Statute of Limitations in Illinois

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Illinois? In Illinois, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 10 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 1 and 10 years. Every period below is linked to its official Illinois statute.

2 yrs injury 10 yrs contracts 1 yr defamation Official citations Verified Jun 12, 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 Illinois attorney.

Illinois statute of limitations by claim type

Every Illinois civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified 2026-06-12 against the official Illinois statutes (ilga.gov).

Illinois statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	735 ILCS 5/13-202
Wrongful death	2 years	740 ILCS 180/2	2 years from death; 5 years if violent intentional conduct
Written contract	10 years	735 ILCS 5/13-206
Oral contract	5 years	735 ILCS 5/13-205
Property damage	5 years	735 ILCS 5/13-205
Medical malpractice	2 years	735 ILCS 5/13-212	2 yrs from discovery; 4-year repose
Defamation (libel/slander)	1 year	735 ILCS 5/13-201
Debt collection	10 years	735 ILCS 5/13-206	written; oral/account 5 yrs (§ 13-205)

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

Illinois deadlines at a glance

In Illinois, civil filing deadlines run from 1 year (defamation) to 10 years (written contract and debt collection). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

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

Wrongful death (2 years): 2 years from death; 5 years if violent intentional conduct (740 ILCS 180/2).
Medical malpractice (2 years): 2 yrs from discovery; 4-year repose (735 ILCS 5/13-212).
Debt collection (10 years): written; oral/account 5 yrs (§ 13-205) (735 ILCS 5/13-206).

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

The most-searched Illinois deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (735 ILCS 5/13-202).
Debt: 10 years. Most debt is time-barred after 10 years (735 ILCS 5/13-206). 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 (735 ILCS 5/13-201).
Contracts: 10 years. Written agreements (735 ILCS 5/13-206).

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: Iowa · Indiana · Kentucky · Missouri · Wisconsin · California

Illinois statute of limitations FAQ

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

It depends on the claim. In Illinois, personal injury is 2 years (735 ILCS 5/13-202); written contract is 10 years (735 ILCS 5/13-206); defamation is 1 year (735 ILCS 5/13-201). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Illinois?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Illinois it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 10 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation, with most other civil claims between 1 and 10 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official Illinois statute above.

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

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Illinois deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under 735 ILCS 5/13-202.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Illinois?

In Illinois, most debt has a statute of limitations of 10 years under 735 ILCS 5/13-206. 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 Illinois?

2 years under 735 ILCS 5/13-212 (2 yrs from discovery; 4-year repose).

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