| Your estimated deadline | |
|---|---|
| Limitations period used | |
| Date of incident | |
| Estimated filing deadline | |
| Time remaining | |
Even a verified period would not settle this date. Statutes of limitations have exceptions and tolling rules — the clock can pause or restart for minors, out-of-state defendants, partial payments, written acknowledgments of debt, the "discovery rule," government defendants (much shorter notice deadlines), and more. None of that is modelled above. Confirm your deadline with your state court's self-help center or a licensed attorney.
Don't let the clock run out.
Filing is what stops the statute of limitations. Get your complete court-ready package — state-specific complaint form, word-for-word judge script, and evidence checklist — for a one-time $19, ready to file this week.
Get My Court-Ready Package — $19 →How statutes of limitations work
- The clock usually starts on the date of the incident, the breach, or the missed payment — not the day you decided to sue.
- Different claims, different clocks. Written contracts usually get the longest window; personal injury and property damage are often much shorter.
- Filing stops the clock. What matters is when your claim is filed with the court, not when the hearing happens. If your deadline is close, file first and prepare after.
- Suing a government body? Special notice-of-claim rules apply with deadlines as short as 30–90 days. Don't rely on the general periods above.
Not sure the case is worth filing? Run the numbers with the free worth-it calculator, and send a free demand letter — just don't let a settlement attempt eat your remaining time.
Where to confirm your filing deadline, state by state
Every state and the District of Columbia, with the court that hears small claims there and the official source to check your deadline against. The middle column carries a limitations period only where one has been read off that state's statute, with the citation and the date checked.
Some cells below are still empty, and that is deliberate. A period appears only where it was read off the primary statute and recorded with its citation. Six states are blank because their codified law is not published for free anywhere — Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Tennessee — and a handful of individual claim types are blank because the statute genuinely splits (real versus personal property, for instance) and picking one side would be inventing law. Printing a commonly-published number in those gaps would dress an unverified figure up as settled law. A limitations period is the single figure in this process where an approximate answer is worth nothing: file one day late and the claim is gone, with no way to revive it. Where a cell is blank, use the official source linked for that state.
| State | Court that hears small claims | Limitations period on record | Confirm your deadline with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Small Claims Court (District Court div.) | Written contract: 6 yearsAla. Code § 6-2-34(4), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsAla. Code § 6-2-34(9), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 6 yearsAla. Code § 6-2-34(2), (3), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsAla. Code § 6-2-38(l), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineAlabama small claims guide |
| Alaska | District Court (Small Claims) | Written contract: 3 yearsAS 09.10.053, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsAS 09.10.053, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsAS 09.10.070(a)(2), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineAlaska small claims guide |
| Arizona | Justice Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 6 yearsA.R.S. § 12-548(A)(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsA.R.S. § 12-543(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsA.R.S. § 12-542(3), (4), (5), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsA.R.S. § 12-542(1), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineArizona small claims guide |
| Arkansas | District Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 5 yearsArk. Code Ann. § 16-56-111(a), verified 2026-08-10 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsArk. Code Ann. § 16-56-105(1), verified 2026-08-10 Damage to property: 3 yearsArk. Code Ann. § 16-56-105(4), (6), verified 2026-08-10 Personal injury: 3 yearsArk. Code Ann. § 16-56-105, verified 2026-08-10 |
Confirm your deadlineArkansas small claims guide |
| California | Superior Court — Small Claims Division | Written contract: 4 yearsCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337(a), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 2 yearsCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 339(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 338(b), (c)(1), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsCal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineCalifornia small claims guide |
| Colorado | Small Claims Court (County Court div.) | Damage to property: 2 yearsC.R.S. § 13-80-102(1)(a), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsC.R.S. § 13-80-102(1)(a), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineColorado small claims guide |
| Connecticut | Superior Court, Small Claims Session | Written contract: 6 yearsConn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576(a), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsConn. Gen. Stat. § 52-581(a), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsConn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsConn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineConnecticut small claims guide |
| Delaware | Justice of the Peace Court (civil) | Written contract: 3 years10 Del. C. § 8106(a), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 years10 Del. C. § 8106(a), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 years10 Del. C. § 8107, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 years10 Del. C. § 8119, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineDelaware small claims guide |
| District of Columbia | DC Superior Court, Small Claims & Conciliation Branch | Written contract: 3 yearsD.C. Code § 12-301(a)(7), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsD.C. Code § 12-301(a)(7), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsD.C. Code § 12-301(a)(3), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsD.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineDistrict of Columbia small claims guide |
| Florida | County Court (Small Claims Rules) | Written contract: 5 yearsFla. Stat. § 95.11(2)(b), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsFla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(j), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 4 yearsFla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(f) and (3)(g) (2025), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsFla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineFlorida small claims guide |
| Georgia | Magistrate Court | Written contract: 6 yearsO.C.G.A. § 9-3-24, verified 2026-08-10 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsO.C.G.A. § 9-3-25, verified 2026-08-10 Damage to property: 4 yearsO.C.G.A. § 9-3-31, verified 2026-08-10 Personal injury: 2 yearsO.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, verified 2026-08-10 |
Confirm your deadlineGeorgia small claims guide |
| Hawaii | District Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 6 yearsHaw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsHaw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsHaw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsHaw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineHawaii small claims guide |
| Idaho | Magistrate Div., Small Claims Dept. | Written contract: 5 yearsIdaho Code § 5-216, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsIdaho Code § 5-217, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsIdaho Code § 5-218(2), (3), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsIdaho Code § 5-219(4), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineIdaho small claims guide |
| Illinois | Circuit Court (Small Claims, SCR 281–289) | Written contract: 10 years735 ILCS 5/13-206, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 5 years735 ILCS 5/13-205, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 5 years735 ILCS 5/13-205, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 years735 ILCS 5/13-202, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineIllinois small claims guide |
| Indiana | Small claims docket (Circuit/Superior; Marion Co. township courts) | Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsInd. Code § 34-11-2-7(1), verified 2026-08-10 Personal injury: 2 yearsInd. Code § 34-11-2-4(a)(1), verified 2026-08-10 |
Confirm your deadlineIndiana small claims guide |
| Iowa | District Court, Small Claims | Written contract: 10 yearsIowa Code § 614.1(5)(a), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 5 yearsIowa Code § 614.1(4), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 5 yearsIowa Code § 614.1(4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsIowa Code § 614.1(2), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineIowa small claims guide |
| Kansas | District Court (small claims procedure) | Written contract: 5 yearsK.S.A. 60-511(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsK.S.A. 60-512(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsK.S.A. 60-513(a)(1), (a)(2), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsK.S.A. 60-513(a)(4), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineKansas small claims guide |
| Kentucky | District Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 10 yearsKy. Rev. Stat. § 413.160, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 5 yearsKy. Rev. Stat. § 413.120(1), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 1 yearKy. Rev. Stat. § 413.140(1)(a), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineKentucky small claims guide |
| Louisiana | City Court (Small Claims) / Parish Court / JP Court | Written contract: 10 yearsLa. Civ. Code art. 3499, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 10 yearsLa. Civ. Code art. 3499, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsLa. Civ. Code art. 3493.1, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsLa. Civ. Code art. 3493.1, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineLouisiana small claims guide |
| Maine | District Court (Small Claims) | Written contract: 6 years14 M.R.S. sec. 752, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 years14 M.R.S. sec. 752, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 6 years14 M.R.S. sec. 752, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 6 years14 M.R.S. sec. 752, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineMaine small claims guide |
| Maryland | District Court of Maryland (small claims) | Written contract: 3 yearsMd. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. sec. 5-101, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsMd. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. sec. 5-101, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsMd. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. sec. 5-101, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsMd. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. sec. 5-101, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineMaryland small claims guide |
| Massachusetts | District Court / BMC / Housing Court, Small Claims Session | Written contract: 6 yearsMass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsMass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsMass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsMass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineMassachusetts small claims guide |
| Michigan | District Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 6 yearsMCL 600.5807(9), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsMCL 600.5807(9), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsMCL 600.5805(2), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsMCL 600.5805(2), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineMichigan small claims guide |
| Minnesota | Conciliation Court (District Court div.) | Written contract: 6 yearsMinn. Stat. sec. 541.05, subd. 1(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsMinn. Stat. sec. 541.05, subd. 1(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 6 yearsMinn. Stat. sec. 541.05, subd. 1(3)-(4), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineMinnesota small claims guide |
| Mississippi | Justice Court | Written contract: 3 yearsMiss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49(1), verified 2026-08-10 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsMiss. Code Ann. § 15-1-29, verified 2026-08-10 Damage to property: 3 yearsMiss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49(1), verified 2026-08-10 Personal injury: 3 yearsMiss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49(1), verified 2026-08-10 |
Confirm your deadlineMississippi small claims guide |
| Missouri | Small Claims Court (Circuit Court assoc. div.) | Written contract: 10 yearsMo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 5 yearsMo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 5 yearsMo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(3), (4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 5 yearsMo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineMissouri small claims guide |
| Montana | Justice Court, Small Claims Division (City Court in some cities) | Written contract: 6 yearsMont. Code Ann. § 27-2-202(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 5 yearsMont. Code Ann. § 27-2-202(2), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsMont. Code Ann. § 27-2-207, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsMont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204(1), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineMontana small claims guide |
| Nebraska | County Court, Small Claims division | Written contract: 5 yearsNeb. Rev. Stat. § 25-205(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsNeb. Rev. Stat. § 25-206, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 4 yearsNeb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(1)–(2), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 4 yearsNeb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(3), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineNebraska small claims guide |
| Nevada | Justice Court (small claims) | Written contract: 6 yearsNev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(1)(b), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsNev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(2)(c), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsNev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(3)(b), (c), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsNev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineNevada small claims guide |
| New Hampshire | Circuit Court, District Division (Small Claims) | Written contract: 3 yearsN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4, I, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4, I, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4, I, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4, I, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineNew Hampshire small claims guide |
| New Jersey | Superior Court, Special Civil Part, Small Claims Section | Written contract: 6 yearsN.J.S.A. 2A:14-1(a), verified 2026-08-10 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsN.J.S.A. 2A:14-1(a), verified 2026-08-10 Damage to property: 6 yearsN.J.S.A. 2A:14-1(a), verified 2026-08-10 Personal injury: 2 yearsN.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a), verified 2026-08-10 |
Confirm your deadlineNew Jersey small claims guide |
| New Mexico | Magistrate Court (Bernalillo: Metropolitan Court) | Written contract: 6 yearsN.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-3(A), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsN.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-4, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 4 yearsN.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-4, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsN.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-8, verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineNew Mexico small claims guide |
| New York | NYC Civil Court / City Court / Town & Village Justice Court | Written contract: 6 yearsN.Y. C.P.L.R. § 213(2), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsN.Y. C.P.L.R. § 213(2), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsN.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsN.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineNew York small claims guide |
| North Carolina | Small Claims Court (District Court div., magistrate) | Written contract: 3 yearsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(3), (4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(5), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineNorth Carolina small claims guide |
| North Dakota | Small Claims Court (District Court branch) | Written contract: 6 yearsN.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsN.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 6 yearsN.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(3), (4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 6 yearsN.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(5), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineNorth Dakota small claims guide |
| Ohio | Small Claims Division, Municipal/County Court | Written contract: 6 yearsOhio Rev. Code § 2305.06, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsOhio Rev. Code § 2305.07(A), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsOhio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineOhio small claims guide |
| Oklahoma | District Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 5 yearsOkla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsOkla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(2), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsOkla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(3), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsOkla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(3), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadline — no official link on recordOklahoma small claims guide |
| Oregon | Circuit Court, Small Claims Dept. | Written contract: 6 yearsOr. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsOr. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 6 yearsOr. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(3), (4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsOr. Rev. Stat. § 12.110(1), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineOregon small claims guide |
| Pennsylvania | Magisterial District Court (Philadelphia: Municipal Court) | Written contract: 4 years42 Pa.C.S. § 5525(a)(8), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 years42 Pa.C.S. § 5525(a)(3), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 years42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(3), (4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 years42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(2), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlinePennsylvania small claims guide |
| Rhode Island | District Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 10 yearsR.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13(a), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 10 yearsR.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13(a), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 10 yearsR.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13(a), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsR.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineRhode Island small claims guide |
| South Carolina | Magistrate Court (civil) | Written contract: 3 yearsS.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsS.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsS.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(3), (4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsS.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineSouth Carolina small claims guide |
| South Dakota | Magistrate Court (Small Claims), UJS | Written contract: 6 yearsS.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-13(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsS.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-13(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 6 yearsS.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-13(3), (4), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsS.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-14(3), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineSouth Dakota small claims guide |
| Tennessee | General Sessions Court (civil) | Written contract: 6 yearsTenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3), verified 2026-08-10 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsTenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3), verified 2026-08-10 Damage to property: 3 yearsTenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-105(1), verified 2026-08-10 Personal injury: 1 yearTenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1)(A), verified 2026-08-10 |
Confirm your deadlineTennessee small claims guide |
| Texas | Justice Court (JP) | Written contract: 4 yearsTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.051 (see also § 16.004(a)(3)), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.051 (see also § 16.004(a)(3)), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineTexas small claims guide |
| Utah | Justice Court (District Court in Cache County) | Written contract: 6 yearsUtah Code § 78B-2-309(1)(b), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 4 yearsUtah Code § 78B-2-307(1)(a), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsUtah Code § 78B-2-305(1)(a)(i)-(ii), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 4 yearsUtah Code § 78B-2-307(4), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineUtah small claims guide |
| Vermont | Superior Court, Civil Division (small claims) | Written contract: 6 years12 V.S.A. § 511, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 years12 V.S.A. § 511, verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 years12 V.S.A. § 512(4), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineVermont small claims guide |
| Virginia | General District Court, Small Claims Division | Written contract: 5 yearsVa. Code § 8.01-246(2), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsVa. Code § 8.01-246(4), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 5 yearsVa. Code § 8.01-243(B), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsVa. Code § 8.01-243(A), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineVirginia small claims guide |
| Washington | District Court, Small Claims Dept. | Written contract: 6 yearsRCW 4.16.040(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 3 yearsRCW 4.16.080(3), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 3 yearsRCW 4.16.080(1)-(2), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsRCW 4.16.080(2), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineWashington small claims guide |
| West Virginia | Magistrate Court | Written contract: 10 yearsW. Va. Code § 55-2-6, verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 5 yearsW. Va. Code § 55-2-6, verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 2 yearsW. Va. Code § 55-2-12(a), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 2 yearsW. Va. Code § 55-2-12(b), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineWest Virginia small claims guide |
| Wisconsin | Circuit Court (Small Claims, ch. 799) | Written contract: 6 yearsWis. Stat. § 893.43(1), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 6 yearsWis. Stat. § 893.43(1), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 6 yearsWis. Stat. § 893.52(1), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 3 yearsWis. Stat. § 893.54(1m)(a), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineWisconsin small claims guide |
| Wyoming | Circuit Court (small claims) | Written contract: 10 yearsWyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(i), verified 2026-07-30 Oral / verbal agreement: 8 yearsWyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(ii)(A), verified 2026-07-30 Damage to property: 4 yearsWyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(A), (B), verified 2026-07-30 Personal injury: 4 yearsWyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C), verified 2026-07-30 |
Confirm your deadlineWyoming small claims guide |
This tool provides general information based on standard published limitations periods and is not legal advice. Deadlines vary by claim details, can change by statute, and are subject to exceptions and tolling. SmallClaimsHelper is not a law firm. Always verify your deadline with your local court or a licensed attorney — especially if it appears close or passed.
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What will it cost to sue?Filing fee and service costs for your state, with the official source for each figure.
Which court do I file in?The court that hears small claims where you are, and the official locator for the courthouse.
Free demand letterThe written demand most people send — and some states require — before filing.
Forms by stateWhich form to file, and where to get the official version for your state.
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