Every jurisdiction in our dataset that gives 1 year to file a defamation claim, with the governing statute.
Quick answer: 26 of 51 jurisdictions give 1 year for defamation claims: Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Data last reviewed: October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
| State | Statute | Clock starts |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-541 | Date of publication |
| California | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340(c) | Date of publication |
| Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-103 | Date of publication |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Code § 12-301(4) | Date of publication |
| Georgia | O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 | Date of publication |
| Illinois | 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/13-201 | Date of publication |
| Kansas | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-514(a) | Date of publication |
| Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.140(1)(d) | Date of publication |
| Louisiana | La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 3492 | Date of publication |
| Maryland | Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-105 | Date of publication |
| Michigan | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(9) | Date of publication |
| Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-35 | Date of publication |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-208 | Date of publication |
| New Jersey | N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-3 | Date of publication |
| New York | N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 215(3) | Date of publication |
| North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-54(3) | Date of publication |
| Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.11(A) | Date of publication |
| Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(4) | Date of publication |
| Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.120(2) | Date of publication |
| Pennsylvania | 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5523(1) | Date of publication |
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1) | Date of publication |
| Texas | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.002 | Date of publication |
| Utah | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-302(2) | Date of publication |
| Virginia | Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-247.1 | Date of publication |
| West Virginia | W. Va. Code § 55-2-12(c) | Date of publication |
| Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(B) | Date of publication |
26 of 51 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Other states allow 2 years, 3 years. See the links on this page for each group.
Not always. Many states pause or extend the clock for minors, for harm that is discovered late, or when the defendant hides the wrong, and claims against governments often require earlier notice. Check your state's page for its exceptions.