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Criminal Statutes of Limitations By State

Criminal Statutes of Limitations By State

By Her Lawyer on July 4th, 2022

What You Need to Know About Criminal Statutes of Limitations By State

A statute of limitations enforces a time period for any party to bring forward an action for legal proceedings. Here are the criminal statutes of limitations by state.

The purpose of the deadlines the statutes of limitations set is to promote fair and accurate lawsuits, but the time frames vary depending on the nature of the crime. Most states allow an indefinite period to report felonies involving murder or sex crimes against a minor. An individual should research the specific criterion for filing a lawsuit under a state’s statute of limitations, as certain offenses punishable with maximum sentencing may require the plaintiff to obtain DNA evidence within or before the statute’s set time.

Related: Sexual Assault in Civil vs. Criminal Court

Criminal Statutes of Limitations

State Code section Felonies Misdemeanors 
Alabama Title 15, Chapter 3 No statute of limitations for capital offenses, violent offenses, arson, forgery, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, and sex crimes against minors; 5 years for all other felonies  1 year
Alaska 12.10.010 No statute of limitations for all murder-related offenses, sex crimes against minors, human trafficking, distributing child pornography, sexual assault, kidnapping; 10 years for most other felonies  5 years
Arizona 13-107 No statute of limitations for capital offenses, violent sexual assault, misappropriation of public funds, unlawful use of biological or radioactive substances; 7 years for Class 2–Class 6 felonies 1 year; 6 months for petty offenses 
Arkansas  5-1-109 No statute of limitations for murder or rape when the positive DNA match certifies the victim’s claim; 

  • Other sexual assault and child abuse offenses – 28 years
  • Arson – 10 years
  • Class A or Class Y felonies – 6 years
  • Public servant-committed Felonies – 5 years
  • Class B, C, D, or unclassified felonies – 3 years
  • Fraud or breach of fiduciary duty – 1 year
 1 year
California  Penal Code Sections 799-805 No statute of limitations for capital offenses, murder, misappropriation of public funds, or violent sex offenses;

  • Production of child pornography – 10 years
  • Felonies punishable with a prison term of at least eight years – 6 years
  • Sex offenses against a minor – until the victim are 40 years old
  • Other felonies – 3 years
 1 year for most; 2 years for medical professionals who committed sexual exploitation; 3 years for misdemeanors committed against anyone under 14 years old
Colorado 16-5-401 No statute of limitations for capital offenses including murder and attempted murder, kidnapping, treason, forgery, and sex crimes against a child; 

  • Vehicular homicide – 3 or 5 years
  • Other felonies – 3 years
 18 months 
Connecticut  54-193 No statute of limitations for murder, sex crimes against minors, treason, forgery, sexual assault reported within 10 years with DNA proof, and hit and run homicide resulting in death;

  • Other sexual assault felonies – 20 years
  • Other felonies – 5 years
 1 year
Delaware Title 11 Section 205 No statute of limitations for murder-related offenses, sex crimes against a minor, or felonies in which DNA evidence is found within 10 years of the crime; 5 years for all other felonies 3 years for Class A; 2 years for Class B, C, or unclassified
Florida  775.15 No statute of limitations for any capital offense capable of resulting in maximum sentencing; 

  • First-degree felonies – 4 years
  • All other felonies – 3 years
 2 years for first-degree; 1 year for second-degree
Georgia 17-3-1 No statute of limitations for murder;

  • Rape – 15 years
  • Felonies punishable with maximum sentencing – 7 years
  • Crimes committed against minors – 7 years
  • All other felonies – 4 years
 2 years
Hawaii 701-108 No statute of limitations for murder-related charges, sex trafficking, and first-degree or second-degree sexual assault;

  • Manslaughter – 10 years
  • Class A felonies – 6 years
  • Offenses against property rights – 5 years
  • Other felonies – 3 years
 2 years for general; 1 year for petty violations
Idaho Title 19 Chapter 4 No statute of limitations for murder, voluntary manslaughter, rape, sex crimes against a minor, or terrorism; 

  • Ritualized abuse or genital mutilation of a female minor – 3 years
  • Other felonies – 5 years
 1 year 
Illinois 720 ILCS 5/Article 3 No statute of limitations for murder-related charges, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, treason, forgery, arson, child pornography, or major sexual assault offenses;

  • Identity theft – 7 years 
  • Theft over $100,000 in value – 7 years
  • Financial exploitation of elderly or disabled persons – 7 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years
 18 months
Indiana 35-41-4-2 No statute of limitations for murder or Class A felonies;

  • Sex crimes against a minor – before the victim turns 31 years old
  • Other felonies – 5 years
  • Felonies with DNA evidence – 1-year extension 
 2 years
Iowa Title XVI Chapter 802 No statute of limitations for murder;

  • Sex crimes against a minor – until the minor turns 32 years old
  • Other sex crimes – 10 years
  • Kidnapping or human trafficking – 10 years
  • Aggravated felonies – 3 years
 1 year for simple misdemeanors; 3 years for serious misdemeanors
Kansas 21-5107 No statute of limitations for murder, rape, terrorism, or aggravated sodomy;

  • Violent sex crimes – 10 years or within 1 year of finding DNA evidence or the offender
  • Unspecified felony offenses – 5 years
 5 years
Kentucky Penal Code 500.050 No statute of limitations  1 year
Louisiana  Code of Criminal Procedure 571 – 583 No statute of limitations for murder, rape, or any felonies punishable with maximum sentencing;

  • Serious sex crimes – 30 years after the victim’s 18th birthday
  • Felonies punishable by hard labor – 6 years
  • Other offenses – 4 years
 2 years
Maine Criminal Code Title 17-A Section 8 No statute of limitations for murder-related charges, incest, rape, gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact, or sex acts against a minor;

  • Class A, B, or C sex-related felonies – 20 years
  • Other Class A, B, or C felonies – 6 years
 3 years 
Maryland 5-106 et seq. No statute of limitations  3 years for welfare offenses; 1 year for general misdemeanors
Massachusetts M.G.L Chapter 277 Section 63 No statute of limitations for murder or sex crimes against minors;

  • Rape – 15 years
  • Robbery – 10 years
  • Other felonies – 6 years
 6 years
Michigan Section 767.24 No statute of limitations for murder-related charges, first-degree sex crimes, or other felonies punishable with maximum sentencing;

  • Human trafficking – 25 years 
  • Second-degree and third-degree sex crimes against minors – 15 years or by the victim’s 28th birthday
  • Kidnapping, extortion, armed robbery – 10 years
  • Other felonies – 6 years
 6 years
Minnesota Sec. 628.26 No statute of limitations for murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, trafficking minors, sexual extortion;

  • Labor trafficking adults – 6 years
  • Bribery – 5 years
  • Medical assistance fraud – 5 years
  • Other felonies – 3 years
 3 years
Mississippi 99-1-5 No statute of limitations for murder, manslaughter, rape, aggravated assault, kidnapping, arson, domestic violence, sex crimes against minors, human trafficking, robbery, forgery, or embezzlement;

  • Larceny of timber – 6 years
  • Conspiracy – 5 years
  • Other felonies – 2 years
 2 years
Missouri Section 556.036 No statute of limitations for murder, first-degree rape, sodomy, unlawful sexual offenses, or Class A offenses;

  • Arson – 5 years
  • Other felonies – 3 years
 1 year for misdemeanors; 6 months for infractions 
Montana 45-1-205 No statute of limitations for deliberate or negligent homicide; 

  • Sex crimes against a minor – until the victim’s 28th birthday 
  • Other felonies – 5 years
 1 years; 3 years for crimes related to wildlife
Nebraska  29-110 No statute of limitations for murder, treason, arson, first-degree and second-degree sexual assault, child pornography, trafficking of a minor; 3 years for other felonies 18 months 
Nevada 171.080 – 171.100 No statute of limitations for murder or terrorism, sex trafficking in victim files a report within 4 years, sexual assault with DNA evidence;

  • Theft – 4 years
  • Robbery – 4 years
  • Arson – 4 years
  • Other felonies – 3 years
 2 years 
New Hampshire Criminal Code Section 625:8 No statute of limitations for murder-related charges; 

  • Sexual offenses – 20 years
  • Class A and B felonies – 6 years
  • Hunting offenses – 3 years
 1 year
New Jersey 2C:1-6 No statute of limitations for murder, terrorism, sexual assault, or manslaughter; 

  • Bribery – 7 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 5 years
 1 year
New Mexico 30-1-8 – 30-1-9.2 No statute of limitations for capital felonies;

  • Second-degree felonies – 6 years
  • Third- and fourth-degree felonies – 5 years
  • Other felonies – 3 years
 2 years for general; 1 year for petty
New York Section 30.10 No statute of limitations for Class A felonies, murder, rape in the first-degree, sex crimes against a minor, aggravated sexual abuse;

  • Terrorism – 8 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 5 years
 2 years for general; 1 year for petty
North Carolina G.S. § 15-1 No statute of limitations No statute of limitations for offenses committed with willful malice; 2 years for others
North Dakota  29-04 No statute of limitations for murder;

  • Sex crimes against children – 21 years
  • Human trafficking – 7 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years
 2 years
Ohio 2901.13 No statute of limitations for murder;

  • Rape or sex crimes against minors – 20 years
  • Kidnapping – 20 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 6 years
 2 years for general; 6 months for minor
Oklahoma  22-151 – 22-153 No statute of limitations for murder;

  • Rape or sex crimes against minors – 7 years
  • Bribery or misappropriation of public funds – 7 years
  • Embezzlement – 5 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years
 3 years
Oregon  131.105 No statute of limitations for murder;

  • First-degree sex crimes against a minor – 12 years
  • Second-degree sex crimes against a minor – 6 years
  • Identity theft, arson, or third-degree sex crimes against a minor – 4 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years
 2 years for general; 4 years for sexual; 6 months for violations
Pennsylvania 42 § 5551 – 5554 No statute of limitations for murder-related offenses, voluntary manslaughter, or aggravated assault of law enforcement;

  • Rape, incest, or sex crimes against children – 12 years
  • Felonies committed against public employees – 8 years
  • Aggravated assault, arson, kidnapping, perjury, or fraud – 5 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 2 years
 2 years
Rhode Island   Gen. Laws § 12-12-17 No statute of limitations for murder, rape, sexual assault, child molestation, forgery, or treason;

  • Larceny, bribery, extortion, or racketeering – 10 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years 
 3 years
South Carolina N/A No statute of limitations  No statute of limitations 
South Dakota Chapter 23A-42 No statute of limitations for Class A, Class B, or Class C felonies; 7 years for other felonies 7 years
Tennessee 40-2-101 No statute of limitations for any felony which can result in maximum sentencing; 

  • Class A felonies – 15 years
  • Class B felonies or arson – 8 years
  • Defrauding the state – 6 years
  • Class C or D felonies – 4 years
  • Class E felonies – 2 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years
 1 year 
Texas  Code of Criminal Procedure 12.01 No statute of limitations for murder, aggravated sexual assault, sex crimes against a minor, or manslaughter; 

  • Forgery, trafficking, prostitution, or arson – 10 years
  • Tax crimes, fraud, identity theft, exploiting a child or elderly person – 7 years
  • Insurance fraud, theft, or child endangerment – 5 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years
 2 years
Utah Part 76-1-3 No statute of limitations for murder, kidnapping, sex crimes against a minor, or aggravated kidnapping;

  • Sexual abuse or incest – 8 years
  • Felony or negligent homicide – 4 years
  • Fraud or breach of fiduciary duty – 3 years
  • Misappropriation of public funds – 2 years
 2 years for general; 1 year for infractions
Vermont 13 V.S.A. § 4501 No statute of limitations for murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a minor, or human trafficking;

  • Sex crimes against a minor – 40 years
  • Aggravated domestic assault – 11 years
  • Grand larceny, bribery, or fraud – 6 years
  • Unspecified felonies – 3 years
 3 years
Virginia  § 19.2-8 – § 19.2-9 No statute of limitations for murder, rape, sodomy, sexual penetration with a foreign object, sexual battery, or attempting any of the aforementioned; 5 years for animal cruelty  1 year for general; 2 years for attempted abortion or unauthorized legal practice; 3 years for tax fraud; 5 years for petit larceny 
Washington  9A.04.080 No statute of limitations for murder, arson resulting in death, or sex crimes against minors;

  • Attempted murder, human trafficking, incest, rape in the third-degree – 10 years
  • Money laundering, identity theft, Class C felonies – 6 years
 2 years for gross; 1 year for general
West Virginia § 61-11-9 No statute of limitations 3 years for petty larceny or perjury; 1 year for general
Wisconsin  939.74 No statute of limitations for attempted or committed murder, homicide, or sexual assault in the first degree;

  • Sex crimes against minors – until the victim’s 45th birthday 
  • Reckless homicide in the second degree – 15 years
  • Sexual assault in the second or third degree – 10 years
  • Other felonies – 6 years
 3 years
Wyoming  N/A No statute of limitations No statute of limitations 

Related: How to Report Sexual Assault in California

This information is accurate as of June 2022. The table possesses condensed information from each state’s legal code for practical purposes. Individuals facing conviction should research the specifics of their offense on the applicable state’s website. 

Sources:

State Criminal Codes

https://casetext.com/library

https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-statute-limitations-time-limits.html

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