Breach of Contract Statute of Limitations by State

The deadline to file a breach of contract lawsuit ranges from 3 to 10 years depending on the state. Pick your state below — every page shows the exact statute, when the clock starts, and the exceptions that can extend (or shorten) your time. Each deadline links to its official state statute.

Advertisement

State-by-State Deadlines

StateDeadlineOfficial statute (source)
Alabama 6 yrs Ala. Code § 6-2-34(4)
Alaska 3 yrs Alaska Stat. § 09.10.053
Arizona 6 yrs Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-548
Arkansas 5 yrs Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-111
California 4 yrs Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337
Colorado 3 yrs Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101(1)(a)
Connecticut 6 yrs Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576
Delaware 3 yrs Del. Code tit. 10 § 8106
District of Columbia 3 yrs D.C. Code § 12-301(7)
Florida 5 yrs Fla. Stat. § 95.11(2)(b)
Georgia 6 yrs O.C.G.A. § 9-3-24
Hawaii 6 yrs Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1(1)
Idaho 5 yrs Idaho Code § 5-216
Illinois 10 yrs 735 ILCS 5/13-206
Indiana 10 yrs Ind. Code § 34-11-2-11
Iowa 10 yrs Iowa Code § 614.1(5)(a)
Kansas 5 yrs K.S.A. 60-511(1)
Kentucky 10 yrs KRS 413.160
Louisiana 10 yrs La. Civ. Code art. 3499
Maine 6 yrs Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752
Maryland 3 yrs Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
Massachusetts 6 yrs Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2
Michigan 6 yrs Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5807(9)
Minnesota 6 yrs Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1(1)
Mississippi 3 yrs Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49
Missouri 10 yrs Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110
Montana 8 yrs Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-202(1)
Nebraska 5 yrs Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-205
Nevada 6 yrs Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(1)(b)
New Hampshire 3 yrs N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4
New Jersey 6 yrs N.J.S.A. 2A:14-1
New Mexico 6 yrs NMSA 1978, § 37-1-3
New York 6 yrs N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 213(2)
North Carolina 3 yrs N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(1)
North Dakota 6 yrs N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(1)
Ohio 6 yrs Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.06
Oklahoma 5 yrs 12 O.S. § 95(A)(1)
Oregon 6 yrs ORS 12.080(1)
Pennsylvania 4 yrs 42 Pa.C.S. § 5525(a)(8)
Rhode Island 10 yrs R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13
South Carolina 3 yrs S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(1)
South Dakota 6 yrs SDCL § 15-2-13
Tennessee 6 yrs Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109
Texas 4 yrs Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 16.004, 16.051
Utah 6 yrs Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-309
Vermont 6 yrs 12 V.S.A. § 511
Virginia 5 yrs Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-246
Washington 6 yrs RCW 4.16.040
West Virginia 10 yrs W. Va. Code § 55-2-6
Wisconsin 6 yrs Wis. Stat. § 893.43
Wyoming 10 yrs Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105

Source: official state statutes, linked per row. Coverage expands as each state is verified — see methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you have to file a breach of contract lawsuit?

It depends on the state: 3 to 10 years depending on the state across the 51 states covered so far. Every deadline below links to its official statute.

Which state has the shortest deadline for breach of contract claims?

Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina — 3 years. Some states carry additional notice requirements that are even shorter, especially for claims against government entities.

Which state allows the most time for breach of contract claims?

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wyoming — 10 years. Exceptions like the discovery rule or tolling for minors can extend deadlines further in some states.

Advertisement

Legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines have fact-specific exceptions — confirm with the cited statute or a licensed attorney in your state.