Updated June 17, 2026
Calculate your filing deadline
Add or subtract calendar or court days from any date, skipping weekends and U.S. federal holidays. A reference tool only. Verify all deadlines against your court's specific rules.
Statutes of limitations are set by each state, and by federal law for federal claims, and they differ by type of claim. Personal injury deadlines commonly run from 1 year in the shortest states to 6 years in the longest, with 2 to 3 years most common. Written contract claims often run 3 to 6 years. Medical malpractice limits are often 2 to 3 years, sometimes adjusted by a discovery rule. These ranges are general educational reference only. The actual deadline for your claim depends on your state's specific statutes, the precise claim type, and the facts of your situation. Do not make filing decisions on the strength of a range. Consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction. This is not legal advice.
Why state deadlines differ so much
Each state legislature strikes its own policy balance, one bill at a time. Shorter limits favor quick resolution and less uncertainty for defendants; longer limits give plaintiffs more room to investigate and file. Some states also carve out rules for particular plaintiffs. Minors and people with certain disabilities may have their deadlines suspended until they reach adulthood or regain capacity.
Personal injury: a widely searched category
Personal injury, meaning car accidents, slip and fall, dog bites, is one of the most searched limitation categories. Two years is a very common deadline (California uses it under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. section 335.1, as does Texas under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code section 16.003). Several states run 1-year periods, including some claims in Louisiana and Tennessee, and others allow up to 6 years. The exact deadline depends on your state and the specific facts. Once you know your state's rule, use the deadline calculator to count from the date of injury.
Contract claims
Written contract deadlines typically run 3 to 6 years, and a handful of states allow up to 10. Oral contracts generally get less time than written ones. The clock on a contract claim usually starts when the breach occurs, not when the contract was signed, a distinction that catches people who assume the signing date is what matters.
Medical malpractice
Medical malpractice has some of the most tangled limitation rules on the books. Many states pair a statute of limitations, running from the negligent act, with a statute of repose, an outer limit that holds regardless of when the harm surfaced. Add a required notice period before filing and a discovery rule for harm that is not immediately apparent, and the interaction gets complicated fast. Calculating a medical malpractice deadline without an attorney is a genuine risk.
How to find your actual deadline
To pin down the deadline for your claim: identify the state where the claim arose, identify the specific cause of action (not just "negligence" but the particular type), check that state's statutes, often posted on the legislature's website, and apply any tolling or discovery rules. Then use the deadline calculator to count from the trigger date. An attorney who practices in that state and area of law remains the most reliable source. See also how to calculate a filing deadline.
Calculate your filing deadline
Add or subtract calendar or court days from any date, skipping weekends and U.S. federal holidays. A reference tool only. Verify all deadlines against your court's specific rules.