Sue Deadlines

All states

Statute of limitations in California

2 yearsPersonal injury deadline

2 years (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 335.1)1

The details

Personal injury
2 years for injury to, or death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another (Code Civ. Proc. 335.1).1
Property damage
3 years for trespass upon or injury to real property, or for taking, detaining or injuring goods (Code Civ. Proc. 338(b), 338(c)(1)).3
Written contract
4 years on a contract founded upon an instrument in writing (Code Civ. Proc. 337(a)).2
Oral contract
2 years on a contract not founded upon an instrument of writing (Code Civ. Proc. 339(1)).4
Defamation
1 year for libel or slander (Code Civ. Proc. 340(c)).5
Fraud
3 years, counted from discovery of the facts constituting the fraud (Code Civ. Proc. 338(d)).3
Debt collection (open account)
4 years to recover upon a book account (Code Civ. Proc. 337(b)).2

The sources we read do not say: medical malpractice, claims against the state government (notice deadline).

The official California Legislative Information site could not be read, so the 2025 code text was taken from a Justia copy.
Deadlines usually run from the date of the harm or its discovery, and many exceptions apply. A lawyer can tell you how they apply to you.

Sources

  1. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 335.1 (2025), Justia US Law (copy of state code) (secondary), checked 1 November 2026
  2. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 337 (2025), Justia US Law (copy of state code) (secondary), checked 1 November 2026
  3. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 338 (2025), Justia US Law (copy of state code) (secondary), checked 1 November 2026
  4. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 339 (2025), Justia US Law (copy of state code) (secondary), checked 1 November 2026
  5. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 340 (2025), Justia US Law (copy of state code) (secondary), checked 1 November 2026

Checked 1 November 2026. "Secondary" marks a source used only because the official page could not be read.