Death caused by another's negligence or wrongful act. Deadlines range from 1 to 3 years depending on the state.
✓ All 50 states + D.C. — Updated 2026Quick answer: Wrongful Death deadlines range from 1 year (Kentucky) to 3 years (Wisconsin). Exact periods, citations and exceptions for every state are listed below.
Data last reviewed: October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
| State ↕ | Years to File ↑ | Official Statute | Key Exception |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 1 yr | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.140(1)(a) | — |
| Tennessee | 1 yr | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1) | — |
| Alabama | 2 yr | Ala. Code § 6-5-410 | Estate must bring claim, not heirs directly |
| Alaska | 2 yr | Alaska Stat. § 09.55.580 | Personal representative must bring claim |
| Arizona | 2 yr | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542 | Gov entity 180-day notice required |
| California | 2 yr | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1 | Gov entity 6-month administrative claim required |
| Colorado | 2 yr | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-203 | — |
| Connecticut | 2 yr | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-555 | — |
| Delaware | 2 yr | Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 8107 | — |
| District of Columbia | 2 yr | D.C. Code § 16-2702 | — |
| Florida | 2 yr | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(d) | Pre-suit notice required 90 days before filing |
| Georgia | 2 yr | O.C.G.A. § 51-4-1 | Ante litem notice required for gov entities |
| Hawaii | 2 yr | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 663-3 | — |
| Idaho | 2 yr | Idaho Code § 5-219(4) | — |
| Illinois | 2 yr | 740 Ill. Comp. Stat. 180/2 | — |
| Indiana | 2 yr | Ind. Code § 34-23-1-1 | — |
| Iowa | 2 yr | Iowa Code § 614.1(2) | — |
| Kansas | 2 yr | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-1902 | — |
| Louisiana | 2 yr | La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 2315.2 | — |
| Maine | 2 yr | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 18-C, § 2-807 | — |
| Nebraska | 2 yr | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-810 | — |
| Nevada | 2 yr | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) | — |
| New Jersey | 2 yr | N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:31-3 | — |
| New York | 2 yr | N.Y. E.P.T.L. § 5-4.1 | Notice of Claim required within 90 days for gov entities |
| North Carolina | 2 yr | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-53(4) | — |
| North Dakota | 2 yr | N.D. Cent. Code § 32-21-02 | — |
| Ohio | 2 yr | Ohio Rev. Code § 2125.02 | — |
| Oklahoma | 2 yr | Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 1053 | — |
| Pennsylvania | 2 yr | 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2) | — |
| Texas | 2 yr | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(b) | Gov entity: 6-month notice required |
| Utah | 2 yr | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-3-107 | — |
| Vermont | 2 yr | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, § 1492 | — |
| Virginia | 2 yr | Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-244 | — |
| West Virginia | 2 yr | W. Va. Code § 55-7-6 | — |
| Wyoming | 2 yr | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-38-102 | — |
| Arkansas | 3 yr | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-62-102 | — |
| Maryland | 3 yr | Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-904 | — |
| Massachusetts | 3 yr | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 229, § 2 | — |
| Michigan | 3 yr | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) | — |
| Minnesota | 3 yr | Minn. Stat. § 573.02(1) | — |
| Mississippi | 3 yr | Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-13 | — |
| Missouri | 3 yr | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100 | — |
| Montana | 3 yr | Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204 | — |
| New Hampshire | 3 yr | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 556:11 | — |
| New Mexico | 3 yr | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 41-2-2 | — |
| Oregon | 3 yr | Or. Rev. Stat. § 30.020 | — |
| Rhode Island | 3 yr | R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-7-2 | — |
| South Carolina | 3 yr | S.C. Code Ann. § 15-51-40 | — |
| South Dakota | 3 yr | S.D. Codified Laws § 21-5-3 | — |
| Washington | 3 yr | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.20.010 | — |
| Wisconsin | 3 yr | Wis. Stat. § 895.04(3) | — |
Of 51 jurisdictions, 2 give 1 year, 33 give 2 years, 16 give 3 years.
| Region | Average | Shortest | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 2.3 years | 2 years | 3 years |
| Midwest | 2.4 years | 2 years | 3 years |
| South | 2.1 years | 1 year | 3 years |
| West | 2.3 years | 2 years | 3 years |
In many states, especially for wrongful death claims, the clock doesn't start until you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) the harm. This is especially important when injuries aren't immediately obvious.
Most states pause (toll) the statute of limitations while the victim is under 18. The clock typically starts running on their 18th birthday. Similar rules may apply to those who are mentally incapacitated.
Suing a city, county, or state agency? Most states require a "Notice of Claim" filed within 60–180 days of the incident — before you can even file a lawsuit. Missing this shorter deadline can permanently bar your claim.
If the defendant actively hid their wrongdoing, courts may extend your deadline. This is called "equitable tolling" due to fraudulent concealment. You generally must show you acted diligently to discover the claim.
42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2)
740 Ill. Comp. Stat. 180/2
Ohio Rev. Code § 2125.02
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-53(4)
Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)
Filing deadlines vary significantly by the type of legal claim. Explore deadlines for other case types across all 50 states.
It depends on the state. Wrongful Death deadlines run from 1 year (Kentucky and Tennessee) to 3 years (Arkansas, Maryland, Massachusetts and 13 more), with a median of 2 years.
Kentucky and Tennessee give just 1 year.
Arkansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi and 10 more give 3 years, the longest in this dataset.
Not always. In 0 of 51 jurisdictions the wrongful death start rule in our data refers to discovery of the harm. Check the state page for the exact accrual rule.
Use the table above or the map to open your state's page, which lists the statute citation, when the clock starts and common exceptions.
StatuteLimits.com. "Wrongful Death Statute of Limitations by State (2026)." Reviewed October 2026. https://www.statutelimits.com/case-types/wrongful-death
Statute of limitations rules for wrongful death cases are complex. Exceptions, tolling rules, and government notice requirements can significantly change your actual deadline.
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