Civil Statutes of limitation differ by state and case throughout the United States. Here’s everything you need to know about civil statutes of limitations by state.
What is a Civil Statute of Limitation?
A statute of limitation is a law establishing a time limit for civil acts. A statute of limitations forbids prosecutors or individuals from bringing cases to court after a person committed the crime a specified number of years ago. The purpose of limitations is to ensure evidence has not deteriorated over time. Not all crimes have statutes of limitations and each state establishes its own statutes of limitation, which vary by case.
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What is the difference between written and oral cases?
Civil statutes of limitation may differ in length between oral and written civil cases. The distinction between oral and written is only relevant in contract law. If a contract is oral, the statute of limitation may be shorter than a written counterpart. Every state determines the length of written and oral contract statutes of limitation differently.
Statutes of limitation for civil cases regarding oral contracts are often shorter than civil cases regarding written contracts because oral evidence has a faster rate of deterioration. To ensure the reliability of evidence presented in court, many states have statutes of limitations.
Civil Statutes of Limitation by State
| State | Civil Cases (Written) | Civil Cases (Oral) | Injury | Property Damage |
| Alabama | 6 years | 6 years | 2 years | 6 years |
| Alaska | 3 years | 3 years | 2 years | 6 years (real property), 2 years (personal property) |
| Arizona | 6 years | 3 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Arkansas | 5 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| California | 4 years | 2 years | 2 years | 3 years |
| Colorado | 6 years | 6 years | 2 years, 3 years (injuries from motor vehicle accidents) | 2 years, 3 years (damage from motor vehicle accidents) |
| Connecticut | 6 years | 3 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Delaware | 3 years | 3 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| District of Columbia | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Florida | 5 years | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years |
| Georgia | 6 years | 4 years | 2 years | 4 years |
| Hawaii | 6 years | 6 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Idaho | 5 years | 4 years | 2 years | 3 years |
| Illinois | 10 years | 5 years | 2 years | 5 years |
| Indiana | 10 years | 5 years | 2 years | 6 years (real property), 2 years (personal property) |
| Iowa | 10 years | 5 years | 2 years | 5 years |
| Kansas | 5 years | 3 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Kentucky | 10 years | 5 years | 1 year, 2 years (injuries from motor vehicle accidents), | 5 years (real property), 3 years (personal property) |
| Louisiana | 10 years | 10 years | 1 year | 1 year |
| Maine | 6 years | 6 years | 6 years | 6 years |
| Maryland | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Massachusetts | 6 years | 6 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Michigan | 6 years | 6 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Minnesota | 6 years | 6 years | 2 years | 6 years |
| Mississippi | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Missouri | 10 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
| Montana | 8 years | 5 years | 3 years | 2 years |
| Nebraska | 5 years | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years |
| Nevada | 6 years | 4 years | 2 years | 3 years |
| New Hampshire | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| New Jersey | 6 years | 6 years | 2 years | 6 years |
| New Mexico | 6 years | 4 years | 3 years | 4 years |
| New York | 6 years | 6 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| North Carolina | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| North Dakota | 6 years | 6 years | 6 years | 6 years |
| Ohio | 8 years | 6 years | 2 years | 4 years (real property), 2 years (personal property) |
| Oklahoma | 5 years | 3 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Oregon | 6 years | 6 years | 2 years | 6 years |
| Pennsylvania | 4 years | 4 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Rhode Island | 10 years | 10 years | 3 years | 10 years |
| South Carolina | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| South Dakota | 6 years | 6 years | 3 years | 6 years |
| Tennessee | 6 years | 6 years | 1 year | 3 years |
| Texas | 4 years | 4 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Utah | 6 years | 4 years | 4 years | 3 years |
| Vermont | 6 years | 6 years | 3 years | 6 years (real property), 3 years (personal property) |
| Virginia | 5 years | 3 years | 2 years | 5 years |
| Washington | 6 years | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| West Virginia | 10 years | 8 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Wisconsin | 6 years | 6 years | 3 years | 6 years |
| Wyoming | 10 years | 8 years | 4 years | 4 years |
States routinely change or add stipulations to statutes of limitations. Thus, individuals should always research their state’s current statutes of limitations regarding the individuals’ civil concerns.
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