Time Limits To Sue
42 Pa.C.S. 5524 — two years for injuries, four for contracts, six for the rest
| The claim | Must be started within |
|---|---|
| The claimAssault, battery, false arrest, malicious prosecution | Must be started withinTwo years |
| The claimInjury to a person, or a death, caused by another's wrongful act or negligence | Must be started withinTwo years |
| The claimTaking or damaging personal property, and trespass to land | Must be started withinTwo years |
| The claimDeceit or fraud, and other wrongful conduct | Must be started withinTwo years |
| The claimA contract, written or oral, or a note | Must be started withinFour years |
| The claimA judgment of a court of the United States or any state | Must be started withinFour years |
| The claimIdentity theft damages | Must be started withinFour years from the offense or from discovering it |
| The claimAny civil action with no other limit | Must be started withinSix years |
On a note payable on demand, the four years run from the later of the demand or any payment of principal or interest. Other rules of the chapter, such as when the time starts and what pauses it, are not set out here.
Sources for this section (3)
- 42 Pa.C.S. 5524 — Two year limitation
- 42 Pa.C.S. 5525 — Four year limitation
- 42 Pa.C.S. 5527 — Six year limitation
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.