Introduction
The Statute of Limitations is a type of law that sets the maximum amount of time that parties have to initiate civil or criminal legal proceedings after an injury. This law is in place so that disputes can be resolved quickly after they begin, witness testimony is more accurate, and evidence isn’t lost. The statute of limitations begins on the date that the injury was caused.
The time limit that is imposed on people who might take legal action against another is also for the protection of the defendant. That way, for example, someone who’s either committed a wrongful act or has been the victim of such an act won’t have to worry about it for the rest of their lives. They will only have to wait a specific number of years before finding a legal resolution to the issue at hand. In that way, the statute of limitations is a very practical law.
All 50 states, and the District of Columbia, normally limit the time in which a person can bring legal proceedings for written contracts against another from 3—10 years maximum, depending on the state.
However, there are exceptions. For instance, Capital Offenses that are punishable by death can be filed at any time. Other exceptions include, but are not limited to, terrorism offenses, racketeering, theft of a major artwork, arson, violating citizenship of passport laws, and restricted data offenses.
Learn more about states’ application of the Statutes of Limitations by scrolling through the data in the charts.
| # | State | Written Contracts Prescriptive Period | Statute of Limitations Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | 10 | 10 |
| 2 | Indiana | 10 | 10 |
| 3 | Iowa | 10 | 10 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 10 | 10 |
| 5 | Louisiana | 10 | 10 |
| 6 | Missouri | 10 | 5 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 10 | 10 |
| 8 | West Virginia | 10 | 10 |
| 9 | Wyoming | 10 | 10 |
| 10 | Montana | 8 | 8 |
| 11 | Alabama | 6 | 6 |
| 12 | Arizona | 6 | 6 |
| 13 | Connecticut | 6 | 6 |
| 14 | Georgia | 6 | 6 |
| 15 | Hawaii | 6 | 6 |
| 16 | Maine | 6 | 6 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 6 | 6 |
| 18 | Michigan | 6 | 6 |
| 19 | Minnesota | 6 | 6 |
| 20 | Nevada | 6 | 6 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 6 | 6 |
| 22 | New Mexico | 6 | 6 |
| 23 | New York | 6 | 6 |
| 24 | North Dakota | 6 | 6 |
| 25 | Ohio | 6 | 6 |
| 26 | Oregon | 6 | 6 |
| 27 | South Dakota | 6 | 6 |
| 28 | Tennessee | 6 | 6 |
| 29 | Utah | 6 | 6 |
| 30 | Vermont | 6 | 6 |
| 31 | Washington | 6 | 6 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 6 | 6 |
| 33 | Arkansas | 5 | 5 |
| 34 | Florida | 5 | 5 |
| 35 | Idaho | 5 | 5 |
| 36 | Kansas | 5 | 5 |
| 37 | Nebraska | 5 | 5 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | 5 | 5 |
| 39 | Virginia | 5 | 5 |
| 40 | California | 4 | 4 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | 4 | 4 |
| 42 | Texas | 4 | 4 |
| 43 | Alaska | 3 | 3 |
| 44 | Colorado | 3 | 6 |
| 45 | Delaware | 3 | 3 |
| 46 | District of Columbia | 3 | 3 |
| 47 | Maryland | 3 | 3 |
| 48 | Mississippi | 3 | 3 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | 3 | 3 |
| 50 | North Carolina | 3 | 3 |
| 51 | South Carolina | 3 | 3 |
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period by State
Alabama
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#11
Ranked in the US
#10
Alaska
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#43
Ranked in the US
#44
Arizona
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#12
Ranked in the US
#11
Arkansas
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
5
Ranked in the US
#33
Ranked in the US
#33
California
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
4
Ranked in the US
#40
Ranked in the US
#41
Colorado
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#44
Ranked in the US
#12
Connecticut
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#13
Ranked in the US
#13
Delaware
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#45
Ranked in the US
#45
District of Columbia
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#46
Ranked in the US
#46
Florida
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
5
Ranked in the US
#34
Ranked in the US
#34
Georgia
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#14
Ranked in the US
#14
Hawaii
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#15
Ranked in the US
#15
Idaho
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
5
Ranked in the US
#35
Ranked in the US
#35
Illinois
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#1
Ranked in the US
#1
Indiana
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#2
Ranked in the US
#2
Iowa
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#3
Ranked in the US
#3
Kansas
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
5
Ranked in the US
#36
Ranked in the US
#36
Kentucky
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#4
Ranked in the US
#4
Louisiana
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#5
Ranked in the US
#5
Maine
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#16
Ranked in the US
#16
Maryland
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#47
Ranked in the US
#47
Massachusetts
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#17
Ranked in the US
#17
Michigan
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#18
Ranked in the US
#18
Minnesota
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#19
Ranked in the US
#19
Mississippi
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#48
Ranked in the US
#48
Missouri
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#6
Ranked in the US
#37
Montana
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
8
Ranked in the US
#10
Ranked in the US
#9
Nebraska
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
5
Ranked in the US
#37
Ranked in the US
#38
Nevada
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#20
Ranked in the US
#20
New Hampshire
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#49
Ranked in the US
#49
New Jersey
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#21
Ranked in the US
#21
New Mexico
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#22
Ranked in the US
#22
New York
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#23
Ranked in the US
#23
North Carolina
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#50
Ranked in the US
#50
North Dakota
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#24
Ranked in the US
#24
Ohio
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#25
Ranked in the US
#25
Oklahoma
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
5
Ranked in the US
#38
Ranked in the US
#39
Oregon
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#26
Ranked in the US
#26
Pennsylvania
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
4
Ranked in the US
#41
Ranked in the US
#42
Rhode Island
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#7
Ranked in the US
#6
South Carolina
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
3
Ranked in the US
#51
Ranked in the US
#51
South Dakota
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#27
Ranked in the US
#27
Tennessee
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#28
Ranked in the US
#28
Texas
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
4
Ranked in the US
#42
Ranked in the US
#43
Utah
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#29
Ranked in the US
#29
Vermont
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#30
Ranked in the US
#30
Virginia
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
5
Ranked in the US
#39
Ranked in the US
#40
Washington
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#31
Ranked in the US
#31
West Virginia
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#8
Ranked in the US
#7
Wisconsin
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
6
Ranked in the US
#32
Ranked in the US
#32
Wyoming
Written Contracts Prescriptive Period
10
Ranked in the US
#9
Ranked in the US
#8
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