Every jurisdiction in our dataset that gives 3 years to file a product liability claim, with the governing statute.
Quick answer: 18 of 51 jurisdictions give 3 years for product liability claims: Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin.
Data last reviewed: October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
| State | Statute | Clock starts |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Code § 12-301(8) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Maryland | Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Michigan | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| New Mexico | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-8 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| New York | N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(5) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-14.1 | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 512(4) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Washington | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
| Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § 893.54(1m) | Date of injury OR date the defect was or should have been discovered |
18 of 51 jurisdictions: Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin.
Other states allow 1 year, 2 years, 4 years, 5 years, 6 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.