Statute of Limitations in Connecticut

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Connecticut? In Connecticut, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 6 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 2 and 6 years. Every period below is linked to its official Connecticut statute.

2 yrs injury 6 yrs contracts 2 yrs 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 Connecticut attorney.

Connecticut statute of limitations by claim type

Every Connecticut civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified Jun 13, 2026 against the official Connecticut statutes (cga.ct.gov).

Connecticut statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584	negligence; intentional torts 3 yrs (§ 52-577)
Wrongful death	2 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-555	2 yrs from death; 5-year repose from the act/omission
Written contract	6 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576
Oral contract	3 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-581
Property damage	2 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584
Medical malpractice	2 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584	2 yrs from discovery; 3-year repose
Defamation (libel/slander)	2 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-597
Debt collection	6 years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576

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

Connecticut deadlines at a glance

In Connecticut, civil filing deadlines run from 2 years (personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, medical malpractice and defamation) to 6 years (written contract and debt collection). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

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

Personal injury (2 years): negligence; intentional torts 3 yrs (§ 52-577) (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584).
Wrongful death (2 years): 2 yrs from death; 5-year repose from the act/omission (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-555).
Medical malpractice (2 years): 2 yrs from discovery; 3-year repose (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584).

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

The most-searched Connecticut deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584).
Debt: 6 years. Most debt is time-barred after 6 years (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576). 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: 2 years. Libel and slander (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-597).
Contracts: 6 years. Written agreements (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576).

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.

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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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Connecticut statute of limitations FAQ

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

It depends on the claim. In Connecticut, personal injury is 2 years (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584); written contract is 6 years (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576); defamation is 2 years (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-597). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Connecticut?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Connecticut it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 6 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation, with most other civil claims between 2 and 6 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official Connecticut statute above.

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

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Connecticut deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, most debt has a statute of limitations of 6 years under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576. 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 Connecticut?

2 years under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 (2 yrs from discovery; 3-year repose).

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