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Statute of Limitations Calculator

Enter the incident date and limitations period to find your filing deadline.

Filing deadline

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What this calculator does

This calculator adds a limitations period (in years) to an incident or accrual date to project the last date a claim could generally be filed. It's a planning aid for understanding roughly how much time may remain — not a substitute for legal advice on your specific claim.

Worked example

An incident occurring on March 1, 2025 with a 2-year limitations periodgives a filing deadline of March 1, 2027.

Common mistakes

  • Using the wrong start date. Some claims run from the incident date, others from a later "discovery" date — using the wrong one can produce an incorrect deadline by months or years.
  • Ignoring tolling. Certain circumstances (the claimant being a minor, defendant leaving the jurisdiction, active settlement negotiations) can pause or extend the limitations clock in ways this calculator can't account for.
  • Assuming one period applies to all related claims. A single set of facts can give rise to multiple legal claims with different limitations periods — check each one separately.

Frequently asked questions

What is a statute of limitations?+

It's a legal time limit within which a lawsuit or claim must be filed after an event (like an injury, breach of contract, or debt default). Once the limitations period expires, the claim is generally barred, regardless of its merits.

How long is a typical statute of limitations?+

It varies enormously by claim type and jurisdiction — commonly anywhere from 1 to 10 years. Personal injury, contract, and debt claims often have different limits even within the same state or country. Always confirm the exact period for your specific claim type and location.

When does the clock start — the incident date or the discovery date?+

This also depends on the claim and jurisdiction. Many claims start counting from the date of the incident, but some — especially for injuries or fraud not immediately apparent — use a "discovery rule" starting when the harm was or should have been discovered.

Is this calculator legal advice?+

No. This tool only performs date arithmetic once you supply the applicable limitations period. Statute of limitations rules are jurisdiction- and claim-specific and can be paused ("tolled") by certain circumstances — consult a qualified attorney for any real deadline.

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