General Reference
Statute of Limitations Reference — Alabama & Florida
General statutory deadlines for common civil claims
GENERAL REFERENCE ONLY — NOT LEGAL ADVICE. This page summarizes general statutory deadlines for educational purposes. Specific deadlines applicable to any actual matter depend on facts not addressed here. Consult an attorney about your specific situation.
This page summarizes the general statutory deadlines for common civil claims in Alabama and Florida. It is provided as a general reference for educational purposes and is not a substitute for an attorney's review of any specific matter. Discovery doctrines, equitable tolling, contractual shortening, statute of repose interaction, and many other factors can shift the actual applicable deadline. Do not rely on this page to evaluate whether a specific claim is timely. Talk to a lawyer.
Alabama
| Matter | Period | Triggered by | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal injury (negligence) Two-year general tort limitations period; certain claims have shorter periods. | 2 years | from date of injury | Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l) |
| Property damage (negligence) | 2 years | from date of injury | Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l) |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | from date of death | Ala. Code § 6-5-410 |
| Breach of written contract | 6 years | from date of breach | Ala. Code § 6-2-34 |
| Breach of oral contract | 6 years | from date of breach | Ala. Code § 6-2-34 |
| Real estate / specific performance | 10 years | from date of breach | Ala. Code § 6-2-33 |
| Quiet title | 10 years | from accrual | Ala. Code § 6-2-33 |
| Adverse possession (with color of title) | 10 years | from start of possession | Ala. Code § 6-5-200 |
| Adverse possession (without color of title) | 20 years | from start of possession | Ala. Code § 6-5-200 |
| Construction defect (repose) Hard cutoff; cannot be extended by discovery rule. | 7 years (statute of repose) | from substantial completion | Ala. Code § 6-5-221 (Article 13A) |
| Mechanics' lien filing — original contractor | 4 months | from last work | Ala. Code § 35-11-215 |
| Mechanics' lien filing — sub or materialman | 6 months | from last work | Ala. Code § 35-11-215 |
| First-party property insurance contract claim Alabama allows policies to contractually shorten the limitations period. | Contractual; AL permits as short as 1 year | policy-dependent | Read the policy's 'suit against insurer' clause |
| Will contest | 6 months | from probate | Ala. Code § 43-8-199 |
| Title VII (EEOC charge) | 180 days (300 in deferral) | from unlawful conduct | 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e) |
| FLSA wage claim | 2 years (3 if willful) | from each unlawful pay period | 29 U.S.C. § 255 |
Florida
| Matter | Period | Triggered by | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal injury (negligence) Reduced from 4 to 2 years by HB 837 (March 2023). | 2 years | from date of injury | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(a) |
| Property damage (negligence) | 4 years | from date of injury | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(a) |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | from date of death | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(d) |
| Breach of written contract | 5 years | from date of breach | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(2)(b) |
| Breach of oral contract | 4 years | from date of breach | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(k) |
| Real estate specific performance | 1 year | from date of breach | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) |
| Adverse possession (with payment of taxes) | 7 years | from start of possession with tax payment | Fla. Stat. § 95.18 |
| Construction defect (repose) Hard cutoff; cannot be extended by discovery rule. | 10 years (statute of repose) | from substantial completion | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(c) |
| Mechanics' lien — Notice to Owner Non-privity claimants only; defective NTO destroys lien. | 45 days | from first furnishing | Fla. Stat. § 713.06 |
| Mechanics' lien — Claim of Lien filing | 90 days | from final furnishing | Fla. Stat. § 713.08 |
| First-party property insurance — new claim NOTICE SB 2A (2022) shortened from 2 years; supplemental claims 18 months. | 1 year | from date of loss | Fla. Stat. § 627.70132 (SB 2A) |
| First-party property insurance — suit | 5 years | from date of loss | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(2)(e) |
| Bad-faith (first-party insurance) civil-remedy notice | Required pre-suit notice + 60-day cure window | before filing bad-faith suit | Fla. Stat. § 624.155(3) |
| Will contest (formal notice estate) | 90 days | from formal notice | Fla. Stat. § 733.212 |
| Condominium pre-suit mediation | Required before condo unit-owner / association suit | before filing certain disputes | Fla. Stat. § 718.1255 |
| Title VII (EEOC charge) | 300 days | from unlawful conduct | 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e) |
| FLSA wage claim | 2 years (3 if willful) | from each unlawful pay period | 29 U.S.C. § 255 |
About this reference
- What is the difference between a statute of limitations and a statute of repose?
A statute of limitations runs from when a claim accrues — typically discovery of the harm — and can sometimes be tolled by equitable doctrines. A statute of repose is an absolute cutoff that runs from a triggering event (often substantial completion of construction) regardless of when the harm was discovered. Once repose expires, the claim is extinguished. - Why isn't my specific situation on this page?
Specific deadlines for any actual matter depend on facts not addressed here — when the harm occurred or was discovered, whether contractual provisions shorten the period, choice-of-law overlays, and dozens of other doctrines. Consult an attorney about your particular circumstances; do not rely on a general reference to decide whether to file. - Is this legal advice?
No. This is a general reference for educational purposes only. It does not establish an attorney-client relationship and is not a substitute for personalized legal counsel.
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