Statutes of Limitations: Contracts and Property Damage
A statute of limitations is the deadline for filing a lawsuit. Miss it, and the claim can be dismissed however strong it is. This guide compares three common deadlines (written contracts, oral contracts and damage to property) across the 34 jurisdictions verified on this site, with dates worked from a claim that arose on March 15, 2026. It is general information, not advice.
The range
Written-contract periods run from 3 to 10 years (median 6), oral contracts have a median of 5 years, and property damage runs from 2 to 10 years. Wyoming is generous on both kinds of contract (10 years written, 8 years oral); North Carolina allows 3 years for any contract (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(1)).
Why writing matters
In 16 of the verified jurisdictions a written contract has a longer period than an oral one. California: 4 years against 2 years, so a claim from March 15, 2026 reaches its limit on March 15, 2030 if written but March 15, 2028 if oral. Some states ask more than paper: Virginia gives 5 years only to a contract “in writing and signed by the party to be charged” (Va. Code § 8.01-246(2)), and West Virginia likewise requires the signature (W. Va. Code § 55-2-6). Missouri's 10 years applies to “any writing … for the payment of money or property” (RSMo § 516.110(1)).
Old and new contracts
Kentucky changed its rule for newer written contracts: “An action upon a written contract executed after July 15, 2014, unless otherwise provided by statute, and an action for relief not provided for by statute can only be commenced within ten (10) years after the cause of action accrued.” (KRS 413.160). A written contract executed on or before July 15, 2014 keeps the older fifteen-year period of KRS 413.090(2).
One period for everything
Maine uses a single rule: “All civil actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues and not afterwards,” (14 M.R.S. § 752). A claim from March 15, 2026 reaches it on March 15, 2032, whatever its kind.
Where to see every state
The limitations table lists all verified periods, the lookup turns a date into the end of each period, and small claims limits show where a smaller case can be filed.
Sources
- Wyoming Legislature, Wyoming Statutes Title 1 (PDF); North Carolina General Assembly, G.S. 1-52; Judicial Council of California, Self-Help Guide "Deadlines to sue someone"; Virginia Law, Va. Code § 8.01-246; West Virginia Legislature, W. Va. Code § 55-2-6; Missouri Revisor of Statutes, RSMo § 516.110; Kentucky General Assembly, KRS 413.160; Maine Legislature, 14 M.R.S. § 752. All checked October 21, 2026.
Questions
When does the clock start?
Usually when the cause of action accrues: the date of the breach or the damage. Some claims run from discovery instead, and tolling can pause the count.
Does small claims court have a different deadline?
No. The limitation period is set by the claim, not the court, so it applies in small claims as well.
What if the contract was partly written?
States word this differently. Virginia and West Virginia, for example, look at whether the writing was signed by the person being sued; the state pages quote the wording.