Claims against a city, county, state, or federal agency run on a separate, much shorter clock: most require a formal notice of claim first — often within 60 days to 1 year — long before the normal personal injury deadline. Miss that notice and the claim can be barred even if years remain on the standard clock.
Suing a government entity for a personal injury is different from suing a private party: before you can file a lawsuit, most governments require a formal written notice of claim within a short window — commonly 60 days to 1 year, and as little as 6 months in some places. The notice must usually describe the incident, the injuries, and the amount claimed, and it goes to a specific agency. Only after the government responds (or the response period passes) can you file suit, and the lawsuit itself has its own deadline. These rules are strict and unforgiving — miss the notice and courts routinely bar the claim, even with years left on the ordinary statute of limitations. Because the windows are short and vary by jurisdiction, treat a possible government claim as urgent and get advice right away.
Why is it different from a normal claim? Governments have limited immunity from suit. To sue one you must first give a formal notice of claim within a short deadline, a step private-party claims don't require.
How short is the notice deadline? Often 60 days to 1 year, and as little as 6 months in some jurisdictions — far shorter than the standard personal injury deadline.
What if I miss the notice? The claim is usually barred, even if years remain on the ordinary statute of limitations. The notice requirement is strict and enforced.
Does it apply to federal agencies too? Yes. The Federal Tort Claims Act requires an administrative claim, generally within 2 years, before you can sue a federal agency.
Pick your state. Add the injury date and we'll estimate your filing deadline too.
Your state's standard deadline for a negligence-based personal injury claim. The exceptions below and the special rules on this page can change it.
| State | Deadline to file | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years | — |
| Alaska | 2 years | — |
| Arizona | 2 years | — |
| Arkansas | 3 years | — |
| California | 2 years | — |
| Colorado | 2 years | 3 yrs for motor-vehicle accidents |
| Connecticut | 2 years | — |
| Delaware | 2 years | — |
| District of Columbia | 3 years | — |
| Florida | 2 years | changed from 4 yrs in March 2023 |
| Georgia | 2 years | — |
| Hawaii | 2 years | — |
| Idaho | 2 years | — |
| Illinois | 2 years | — |
| Indiana | 2 years | — |
| Iowa | 2 years | — |
| Kansas | 2 years | — |
| Kentucky | 1 year | 2 yrs for motor-vehicle accidents |
| Louisiana | 2 years | extended from 1 yr, effective July 2024 |
| Maine | 6 years | — |
| Maryland | 3 years | — |
| Massachusetts | 3 years | — |
| Michigan | 3 years | — |
| Minnesota | 2 years | — |
| Mississippi | 3 years | — |
| Missouri | 5 years | — |
| Montana | 3 years | — |
| Nebraska | 4 years | — |
| Nevada | 2 years | — |
| New Hampshire | 3 years | — |
| New Jersey | 2 years | — |
| New Mexico | 3 years | — |
| New York | 3 years | — |
| North Carolina | 3 years | — |
| North Dakota | 6 years | — |
| Ohio | 2 years | — |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | — |
| Oregon | 2 years | — |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | — |
| Rhode Island | 3 years | — |
| South Carolina | 3 years | — |
| South Dakota | 3 years | — |
| Tennessee | 1 year | — |
| Texas | 2 years | — |
| Utah | 4 years | — |
| Vermont | 3 years | — |
| Virginia | 2 years | — |
| Washington | 3 years | — |
| West Virginia | 2 years | — |
| Wisconsin | 3 years | — |
| Wyoming | 4 years | — |
A claim against a government body runs on two separate deadlines, and the first one is the trap. Because governments enjoy limited immunity, most states require you to file a notice of claim with the correct agency before you're allowed to sue at all. That notice window is short — frequently 60 days to 1 year, and 6 months in some jurisdictions (for example, California generally requires a claim within 6 months for injury claims). The notice typically has to identify the incident, the injuries, and the amount you're seeking.
Only after the notice is filed and the agency responds (or the time to respond lapses) does the second clock — the deadline to actually file the lawsuit — come into play. For federal agencies, the Federal Tort Claims Act requires an administrative claim, generally within 2 years, before any suit.
These requirements are enforced strictly, and a missed or defective notice usually ends the claim regardless of how much time is left on the normal statute of limitations. The exact deadlines and procedures vary widely by state and agency, so if a government vehicle, a public hospital, a city sidewalk, or any public entity may be involved, treat it as time-sensitive and confirm the rules immediately.
Any of these can move your real deadline away from the standard number.
Suing a city, county, state, or public hospital usually requires a formal written notice of claim first — often within 60 days to 1 year, far shorter than the standard deadline. Miss the notice and the claim can be barred even if years remain on the normal clock.
For injuries you couldn't reasonably have discovered at the time (some medical or toxic-exposure cases), the clock may start when you knew or should have known — not the date of the incident. It can extend your window, but don't count on it without legal advice.
When the injured person is under 18, the deadline is often paused (tolled) until they reach adulthood, so a child's claim can be filed years later. The rules vary by state and don't always apply to every claim type.
Wrongful-death claims typically run from the date of death, not the injury, and medical-malpractice claims often have their own deadline plus a hard outer limit (a statute of repose). Both can differ from the general number above.
A free, no-obligation review confirms your real deadline and whether your claim is worth pursuing — most attorneys will tell you in one short call, and it costs nothing to ask. Don't let the clock decide for you.
By submitting you agree to be contacted about your claim. Your details are sent securely to the reviewing attorney; nothing is shared elsewhere.
→ How long do I have to file a personal injury claim? (deadline by state)
→ Statute of limitations for a minor's injury claim
→ Is the deadline different for property damage?
→ What is the discovery rule?
→ Settlement statistics by injury type — compare an offer against real, cited cases.
→ Do I have a personal injury case? — a 60-second check.
Yes. Claims against a city, county, state, or public agency usually require a formal notice of claim within a short window — often 60 days to 1 year, and as little as 6 months in some places — far shorter than the standard personal injury deadline.
It is a formal written notice you must file with the responsible government agency before suing, typically describing the incident, your injuries, and the amount claimed. It is a precondition to filing a lawsuit against most government entities.
The claim is usually barred, even if years remain on the ordinary statute of limitations. Government notice requirements are strict and courts routinely enforce them.
Under the Federal Tort Claims Act you must first file an administrative claim with the agency, generally within 2 years of the injury, before you can bring a lawsuit.
Yes. Injuries involving public hospitals, government employees, or government-owned vehicles generally fall under these government-claim rules and their short notice deadlines.
The state deadlines above are the general statute of limitations for a negligence-based personal injury claim, cross-referenced across multiple legal references and — because widely circulated charts are often out of date — checked against the primary statute where a state deviates or changed recently. Where sources disagreed we show the shorter deadline (the "safe-direction" rule).
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140(1)(a) · Tennessee Tenn. Code § 28-3-104(a)Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 (5) · Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752 (6) · North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16 (6)Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207 · Utah Utah Code § 78B-2-307 · Wyoming Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105Fla. Stat. § 95.11 (2023 HB 837) · Louisiana extended 1→2 years, effective July 1, 2024 La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 13-80-102, 13-80-101 · California Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
Primary & authoritative references: Cornell Legal Information Institute — statute of limitations · Justia US state codes · California Legislative Information — Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1 · Nolo 50-state chart. For any specific claim, confirm the current deadline against your state's official code or a licensed attorney — statutes change and special claim types run on separate clocks.