Statute of limitations in Washington

The periods in Washington

In Washington, the time limit to sue is 6 years for a written contract, 3 years for an oral contract and 3 years for damage to property. Each period runs from the date the claim arises, which statutes usually call the date the cause of action accrues; in the ordinary case that is the day of the breach or the damage.

A written contract: RCW 4.16.040(1) reads “The following actions shall be commenced within six years: (1) An action upon a contract in writing, or liability express or implied arising out of a written agreement.”

An oral contract: RCW 4.16.080(3) reads “an action upon a contract or liability, express or implied, which is not in writing.”

Damage to property: RCW 4.16.080(2) reads “The following actions shall be commenced within three years: … An action for taking, detaining, or injuring personal property.”

Putting the agreement in writing adds 3 years: 6 years for a written contract against 3 years for an oral one, a ratio of 2 to 1.

Worked dates for a claim that arose on March 15, 2026: a written contract reaches its 6 years on March 15, 2032, an oral contract reaches its 3 years on March 15, 2029 and damage to property reaches its 3 years on March 15, 2029. Tolling rules (for example while a defendant is out of state, or for a minor) can extend a period, and some claims run from when the harm was discovered; the dates show the plain count only.

Among the 34 jurisdictions verified here, 6 allow longer than 6 years on a written contract and 12 allow less (median 6 years). For property damage, 8 of 33 give less than Washington's 3 years (median 3 years). No other verified state has the same combination of periods.

Neighbouring states with verified periods (written / oral / property): Idaho 5 / 4 / 3 and Oregon 6 / 6 / 6. Which state's period applies to a dispute that crosses a border is itself a legal question.

The time limit is the same whichever court hears the case. A claim of $10,000 or less can be filed in Washington small claims (small claims limit), and it must still be filed inside the period above.

Sources: Washington State Legislature, RCW 4.16.040; Washington State Legislature, RCW 4.16.080 · last checked October 21, 2026.

Before the deadline

A limitation period is a cut-off for filing, not a measure of whether a claim is good. The guide on how limitation periods work explains accrual, tolling and the difference between written and oral contracts, and the small claims filing guide covers the next step.