Old Debts And Time Limits
CPLR 213 — six years on a contract, three on an injury, one on an assault or a libel
| Claim | Time to sue |
|---|---|
| ClaimA contractual obligation or liability, express or implied, and any action with no other limit prescribed by law | Time to sueSix years |
| ClaimFraud | Time to sueSix years from accrual, or two years from discovery, whichever is greater |
| ClaimAn injury to property, or a personal injury | Time to sueThree years |
| ClaimMalpractice other than medical, dental or podiatric | Time to sueThree years |
| ClaimAssault, battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel or slander | Time to sueOne year |
| ClaimAn injury arising from domestic violence | Time to sueTwo years |
In New York, the six years on a contract gives way where the section names an exception: section 213-a, section 214-i, article 2 of the uniform commercial code, and article 36-B of the general business law each carry their own period. A debt from a consumer credit transaction falls under one of those exceptions, in a section this page does not carry.
When there was a criminal case. Where a criminal action against the same defendant was commenced over the same event, a claim under the one year section may be brought at least one year from the end of the criminal action, even where the time had already run. For first degree rape and certain first degree sexual offenses the section names, it is at least five years.
When a claim accrues, what pauses the time, and the other actions each section lists are in the sections and are not reproduced in full here. Whether a claim is out of time is a question for a court and for a licensed New York attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- CPLR 213 — Actions to be commenced within six years
- CPLR 214 — Actions to be commenced within three years
- CPLR 215 — Actions to be commenced within one year
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New York attorney.