About StatuteLimits.com

Our mission, story, data sources, editorial standards, and commitment to accuracy

Our Story

StatuteLimits.com was created by a team of legal researchers and information professionals who repeatedly encountered the same frustrating problem: people had suffered genuine wrongs — car accidents, medical errors, broken contracts — but couldn't quickly find a clear, authoritative answer to a simple factual question: "How long do I have to file?"

The information existed, scattered across 51 different state legislature websites, law firm blogs of varying quality, and legal databases behind expensive paywalls. None of it was consolidated, consistently formatted, or written in plain English for the average person facing a real deadline.

We built StatuteLimits.com to solve that problem. Not to replace attorneys — the disclaimers on every page are genuine — but to provide the factual foundation that every person deserves access to before they even know whether they need a lawyer. Knowing your deadline is a basic right. Missing it because you couldn't find the information fast enough is a tragedy that should be preventable.

Since launch, the site has grown into one of the most comprehensive free statute of limitations references in the United States, covering all 51 jurisdictions across 8 common civil case types — over 400 verified data points with official statute citations.

Our Mission

To make accurate, plainly-written statute of limitations information freely accessible to every American — whether they're a self-represented litigant, a paralegal doing initial research, an attorney checking an unfamiliar jurisdiction, or a person who just wants to understand their rights.

Missing a filing deadline is one of the most common and most preventable legal tragedies. A perfectly valid claim — a clear-cut injury with documented proof and an obvious wrongdoer — can be permanently extinguished by nothing more than the passage of time. We believe that no one should lose a legal right because they couldn't find basic factual information fast enough.

What We Cover

StatuteLimits.com provides statute of limitations information for all 50 US states plus the District of Columbia, across 8 of the most common civil case types:

  • Personal Injury (car accidents, slip and fall, assault, products liability)
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Written Contract Breach
  • Oral Contract Breach
  • Defamation (libel and slander)
  • Wrongful Death
  • Property Damage
  • Fraud

For each of the 408 jurisdiction-case-type combinations, we provide: the number of years to file, the official statute citation, when the clock starts, key exceptions, and plain-English notes about state-specific rules.

How We Verify Our Data

Every statute of limitations period on this site is sourced directly from official state legislature websites and cross-referenced with authoritative legal resources. Our verification methodology involves multiple steps:

  • Primary source: The official codified statute from each state's legislature website (e.g., Texas Legislature Online, California Legislative Information, NY Open Legislation). This is the gold standard — the actual law as enacted and codified.
  • Secondary verification: Cross-referenced against American Bar Association state law summaries, official state bar guides, and authoritative legal databases.
  • Statutory citation check: Each entry includes the exact statutory citation so users and their attorneys can verify the current law independently. We cite the statute — not just the rule — specifically so you can check our work.
  • Legislative monitoring: We monitor state legislatures for relevant amendments to civil procedure statutes, with particular attention to jurisdictions that have enacted recent changes.
  • User feedback integration: Attorneys and legal professionals who identify errors or changes are encouraged to submit corrections via our feedback form. We investigate and update all substantiated reports.

Our Editorial Standards

We apply strict editorial standards to ensure accuracy, clarity, and appropriate context:

  • Primary sources only: We never rely solely on secondary sources or legal blogs. Every limitations period is traced back to the official statute.
  • No paraphrasing statutes without basis: When describing the "clock start" rule, we use language derived from the statute or authoritative case law — not general assumptions.
  • Exceptions are documented, not ignored: We include key exceptions and tolling rules for each entry. Oversimplifying by omitting exceptions would be irresponsible on a legal reference site.
  • Plain English, not legalese: All content is written for a general audience, not lawyers. Technical terms are explained when used.
  • Transparent about limitations: Every page carries a clear disclaimer that this is general legal information, not legal advice, and that laws can change. We do not overstate the reliability of any specific entry.
  • Update frequency: Full database reviews are conducted annually. Individual entries are updated as changes are identified. The last full verification was completed in 2026.

Meet the Data

The variation in statute of limitations laws across the United States is striking. Here are some notable facts from our database:

Shortest Deadlines

1 year — Kentucky and Tennessee have just 1 year for personal injury claims. Ohio has only 1 year for medical malpractice — the shortest in the country for that category.

1 year — Many states allow only 1 year for defamation (libel and slander) claims, making defamation one of the most time-sensitive civil case types.

Longest Deadlines

15 years — Kentucky and Rhode Island have 15-year statutes of limitations for written contracts — the longest in the country for any common civil claim type.

6 years — Maine and North Dakota give personal injury plaintiffs 6 years, the most generous in the country for that case type.

Most Changed Recently

Between 2023 and 2026, at least 4 states changed their statutes of limitations in significant ways. Florida's personal injury reduction and Louisiana's extension affected millions of potential claimants. Minnesota and Missouri both shortened medical malpractice deadlines in 2025.

The most common personal injury deadline across all states is 2 years, applying to roughly half of all US jurisdictions. The most common written contract deadline is 6 years. These "typical" figures are useful context — but they are no substitute for checking your specific state, since the variation is substantial.

What This Site Is Not

StatuteLimits.com is a legal information resource, not a legal advice resource. There is a legally and practically meaningful difference:

  • Legal information explains what the law says in general terms — the kind of information in a legal encyclopedia, a law school textbook, or this website.
  • Legal advice applies the law to the specific facts of your individual situation and tells you what you should do. Only a licensed attorney can provide legal advice.

The information on this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. For any specific legal matter, consult a licensed attorney in the relevant state. Our deadline calculator is a useful starting point, but its results should always be verified with a licensed attorney before you rely on them to make any decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Site

Yes, completely and permanently free. We are ad-supported through Google AdSense. You never need to register, subscribe, or pay anything to access any feature of the site, including the deadline calculator and all state and case type pages.

Use our feedback form to report errors, outdated statutes, or law changes. If you are an attorney or paralegal, you can also email us directly at info@statutelimits.com with the correct statute citation. We investigate all substantiated reports and update the database promptly when changes are verified. Your reports directly improve the accuracy of the site for future visitors.

Yes — you are welcome to link to any page on StatuteLimits.com. If citing us in an article or research piece, please note that individual statutory citations (e.g., "Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1") are public domain law. Our compilation, annotations, and explanatory content are copyrighted. Always verify statutory citations independently against the official state legislature source before relying on them professionally.

No. StatuteLimits.com is a legal information and reference website, not a law firm. We are not attorneys, we do not provide legal advice, and we do not represent clients. No attorney-client relationship is formed by using this website. We are legal information researchers and publishers committed to making publicly available statutory information accessible to everyone.

Contact Us

We welcome corrections, updates, and feedback. If you've identified an error in our data or a law that has recently changed, please contact us:

General inquiries: info@statutelimits.com

Press and media: press@statutelimits.com

Feedback form: Submit via our feedback page

We review all substantive corrections and update the database promptly when verified changes are identified. We typically respond to emails within 2–3 business days.

Privacy

Please review our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy to understand how we handle data. In short: we do not collect personal information through this site. Any calculator inputs you enter stay in your browser via URL parameters and are not transmitted to our servers in any way that identifies you.

⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This website provides general legal information for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change frequently and vary by state and circumstance. Always consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation before making legal decisions.