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Missouri Statute of Limitations (2026)

Civil filing deadlines in Missouri under RSMo ch. 516 — five years for personal injury, among the most generous in the country, and ten years on a written promise to pay.

✓ Last verified: Sep 2026

Claim Types

claim types tracked

Filing Range

2–10

year filing range

Govt. Notice

0.2

yrs to notify govt.

2 of these entries are marked “Unverified.” They have been added to the register but not yet checked line-by-line against the current statute text. Treat those figures as a starting point only, and confirm the citation at its official source before relying on it.

5 YEARS

Personal Injury

Five years — one of the longest personal-injury windows in the country. Most states allow two or three.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4) ✓ Verified

2 YEARS

Medical Malpractice

Two years from the act of neglect complained of, with an outer cap of ten years.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.105 ✓ Verified

10 YEARS

Written Contract

Ten years where the claim is on a written promise to pay money or property — the longest contract period in the register.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110(1) ✓ Verified

5 YEARS

Property Damage

Five years, on the same clock as personal injury.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4) ✓ Verified

2 YEARS

Defamation

Two years for libel, slander, or injurious falsehood.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.140 ✓ Verified

5 YEARS

Product Liability

Five years for personal injury caused by a defective product.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4) Unverified

3 YEARS

Wrongful Death

Three years from the date of death — not from the underlying accident or injury.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100 ✓ Verified

5 YEARS

Fraud

Five years, with the cause of action deemed not to accrue until discovery by the aggrieved party of the facts constituting the fraud.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(5) ✓ Verified

5 YEARS

Breach of Oral Contract

Five years on a contract claim generally.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(1) ✓ Verified

5 YEARS

Legal Malpractice

Five years, generally running from when the damage was capable of ascertainment.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 Unverified

2 YEARS

Assault & Battery

Two years — well under half the five years Missouri allows for ordinary negligence.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.140 ✓ Verified

5 YEARS

Trespass to Land

Five years for trespass to real property.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 ✓ Verified

0.2

years

Government claims notice

Notice to a city within 90 days — Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 82.210, 537.600 Missouri requires written notice to the mayor of a city of a certain class within 90 days of an injury caused by a defective street or sidewalk under RSMo § 82.210. Sovereign immunity under § 537.600 is waived only in defined categories — chiefly motor vehicle operation and dangerous conditions of public property — so the threshold question is usually whether the claim is actionable at all, not just whether it is timely.

Common Questions About Missouri Deadlines

What is the statute of limitations in Missouri?

It depends on the type of claim. Missouri filing deadlines range from 2 years to 10 years — for example, personal injury 5 years, breach of a written contract 10 years, medical malpractice 2 years, defamation 2 years.

How long do you have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Missouri?

5 years under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4). Five years — one of the longest personal-injury windows in the country. Most states allow two or three. Full personal injury rules →

What is the statute of limitations for wrongful death in Missouri?

3 years under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 537.100. Three years from the date of death — not from the underlying accident or injury. Full wrongful death rules →

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Missouri?

2 years under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.105. Two years from the act of neglect complained of, with an outer cap of ten years. Full medical malpractice rules →

What is the statute of limitations for breach of contract in Missouri?

10 years under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.110(1). Ten years where the claim is on a written promise to pay money or property — the longest contract period in the register. Full breach of a written contract rules →

How long do you have to sue for defamation in Missouri?

2 years under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.140. Two years for libel, slander, or injurious falsehood. Full defamation rules →

What is the statute of limitations for property damage in Missouri?

5 years under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4). Five years, on the same clock as personal injury. Full property damage rules →

Do you have to notify the government before suing in Missouri?

Often, yes. Notice to a city within 90 days under Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 82.210, 537.600. This is usually much shorter than the ordinary deadline.

Know your rights — check the claim type that matches your situation, then confirm the deadline with a licensed attorney.

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Missouri Statute of Limitations (2026)

Common Questions About Missouri Deadlines

What is the statute of limitations in Missouri?

How long do you have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Missouri?

What is the statute of limitations for wrongful death in Missouri?

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Missouri?

What is the statute of limitations for breach of contract in Missouri?

How long do you have to sue for defamation in Missouri?

What is the statute of limitations for property damage in Missouri?

Do you have to notify the government before suing in Missouri?

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