Statute of Limitations in Kansas

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Kansas? In Kansas, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 5 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 1 and 5 years. Every period below is linked to its official Kansas statute.

2 yrs injury 5 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 Kansas attorney.

Kansas statute of limitations by claim type

Every Kansas civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified Jun 13, 2026 against the official Kansas statutes (ksrevisor.org).

Kansas statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	K.S.A. 60-513
Wrongful death	2 years	K.S.A. 60-513(a)(5)	2 yrs; discovery rule; 10-year repose
Written contract	5 years	K.S.A. 60-511	written agreement; oral 3 yrs (§ 60-512)
Oral contract	3 years	K.S.A. 60-512
Property damage	2 years	K.S.A. 60-513
Medical malpractice	2 years	K.S.A. 60-513
Defamation (libel/slander)	1 year	K.S.A. 60-514
Debt collection	3 years	K.S.A. 60-512	oral/account; written contract 5 yrs (§ 60-511)

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

Kansas deadlines at a glance

In Kansas, civil filing deadlines run from 1 year (defamation) to 5 years (written contract). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

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

Wrongful death (2 years): 2 yrs; discovery rule; 10-year repose (K.S.A. 60-513(a)(5)).
Written contract (5 years): written agreement; oral 3 yrs (§ 60-512) (K.S.A. 60-511).
Debt collection (3 years): oral/account; written contract 5 yrs (§ 60-511) (K.S.A. 60-512).

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

The most-searched Kansas deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (K.S.A. 60-513).
Debt: 3 years. Most debt is time-barred after 3 years (K.S.A. 60-512). 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 (K.S.A. 60-514).
Contracts: 5 years. Written agreements (K.S.A. 60-511).

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: Colorado · Missouri · Nebraska · Oklahoma · California · Texas

Kansas statute of limitations FAQ

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

It depends on the claim. In Kansas, personal injury is 2 years (K.S.A. 60-513); written contract is 5 years (K.S.A. 60-511); defamation is 1 year (K.S.A. 60-514). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Kansas?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Kansas it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 5 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation, with most other civil claims between 1 and 5 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official Kansas statute above.

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

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Kansas deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under K.S.A. 60-513.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Kansas?

In Kansas, most debt has a statute of limitations of 3 years under K.S.A. 60-512. 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 Kansas?

2 years under K.S.A. 60-513.

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