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Car accident statute of limitations by state

In most states you have two years from a car accident to file an injury lawsuit (25 of 51). 18 give three years. The shortest is one year in Tennessee, the longest six years in Maine, Minnesota and North Dakota. Miss it and the court will usually dismiss the case, however strong it is.

Each deadline quoted from the statute, checked October 2, 2026 · work out your date

State	Injury	Vehicle damage	Wrongful death	Statute
Alabama	two years	six years	two years	Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)
Alaska	two years	two years	two years	Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070(a)(2)
Arizona	two years	two years	two years	Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542(1)
Arkansas	three years	three years	three years	Ark. Code § 16-56-105(3) (as applied by U.S. District Court, E.D. Ark.)
California	two years	three years	two years	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
Colorado	three years	three years	two years	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101(1)(n)(I)
Connecticut	two years	two years	two years	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584
Delaware	two years	two years	two years	Del. Code tit. 10, § 8119
District of Columbia	three years	three years	two years	D.C. Code § 12-301(8)
Florida	two years	two years	two years	Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a)
Georgia	two years	four years	two years	Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-33
Hawaii	two years	two years	two years	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7
Idaho	two years	three years	two years	Idaho Code § 5-219(4)
Illinois	two years	five years	two years	735 ILCS 5/13-202
Indiana	two years	two years	two years	Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4(a)
Iowa	two years	five years	two years	Iowa Code § 614.1(2)
Kansas	two years	two years	two years	Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-513(a)(4)
Kentucky	two years	two years	two years	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 304.39-230(6)
Louisiana	two years	two years	two years	La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1 (Acts 2024, No. 423, eff. July 1, 2024)
Maine	six years	six years	three years	Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752
Maryland	three years	three years	three years	Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
Massachusetts	three years	three years	three years	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A
Michigan	three years	three years	three years	Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)
Minnesota	six years	six years	three years	Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1(5)
Mississippi	three years		three years	Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49(1)
Missouri	five years	five years	three years	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4)
Montana	three years	two years	three years	Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204(1)
Nebraska	four years	four years	two years	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(3)
Nevada	two years	three years	two years	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e)
New Hampshire	three years			N.H. RSA 508:4, I
New Jersey	two years	six years	two years	N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)
New Mexico	three years	four years	three years	N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-8
New York	three years	three years	two years	N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5)
North Carolina	three years	three years	two years	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(5) and (16)
North Dakota	six years	six years	two years	N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(5)
Ohio	two years	two years	two years	Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A)
Oklahoma	two years	two years	two years	Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(3)
Oregon	two years	six years	three years	Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110(1)
Pennsylvania	two years	two years	two years	42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2)
Rhode Island	three years		three years	R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b)
South Carolina	three years	three years	three years	S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5)
South Dakota	three years	six years	three years	S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-14(3)
Tennessee	one year	three years	one year	Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1)(A)
Texas	two years	two years	two years	Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a)
Utah	four years	four years	two years	Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307(4)
Vermont	three years	three years	two years	12 V.S.A. § 512(4)
Virginia	two years	five years	two years	Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-243(A)
Washington	three years	three years	three years	Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2)
West Virginia	two years	two years	two years	W. Va. Code § 55-2-12(b)
Wisconsin	three years	three years	two years	Wis. Stat. § 893.54(1m)(a)
Wyoming	four years	four years	two years	Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)

The clock usually starts on the day of the crash; for wrongful death it often starts on the date of death. Minors, injuries discovered later and claims against a government follow different rules. Check your state's page.

Questions

What is the most common deadline to sue after a car accident?

Two years from the crash, in 25 of the 51 jurisdictions listed here. 18 allow three years.

Which states have the shortest deadline?

Tennessee: one year.

Which states have the longest deadline?

Maine, Minnesota and North Dakota: six years.