Free tool · for injured people and injury law firms
Personal injury deadline calculator for every US state
Choose the state and the date of the injury. You’ll see the usual deadline to file a lawsuit, how many days are left and the law that sets it. Law firms can add it to their own website for free.
How long do I have to file an injury claim?
General information, not legal advice. Deadlines depend on the facts, and the last day can move if it falls on a weekend or court holiday. Don’t wait for the last day: talk to a licensed attorney in your state.
Personal injury statute of limitations by state
The general deadline for negligence-based injury claims, counted from the date of the injury. Special rules for government defendants, children, medical malpractice and wrongful death are not shown.
| State | Deadline | Law | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years | Ala. Code § 6-2-38 | – |
| Alaska | 2 years | Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070 | – |
| Arizona | 2 years | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542 | – |
| Arkansas | 3 years | Ark. Code § 16-56-105 | – |
| California | 2 years | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1 | – |
| Colorado | 2 years | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a) | Colorado gives 3 years for injuries from the use or operation of a motor vehicle. |
| Connecticut | 2 years | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 | – |
| Delaware | 2 years | Del. Code tit. 10, § 8119 | – |
| District of Columbia | 3 years | D.C. Code § 12-301(8) | – |
| Florida | 2 years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11 (negligence) | Florida cut its negligence deadline from 4 to 2 years for claims arising on or after March 24, 2023 (HB 837). |
| Georgia | 2 years | Ga. Code § 9-3-33 | – |
| Hawaii | 2 years | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7 | – |
| Idaho | 2 years | Idaho Code § 5-219 | – |
| Illinois | 2 years | 735 ILCS 5/13-202 | – |
| Indiana | 2 years | Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4 | – |
| Iowa | 2 years | Iowa Code § 614.1(2) | – |
| Kansas | 2 years | Kan. Stat. § 60-513 | – |
| Kentucky | 1 year | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140 | For motor vehicle injuries covered by Kentucky’s no-fault law, the deadline is 2 years from the injury or from the last no-fault (PIP) payment, whichever is later. This calculator counts from the injury date. |
| Louisiana | 2 years | La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1 | Louisiana moved from 1 year to 2 years for injuries on or after July 1, 2024 (Act 423 of 2024). |
| Maine | 6 years | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752 | – |
| Maryland | 3 years | Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 | – |
| Massachusetts | 3 years | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A | – |
| Michigan | 3 years | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805 | – |
| Minnesota | 6 years | Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1 | Minnesota’s 6 years applies to negligence. Intentional injuries such as assault have 2 years (Minn. Stat. § 541.07). |
| Mississippi | 3 years | Miss. Code § 15-1-49 | – |
| Missouri | 5 years | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 | A 2025 bill (HB 68) to cut Missouri’s deadline to 2 years passed the House but did not become law. Check for new legislation before relying on 5 years. |
| Montana | 3 years | Mont. Code § 27-2-204 | – |
| Nebraska | 4 years | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207 | – |
| Nevada | 2 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) | – |
| New Hampshire | 3 years | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 508:4 | – |
| New Jersey | 2 years | N.J. Stat. § 2A:14-2 | – |
| New Mexico | 3 years | N.M. Stat. § 37-1-8 | – |
| New York | 3 years | N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5) | – |
| North Carolina | 3 years | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(16) | – |
| North Dakota | 6 years | N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16 | – |
| Ohio | 2 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10 | – |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(3) | – |
| Oregon | 2 years | Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110 | – |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524 | – |
| Rhode Island | 3 years | R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14 | – |
| South Carolina | 3 years | S.C. Code § 15-3-530 | – |
| South Dakota | 3 years | S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-14 | – |
| Tennessee | 1 year | Tenn. Code § 28-3-104 | Tennessee allows 2 years in some cases where criminal charges are brought against the person who caused the injury (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104(a)(2)). |
| Texas | 2 years | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003 | – |
| Utah | 4 years | Utah Code § 78B-2-307 | – |
| Vermont | 3 years | Vt. Stat. tit. 12, § 512 | – |
| Virginia | 2 years | Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) | – |
| Washington | 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) | – |
| West Virginia | 2 years | W. Va. Code § 55-2-12 | – |
| Wisconsin | 3 years | Wis. Stat. § 893.54 | Wisconsin allows 2 years for a death caused by a motor vehicle accident (Wis. Stat. § 893.54(2m)). |
| Wyoming | 4 years | Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105 | – |
Add it to your law firm’s website, free
“How long do I have?” is one of the first questions injured people search. A branded calculator answers it on your site and sends visitors straight to your free case review.
Paste it into any page of your website as an “HTML” or “embed” block. It’s free, needs no account, collects no visitor data and always shows a “not legal advice” notice.
How the deadline is counted
The calculator adds the state’s period, in whole years, to the date of the injury. An injury on February 29 counts to February 28 in a year that isn’t a leap year. Where a state changed its law, the injury date decides which rule applies.
Courts count some deadlines differently, for example when the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, or when the injury was discovered later. Treat the date as the latest safe planning date, not a target.
For personal injury law firms
See how your website handles after-hours calls, intake and the bar rules on results and testimonials.
Questions
What is a statute of limitations for personal injury?
It is the deadline to file a lawsuit for an injury. If you file after it passes, the court will usually dismiss the case, however strong it is. Most states set 2 or 3 years from the date of the injury.
Which states have the shortest deadline?
Kentucky and Tennessee give 1 year for most personal injury claims, although Kentucky allows 2 years for motor vehicle claims under its no-fault law. Louisiana gave 1 year until it moved to 2 years for injuries on or after July 1, 2024.
Which states have the longest deadline?
Maine, Minnesota (for negligence) and North Dakota allow 6 years, and Missouri allows 5 years.
Does settling with insurance stop the clock?
No. Talking to or negotiating with an insurance company does not pause the lawsuit deadline. If the claim isn’t settled in time, a lawsuit must still be filed before the deadline.
What if the injury involved a government vehicle or property?
Claims against cities, counties, states and their agencies usually require a written notice of claim much sooner, often within 30 to 180 days, and claims against the federal government must be presented to the agency within 2 years. Speak to a lawyer immediately.
Can law firms put this calculator on their own website?
Yes, free. Enter your firm name, brand colour, default state and contact page above, copy the code and paste it into any page. It shows a “not legal advice” notice and collects no visitor data.
Sources
- Florida HB 837 (2023): negligence deadline cut from 4 to 2 years
- Cozen O’Connor: Louisiana adopts a two-year limit for tort claims (Act 423 of 2024)
- D.C. Code, Title 12, Chapter 3 (limitation of actions)
- Vaquill: statute of limitations by state, 2026 survey
- CaseFleet: statute of limitations lookup by state, 2026
- Missouri House: HB 68 (2025) would cut the limit to 2 years; not enacted
Statute citations are listed for each state in the table above. Not legal advice.