Statute of Limitations in Tennessee

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Tennessee? In Tennessee, the statute of limitations is 1 year 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 Tennessee statute.

1 yr injury 6 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 Tennessee attorney.

Tennessee statute of limitations by claim type

Every Tennessee civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified Jun 13, 2026 against the official Tennessee statutes (codes.findlaw.com).

Tennessee statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	1 year	Tenn. Code § 28-3-104
Wrongful death	1 year	Tenn. Code § 28-3-104	1 year (runs from the injury causing death)
Written contract	6 years	Tenn. Code § 28-3-109
Oral contract	6 years	Tenn. Code § 28-3-109
Property damage	3 years	Tenn. Code § 28-3-105
Medical malpractice	1 year	Tenn. Code § 29-26-116	1 yr from act or discovery; 3-year repose
Defamation (libel/slander)	1 year	Tenn. Code § 28-3-104
Debt collection	6 years	Tenn. Code § 28-3-109

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

Tennessee deadlines at a glance

In Tennessee, civil filing deadlines run from 1 year (personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and defamation) to 6 years (written contract, oral contract and debt collection). Its 1 year personal-injury deadline is shorter than in most states.

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

Wrongful death (1 year): 1 year (runs from the injury causing death) (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104).
Medical malpractice (1 year): 1 yr from act or discovery; 3-year repose (Tenn. Code § 29-26-116).

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

The most-searched Tennessee deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 1 year. Injury claims must be filed within 1 year of the incident (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104).
Debt: 6 years. Most debt is time-barred after 6 years (Tenn. Code § 28-3-109). 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 (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104).
Contracts: 6 years. Written agreements (Tenn. Code § 28-3-109).

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: Alabama · Arkansas · Georgia · Kentucky · Missouri · Mississippi

Tennessee statute of limitations FAQ

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

It depends on the claim. In Tennessee, personal injury is 1 year (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104); written contract is 6 years (Tenn. Code § 28-3-109); defamation is 1 year (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Tennessee?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Tennessee it varies by claim type: 1 year 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 Tennessee statute above.

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

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Tennessee deadline is 1 year from the date of the accident under Tenn. Code § 28-3-104.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Tennessee?

In Tennessee, most debt has a statute of limitations of 6 years under Tenn. Code § 28-3-109. 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 Tennessee?

1 year under Tenn. Code § 29-26-116 (1 yr from act or discovery; 3-year repose).

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