Statute of Limitations in Louisiana

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

2 yrs injury 10 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 Louisiana attorney.

Louisiana statute of limitations by claim type

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

Louisiana statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1	delictual action; 2 yrs from injury (Act 423, eff. 7/1/2024). Injuries before 7/1/2024 had a 1-year period.
Wrongful death	2 years	La. Civ. Code art. 2315.2	1 year from death OR 2 years from the day injury/damage is sustained, whichever is longer
Written contract	10 years	La. Civ. Code art. 3499	personal action; general 10-year liberative prescription
Oral contract	10 years	La. Civ. Code art. 3499
Property damage	2 years	La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1	delictual action; 2 yrs from when damage is sustained (Act 423, eff. 7/1/2024)
Medical malpractice	1 year	La. R.S. 9:5628	1 yr from the act or from discovery, but in all events within a 3-year repose from the act
Defamation (libel/slander)	2 years	La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1	defamation is a delictual action; 2 yrs (Act 423, eff. 7/1/2024)
Debt collection	10 years	La. Civ. Code art. 3499

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

Louisiana deadlines at a glance

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

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

Personal injury (2 years): delictual action; 2 yrs from injury (Act 423, eff. 7/1/2024). Injuries before 7/1/2024 had a 1-year period. (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1).
Wrongful death (2 years): 1 year from death OR 2 years from the day injury/damage is sustained, whichever is longer (La. Civ. Code art. 2315.2).
Written contract (10 years): personal action; general 10-year liberative prescription (La. Civ. Code art. 3499).
Property damage (2 years): delictual action; 2 yrs from when damage is sustained (Act 423, eff. 7/1/2024) (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1).
Medical malpractice (1 year): 1 yr from the act or from discovery, but in all events within a 3-year repose from the act (La. R.S. 9:5628).
Defamation (2 years): defamation is a delictual action; 2 yrs (Act 423, eff. 7/1/2024) (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1).

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

The most-searched Louisiana deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1).
Debt: 10 years. Most debt is time-barred after 10 years (La. Civ. Code art. 3499). 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 (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1).
Contracts: 10 years. Written agreements (La. Civ. Code art. 3499).

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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Louisiana statute of limitations FAQ

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

It depends on the claim. In Louisiana, personal injury is 2 years (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1); written contract is 10 years (La. Civ. Code art. 3499); defamation is 2 years (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Louisiana?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Louisiana it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 10 years for written contracts and 2 years 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 Louisiana statute above.

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

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Louisiana deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, most debt has a statute of limitations of 10 years under La. Civ. Code art. 3499. 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 Louisiana?

1 year under La. R.S. 9:5628 (1 yr from the act or from discovery, but in all events within a 3-year repose from the act).

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