Dog Bite Statute of Limitations by State

The deadline to file a dog bite lawsuit ranges from 1 to 6 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.

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State-by-State Deadlines

StateDeadlineOfficial statute (source)
Alabama 2 yrs Ala. Code § 3-6-1 (dog bite liability); SOL: Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)
Alaska 2 yrs AS 09.10.070 (2-year personal injury SOL); no specific dog bite statute — common law one-bite rule applies
Arizona 2 yrs A.R.S. § 11-1025 (strict liability dog bite); SOL: A.R.S. § 12-542
Arkansas 3 yrs Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105 (3-year personal injury SOL); no specific dog bite statute — common law one-bite rule applies
California 2 yrs Cal. Civ. Code § 3342 (strict liability); SOL: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
Colorado 2 yrs C.R.S. § 13-80-102
Connecticut 3 yrs Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-357 (strict liability dog bite); SOL: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-577
Delaware 2 yrs 10 Del. C. § 8119 (2-year personal injury SOL); no specific strict liability dog bite statute — common law negligence/one-bite rule applies
District of Columbia 3 yrs D.C. Code § 8-1808 (dangerous animal liability); SOL: D.C. Code § 12-301(8)
Florida 2 yrs Fla. Stat. § 767.04 (strict liability); SOL: Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(a) (as amended effective March 24, 2023)
Georgia 2 yrs O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7 (vicious animal liability); SOL: O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33
Hawaii 2 yrs H.R.S. § 663-9 (strict liability); SOL: H.R.S. § 657-7
Idaho 2 yrs Idaho Code § 5-219(4) (2-year personal injury SOL); no specific dog bite statute — common law one-bite rule applies
Illinois 2 yrs 510 ILCS 5/16 (Animal Control Act, strict liability); SOL: 735 ILCS 5/13-202
Indiana 2 yrs Ind. Code § 15-20-1-3
Iowa 2 yrs Iowa Code § 351.28
Kansas 2 yrs K.S.A. § 47-645
Kentucky 1 yr KRS § 258.235(4)
Louisiana 1 yr La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 2321
Maine 6 yrs 7 M.R.S. § 3961
Maryland 3 yrs Md. Code Ann., Courts & Jud. Proc. § 3-1901
Massachusetts 3 yrs M.G.L. c. 140, § 155
Michigan 3 yrs MCL § 287.351
Minnesota 2 yrs Minn. Stat. § 347.22
Mississippi 3 yrs Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49
Missouri 5 yrs Mo. Rev. Stat. § 273.036
Montana 3 yrs Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204
Nebraska 4 yrs Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207
Nevada 2 yrs NRS 11.190(4)(e)
New Hampshire 3 yrs RSA 508:4
New Jersey 2 yrs N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-2(a)
New Mexico 3 yrs NMSA 1978 § 37-1-8
New York 3 yrs CPLR § 214(5)
North Carolina 3 yrs N.C.G.S. § 1-52(16)
North Dakota 6 yrs N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16
Ohio 2 yrs Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10
Oklahoma 2 yrs 4 O.S. § 42.1 (strict liability); SOL: 12 O.S. § 95(A)(3)
Oregon 2 yrs ORS 31.360 (strict liability); SOL: ORS 12.110(1)
Pennsylvania 2 yrs 3 Pa.C.S. § 459-502 (Dog Law); SOL: 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(2)
Rhode Island 3 yrs R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-16 (strict liability); SOL: R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b)
South Carolina 3 yrs S.C. Code Ann. § 47-3-110; SOL: § 15-3-530
South Dakota 3 yrs SDCL § 15-2-14(3)
Tennessee 1 yr Tenn. Code Ann. § 44-8-413; SOL: § 28-3-104
Texas 2 yrs Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003
Utah 4 yrs Utah Code Ann. § 18-1-1; SOL: § 78B-2-307
Vermont 3 yrs 12 V.S.A. § 512
Virginia 2 yrs Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-6540; SOL: § 8.01-243
Washington 3 yrs RCW § 16.08.040; SOL: RCW § 4.16.080
West Virginia 2 yrs W. Va. Code § 19-20-13; SOL: § 55-2-12
Wisconsin 3 yrs Wis. Stat. § 174.02; SOL: § 893.54
Wyoming 4 yrs Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)

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 dog bite lawsuit?

It depends on the state: 1 to 6 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 dog bite injury claims?

Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee — 1 year. Some states carry additional notice requirements that are even shorter, especially for claims against government entities.

Which state allows the most time for dog bite injury claims?

Maine, North Dakota — 6 years. Exceptions like the discovery rule or tolling for minors can extend deadlines further in some states.

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