Statute of limitations in New York
3 yearsPersonal injury deadline
3 years (N.Y. CPLR 214(5))2
The details
- Personal injury
- 3 years to recover damages for a personal injury (CPLR 214(5)).2
- Property damage
- 3 years to recover damages for an injury to property (CPLR 214(4)).2
- Written contract
- 6 years on a contractual obligation or liability, express or implied (CPLR 213(2)).1
- Oral contract
- 6 years on a contractual obligation or liability, express or implied (CPLR 213(2)).1
- Medical malpractice
- 2 years and 6 months for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice (CPLR 214-a).3
- Defamation
- 1 year for libel or slander (CPLR 215(3)).4
- Fraud
- The greater of 6 years from accrual or 2 years from when the fraud was or could have been discovered (CPLR 213(8)).1
The sources we read do not say: debt collection (open account), claims against the state government (notice deadline).
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
- N.Y. CPLR 213, New York State Senate, checked 1 November 2026
- N.Y. CPLR 214, New York State Senate, checked 1 November 2026
- N.Y. CPLR 214-A, New York State Senate, checked 1 November 2026
- N.Y. CPLR 215, New York State Senate, checked 1 November 2026
Checked 1 November 2026. "Secondary" marks a source used only because the official page could not be read.