Enter your state, case type, and incident date to instantly see your exact statute of limitations deadline and days remaining.
Why use a deadline calculator? Statutes of limitations vary dramatically by state and case type — from 1 year to 15 years. Missing your filing window permanently ends your right to sue, no matter how strong your case. This free tool calculates your exact deadline using verified, state-specific data with official statute citations. Use it as a starting point, then confirm with a licensed attorney — especially if your situation involves any exceptions or tolling rules.
Time elapsed in your statute of limitations period
Choose the state where the injury or incident occurred — not where you live. Statutes of limitations are governed by the law of the state where the claim arose.
Select the type of legal claim you want to bring. Different types of cases have different deadlines — even within the same state. When in doubt, choose the most specific category.
This is the date your injury occurred, the contract was breached, or the wrongful act happened. For fraud, it's typically when you discovered the fraud. For wrongful death, it's the date of death.
How the calculator applies to the most frequent situations people face.
Select your state and "Personal Injury," then enter the date of the crash. Most states give you 2–3 years. Florida changed from 4 to 2 years in 2023 — make sure you're using the right deadline for your accident date. If a government vehicle was involved, a Notice of Claim filed within months may be required separately.
Select "Medical Malpractice" — these deadlines are often shorter than general personal injury. Many states also have a statute of repose, which is an absolute outer limit that cannot be extended even by the discovery rule. The clock often starts when you discovered (or should have discovered) the harm, not the date of the procedure.
Select "Written Contract" or "Oral Contract" depending on whether your agreement was in writing. Written contracts typically get longer deadlines (6–10 years in many states) than oral contracts (2–5 years). The clock generally starts on the date the other party failed to perform their obligation under the contract.
Select "Wrongful Death" and enter the date of death. Wrongful death deadlines are often 2 years and run from the date of death — not the date of the underlying accident. Some states have separate deadlines for the estate's survival claim vs. the family's wrongful death claim. An attorney is especially important in these cases.
Specific questions about using this tool and understanding your results.
This calculator is based on the standard statutory limitations period for the selected state and case type, sourced from official state legislature websites and verified in 2026. It is accurate for straightforward cases where no tolling rules apply and no government entities are involved. However, your actual deadline could be different if you were a minor at the time, the injury was discovered later, a government entity is involved, or the defendant concealed their wrongdoing. Always treat this result as a starting estimate to be confirmed with a licensed attorney.
No. Hiring an attorney, sending a demand letter, or opening an insurance claim does not stop the statute of limitations clock. The only thing that stops the clock is filing an actual lawsuit in court. However, some states do toll the period while certain pre-suit processes (like mandatory mediation) are ongoing. For government claims, filing the required Notice of Claim may satisfy a separate pre-suit requirement, but it does not start or stop the main limitations period.
As a general rule, use the state where the incident occurred, not where you live. So if you were injured in a car accident in Texas, use Texas — even if you're a California resident. This is because statutes of limitations are generally considered procedural rules applied by the court where the claim is filed, and courts typically apply the limitations period of the state where the cause of action arose. There are exceptions, especially when parties contracted to apply a specific state's law. When in doubt, consult an attorney.
If the calculator shows an expired deadline, it means the standard limitations period has already passed based on the date you entered. This does not necessarily mean your case is over — tolling rules (for minors, discovery, or fraudulent concealment) might still allow you to file. It is especially important to consult an attorney immediately if you see an expired result, because an attorney can evaluate whether any exceptions apply. Do not assume your claim is dead until you have spoken with a lawyer.
Yes. After calculating, click the "Copy Share Link" button to copy a URL to your clipboard. This URL encodes your state, case type, and date, so anyone who opens it will see the same calculation. You can share it with your attorney, save it for reference, or send it to someone who needs to know the deadline. Note that the URL contains your calculation inputs but no personal information.
The progress bar shows how much of your statute of limitations period has already elapsed. A nearly full bar means you are close to the deadline and should act urgently. The bar turns red when fewer than 90 days remain, amber for fewer than 365 days, and green when you have more than a year left. An expired deadline fills the bar completely. The percentage is calculated as (days elapsed) / (total days in the limitations period).
Yes, and they are critically important. Suing a government entity — a city, county, state agency, school district, or the federal government — involves sovereign immunity rules that require you to file a special "Notice of Claim" or "Notice of Tort Claim" with the government agency within a much shorter period, often 60 to 180 days from the incident. Missing this notice requirement can permanently bar your claim even if the regular statute of limitations has not expired. This calculator does not account for government notice requirements — consult an attorney immediately if your case involves any government entity.
The statute of limitations (shown in this calculator) is the primary deadline, measured from the date of injury or discovery. A statute of repose is an absolute outer limit measured from the date of the defendant's conduct — it cannot be extended by the discovery rule or most tolling doctrines. Many states have both for medical malpractice: for example, a 2-year limitations period (from discovery) and a 7-year repose period (from the act). This calculator only shows the standard limitations period; if a repose period applies to your situation, the actual deadline could be sooner.