michigan | 2 years | Michigan Comp. Laws section 600.5805 |
Minnesota | 4 years | Minnesota Statutes section 541.076 |
Mississippi | 2 years | Mississippi Code section 15-1-36(1) |
Missouri | 2 years | Missouri Revised Statutes section 516.105 |
Montana | 3 years | Montana Code Annotated section 27-2-205 |
Nebraska | 2 years | Nebraska Revised Statutes section 44-2828 |
Nevada | 3 years | Nevada Revised Statutes section 41A.097 |
New Hampshire | 2 years | New Hampshire Revised Statutes section 507:C-4 |
New Jersey | 2 years | New Jersey Public Law section 2A:14-2 |
New Mexico | 3 years | New Mexico Statutes Annotated section 41-5-13 |
New York | 2.5 years | N.Y. Civil Practice Law and Rules section 214-a. |
North Carolina | 3 years | North Carolina General Statutes section 1-15 |
North Dakota | 2 years | North Dakota Century Code section 28-01-18 |
Ohio | 1 year | Ohio Revised Code section 2305.113 |
Oklahoma | 2 years | Oklahoma Statutes section 76-18 |
Oregon | 2 years | Oregon Revised Statutes section 12.110 |
Pennsylvania | 2 years | Penn. Cons. Statutes Title 42 section 5524 |
Rhode Island | 3 years | Rhode Island Statutes section 9-1-14.1 |
South Carolina | 3 years | South Carolina Code section 15-3-545 |
South Dakota | 2 years | South Dakota Codified Laws section 15-2-14.1 |
Tennessee | 1 yr / 3 yrs | Tennessee Code Annotated section 29-26-116 |
Texas | 2 years | Texas Civil Practice and Rem. Code section 74.251 |
Utah | 2 years | Utah Code section 78B-3-404 |
Vermont | 3 years | 12 Vermont Statutes Ann. section 521 |
Virginia | 2 years | Code of Virginia section 8.01-243 |
Washington | 3 years | Rev. Code of Washington section 4.16.350 |
West Virginia | 2 years | West Virginia Code section 55-7B-4 |
Wisconsin | 3 years | Wisconsin Statutes section 893.55 |
Wyoming | 2 years | Wyoming Statutes section 1-3-107 |
State |
Statute |
Written contract |
Oral contract |
Injury |
Property damage |
Alabama | Ala. Code § 6-2-2 et seq. * | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 09.10.010 et seq. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 (real property); 2 (personal property) |
Arizona | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 12-541 et seq. | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-101 et seq. | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
California | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 312 et seq. | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102 et seq. | 3 (6 most debts; rent) (2 tortious breach) |
3 (6 short-term debt/rent ) (2 tortious breach) |
2 | 2 |
Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52-575 et seq. | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Delaware | Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 8101 et seq. | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
District of Columbia | D.C. Code § 12-301 et seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Florida | Fla. Stat. Ann. § 95.011 et seq. | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-20 et seq. | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
Idaho | Idaho Code § 5-201 et seq. | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
Illinois | 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/13-201 et seq. | 10 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Indiana | Ind. Code Ann. § 34-11-2-1 et seq. | 10 | 6 | 2 | 6 (real property); 2 (personal property) |
Iowa | Iowa Code Ann. § 614.1 et seq. | 10 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Kansas | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-501 et seq. | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.080 et seq. | 15 | 5 | 1 | 5 (real property); 2 (personal property) |
Louisiana | La. civil code § 3492 et seq. | 10 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, § 751 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Maryland | Md. Courts & Jud. Proc. Code Ann. § 5-101 et seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Massachusetts | Mass. Ann. Laws ch. 260, § 1 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
Michigan | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5801 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
Minnesota | Minn. Stat. Ann. § 541.01 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
Mississippi | Miss. Code. Ann. § 15-1-1 et seq. | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Missouri | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.097 et seq. | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-2021 et seq. | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-201 et seq. | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11.010 et seq. | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:1 et seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
New Jersey | N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2a:14-1 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
New Mexico | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-1 et seq. | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
New York | N.Y. Civ. Prac. Laws & Rules § 201 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-46 et seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
North Dakota | N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-01 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.03 et seq. | 8 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 91 et seq. | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.010 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
Pennsylvania | 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5501 et seq. | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
Rhode Island | R. I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-12 et seq. | 10 | 10 | 3 | 10 |
South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-510 et seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 15-2-1 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
Tennessee | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-101 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
Texas | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001 et seq. | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
Utah | Utah Code Ann. § 78-12-22 et seq. | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 461 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
Virginia | Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-228 et seq. | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Washington | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 4.16.005 et seq. | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
West Virginia | W. Va. Code § 55-2-1 et seq. | 10 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. Ann. § 893.01 et seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-102 et seq. | 10 | 8 | 4 | 4 |