Delayed discovery and accrual
Some claims may accrue when an injury or problem was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered. That rule is fact-specific and does not automatically extend every accident deadline.
California Courts guidanceSource-linked California deadline guide
How long do you have to file a California injury lawsuit?
Most California injury lawsuits generally use a two-year filing period, while property-damage actions generally use three years. A public-entity matter may first require an administrative claim within six months. Accrual, minors, delayed discovery, insurance terms, and other rules can change the date, so treat the calculator as an estimate.
Prepared by the Hurt Advice Editorial Team. Primary sources reviewed August 9, 2026.
Direct California Deadline Answer
The broad rule is only the first step
California Courts identifies two years as the common personal-injury period and three years as the common property-damage period. Government claims, minors, delayed discovery, unknown drivers, policy terms, and special causes of action can create a different path.
Educational information only. Hurt Advice is a lawyer referral and legal information service, not a law firm. The page does not calculate an individualized legal deadline.
Most injury lawsuits?
Usually two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, subject to accrual and exceptions.
Property damage?
Generally three years under Code of Civil Procedure section 338.
Government matter?
Many claims require an administrative claim within six months under Government Code section 911.2.
Best Next Reads
Government claim deadline toolScreen public-entity stages and open verified California, Los Angeles, and Caltrans filing paths.Accident evidence checklistPreserve the records needed to verify dates and defendants.How to find an injury lawyerCompare credentials, fit, fee questions, and source trails.California lawyer profilesReview verified license and firm signals before requesting contact.
Source and Trust Notes
Deadline comparison
California filing periods and the limits of each rule
Read across the whole row. The number alone is not enough: a useful deadline check also identifies the possible starting point, governing authority, and the fact that can make the general rule unsafe to rely on.
| Claim or issue | General rule | Possible starting point | Authority | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal injury lawsuit | Usually 2 years | Usually the date of injury | California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 | Accrual, delayed discovery, medical malpractice, public entities, and other rules can change the date. |
| Wrongful death lawsuit | Generally 2 years | Generally the date of death | California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 | The cause of action, accrual facts, defendant, and special statutes still need individual review. |
| Vehicle or other personal-property damage | Generally 3 years | Generally the date of damage | California Code of Civil Procedure § 338(c)(1) | The injury and property portions of one crash can have different filing periods. |
| Claim involving a California public entity | Administrative claim generally within 6 months | Accrual of the claim | California Government Code § 911.2 | This is a pre-lawsuit claim requirement, not the deadline for every later court filing. |
| Injury claim belonging to a minor | Tolling may apply | Depends on age, claim, and defendant | California Code of Civil Procedure § 352 | Section 352 excludes government claims from this tolling rule, and other special statutes may apply. |
| Uninsured-motorist or unknown-driver matter | Policy and notice rules vary | Depends on the coverage and event | California Insurance Code § 11580.2 | Unknown-driver claims can include separate police-report and sworn-insurer-statement conditions. |
These are general California categories, not a complete list of civil deadlines. Medical malpractice, federal claims, intentional torts, contracts, product statutes, childhood claims, and other matters can follow different rules.
California deadline estimator
Check your filing deadline
Estimate your California statute-of-limitations date.
Choose a date and claim type to see an estimated filing date.
Method: the selected statutory period is added to the date you provide. Estimate only, not legal advice. Accrual, delayed discovery, minors, public entities, insurance terms, prior notices, and other rules can produce a different date. The calculator does not evaluate those facts. Confirm the deadline before relying on this result.
Start a no-cost intake request Deadline verification workflow
Five steps before anyone relies on a date
A defensible deadline review starts with parties and documents, not a countdown widget.
- 1
Identify every possible defendant
List the drivers, vehicle owners, employers, property owners, contractors, public agencies, and insurers that may be connected to the event. A public entity can trigger a much earlier administrative-claim step.
- 2
Write down every possible starting date
Record the incident, injury, death, first diagnosis, discovery, denial, and notice dates instead of assuming the accident date controls every claim.
- 3
Separate lawsuit, claim, and policy requirements
A civil filing period is not the same as an insurance notice, arbitration demand, government claim, or contractual deadline. Review each category separately.
- 4
Preserve proof before calculating
Save reports, correspondence, policies, medical records, photographs, witness information, and agency notices so a reviewer can verify the facts behind the date.
- 5
Confirm the date before relying on it
Use the calculator only as an educational screen. If the date is close, unclear, or may involve an exception, seek individualized advice promptly.
Rules that change the path
Why a general deadline may not be the actual deadline
Minority and legal capacity
California Code of Civil Procedure section 352 generally excludes time under the age of majority from the limitations period for covered actions, but that tolling rule does not apply to government claims subject to the Government Claims Act and other exceptions may apply.
California Code of Civil Procedure § 352Public entities and employees
For a California government injury or property-damage claim, an administrative claim generally must be presented within 6 months. Separate lawsuit deadlines, exceptions, and late-claim procedures may apply.
California Government Code § 911.2Uninsured and unknown drivers
Uninsured-motorist and hit-and-run matters do not fit one simple calculator date. California Insurance Code section 11580.2 includes policy, notice, and arbitration requirements, including separate conditions when the other driver is unknown.
California Insurance Code § 11580.2Primary sources
Verify the rule at its source
Each link opens an official California court or legislative source. Statutes and court interpretations can change, so recheck them when the date matters.
California Courts: Deadlines to sue someoneOfficial overview of common filing periods, accrual, tolling, government claims, and why deadline calculations are fact-specific.California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1Primary statutory text for the general two-year period covering injury to or death of an individual caused by wrongful act or neglect.California Code of Civil Procedure section 338Primary statutory text for the general three-year period covering injury to real or personal property.California Government Code section 911.2Primary statutory text for presenting many public-entity injury, death, and property claims within six months after accrual.California Code of Civil Procedure section 352Primary statutory text addressing minority and lack of legal capacity, including the government-claim exclusion.California Insurance Code section 11580.2Primary statutory text for uninsured-motorist coverage, arbitration, notice, and unknown-driver conditions.
Deadline questions
California statute of limitations FAQs
What is the California statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits?
California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally provides two years for an action involving injury to or death of an individual caused by another person's wrongful act or neglect. The correct starting date and any shorter deadline, tolling rule, public-entity requirement, or special statute depend on the facts.
Is the California government claim deadline the same as the lawsuit deadline?
No. Government Code section 911.2 generally requires many claims involving injury, death, or property damage to be presented to the public entity within six months after accrual. That administrative claim is a separate pre-lawsuit step, and later filing periods and procedures must be evaluated separately.
Does the two-year injury period also cover vehicle damage?
Not necessarily. Code of Civil Procedure section 338 generally provides three years for injury to personal property. A single crash can therefore involve different periods for bodily injury and vehicle damage, along with separate insurance or public-entity requirements.
Are injury deadlines automatically paused for a minor?
No single rule covers every minor's claim. Code of Civil Procedure section 352 generally excludes time under the age of majority for covered actions, but it expressly does not apply to certain government claims, and special statutes can create different rules.
What happens if the estimated filing date has already passed?
Do not assume the matter is either valid or lost based only on a calculator. A defendant may raise a limitations defense against a late action, but accrual, tolling, public-entity procedures, policy terms, and other facts require individualized review.
Does reporting an accident to an insurer satisfy the lawsuit deadline?
No. An insurance report, government administrative claim, arbitration demand, and court filing are different acts. Complying with one does not necessarily satisfy the others, and policy language may impose additional notice or cooperation duties.
Does hiring a lawyer extend a California filing deadline?
Hiring or contacting a lawyer does not by itself extend a statutory, administrative, policy, or court deadline. Any extension or tolling must come from applicable law, an agreement, a court order, or another legally recognized basis.
A deadline question needs facts, not a guess
Hurt Advice can collect the timeline and route a request for possible review by an independent participating attorney. Hurt Advice is not a law firm, and submitting information does not create an attorney-client relationship.