Statute of Limitations in California

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in California? In California, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 4 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 1 and 4 years. Every period below is linked to its official California statute.

2 yrs injury 4 yrs contracts 1 yr defamation Official citations Verified Jun 13, 2026

This tool provides estimates for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Limitation periods depend on discovery rules, tolling, statutes of repose, and the specific facts. Always verify against the cited statute or consult a California attorney.

California statute of limitations by claim type

Every California civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified Jun 13, 2026 against the official California statutes (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov).

California statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	CCP § 335.1
Wrongful death	2 years	CCP § 335.1
Written contract	4 years	CCP § 337
Oral contract	2 years	CCP § 339
Property damage	3 years	CCP § 338
Medical malpractice	3 years	CCP § 340.5	3 years from injury OR 1 year after discovery, whichever is first
Defamation (libel/slander)	1 year	CCP § 340(c)
Debt collection	4 years	CCP § 337 (written agreement)

Enter a date of incident in the lookup above to estimate your exact filing deadline and add a reminder to your calendar.

California deadlines at a glance

In California, civil filing deadlines run from 1 year (defamation) to 4 years (written contract and debt collection). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

Several California claims carry specific accrual, discovery, or repose rules worth noting:

Medical malpractice (3 years): 3 years from injury OR 1 year after discovery, whichever is first (CCP § 340.5).

New to limitation periods? Read what a statute of limitations is: how the clock accrues, the discovery rule, and tolling.

The most-searched California deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (CCP § 335.1).
Debt: 4 years. Most debt is time-barred after 4 years (CCP § 337 (written agreement)). A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so respond to a collector with a validation or dispute letter. Find a letter template →
Defamation: 1 year. Libel and slander (CCP § 340(c)).
Contracts: 4 years. Written agreements (CCP § 337).

Count the exact filing date

A limitation period gives you the year; the deadline calculator counts the precise date (answer windows, court days, and holidays included) and exports it to your calendar.

Open the California deadline calculator →

Statute of limitations in other states

Limitation periods differ in every state. Browse the full 50-state lookup, or jump to a nearby state.

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Nearby states: Arizona · Nevada · Oregon · Texas · Florida · New York

California statute of limitations FAQ

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in California?

It depends on the claim. In California, personal injury is 2 years (CCP § 335.1); written contract is 4 years (CCP § 337); defamation is 1 year (CCP § 340(c)). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in California?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in California it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 4 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation, with most other civil claims between 1 and 4 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official California statute above.

What is the statute of limitations for a car accident in California?

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the California deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under CCP § 335.1.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in California?

In California, most debt has a statute of limitations of 4 years under CCP § 337 (written agreement). After it expires the debt is time-barred and a collector generally cannot win a lawsuit to force payment. A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so be careful on an old debt.

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in California?

3 years under CCP § 340.5 (3 years from injury OR 1 year after discovery, whichever is first).

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