Statute of Limitations in Oregon

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Oregon? In Oregon, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 6 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 1 and 6 years. Every period below is linked to its official Oregon statute.

2 yrs injury 6 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 Oregon attorney.

Oregon statute of limitations by claim type

Every Oregon civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified 2026-06-12 against the official Oregon statutes (oregon.public.law).

Oregon statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	ORS § 12.110
Wrongful death	3 years	ORS § 30.020	3 yrs from the injury causing death (or its discovery)
Written contract	6 years	ORS § 12.080
Oral contract	6 years	ORS § 12.080
Property damage	6 years	ORS § 12.080
Medical malpractice	2 years	ORS § 12.110(4)	2 yrs from discovery; 5-year outer limit
Defamation (libel/slander)	1 year	ORS § 12.120(2)
Debt collection	6 years	ORS § 12.080

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

Oregon deadlines at a glance

In Oregon, civil filing deadlines run from 1 year (defamation) to 6 years (written contract, oral contract, property damage and debt collection). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

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

Wrongful death (3 years): 3 yrs from the injury causing death (or its discovery) (ORS § 30.020).
Medical malpractice (2 years): 2 yrs from discovery; 5-year outer limit (ORS § 12.110(4)).

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

The most-searched Oregon deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (ORS § 12.110).
Debt: 6 years. Most debt is time-barred after 6 years (ORS § 12.080). 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 (ORS § 12.120(2)).
Contracts: 6 years. Written agreements (ORS § 12.080).

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.

Open the Oregon deadline calculator →

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: California · Idaho · Nevada · Washington · Texas · Florida

Oregon statute of limitations FAQ

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

It depends on the claim. In Oregon, personal injury is 2 years (ORS § 12.110); written contract is 6 years (ORS § 12.080); defamation is 1 year (ORS § 12.120(2)). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Oregon?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Oregon it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 6 years for written contracts and 1 year for defamation, with most other civil claims between 1 and 6 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official Oregon statute above.

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

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Oregon deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under ORS § 12.110.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Oregon?

In Oregon, most debt has a statute of limitations of 6 years under ORS § 12.080. 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 Oregon?

2 years under ORS § 12.110(4) (2 yrs from discovery; 5-year outer limit).

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