Statute of Limitations in Idaho

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Idaho? In Idaho, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 5 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 2 and 5 years. Every period below is linked to its official Idaho statute.

2 yrs injury 5 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 Idaho attorney.

Idaho statute of limitations by claim type

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

Idaho statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	Idaho Code § 5-219
Wrongful death	2 years	Idaho Code § 5-219(4)	2-year personal-injury period applies to the wrongful-death action under Idaho Code § 5-311
Written contract	5 years	Idaho Code § 5-216
Oral contract	4 years	Idaho Code § 5-217
Property damage	2 years	Idaho Code § 5-219
Medical malpractice	2 years	Idaho Code § 5-219(4)
Defamation (libel/slander)	2 years	Idaho Code § 5-219(5)
Debt collection	5 years	Idaho Code § 5-216	written; oral 4 yrs (§ 5-217)

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

Idaho deadlines at a glance

In Idaho, civil filing deadlines run from 2 years (personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, medical malpractice and defamation) to 5 years (written contract and debt collection). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

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

Wrongful death (2 years): 2-year personal-injury period applies to the wrongful-death action under Idaho Code § 5-311 (Idaho Code § 5-219(4)).
Debt collection (5 years): written; oral 4 yrs (§ 5-217) (Idaho Code § 5-216).

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

The most-searched Idaho deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (Idaho Code § 5-219).
Debt: 5 years. Most debt is time-barred after 5 years (Idaho Code § 5-216). 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 (Idaho Code § 5-219(5)).
Contracts: 5 years. Written agreements (Idaho Code § 5-216).

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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Nearby states: Montana · Nevada · Oregon · Utah · Washington · Wyoming

Idaho statute of limitations FAQ

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

It depends on the claim. In Idaho, personal injury is 2 years (Idaho Code § 5-219); written contract is 5 years (Idaho Code § 5-216); defamation is 2 years (Idaho Code § 5-219(5)). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Idaho?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Idaho it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 5 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation, with most other civil claims between 2 and 5 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official Idaho statute above.

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

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Idaho deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under Idaho Code § 5-219.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Idaho?

In Idaho, most debt has a statute of limitations of 5 years under Idaho Code § 5-216. 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 Idaho?

2 years under Idaho Code § 5-219(4).

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