Ohio statute of limitations by claim
In Ohio you generally have 2 years to sue for personal injury, 2 years for property damage, 6 years on a written contract and 4 years on an oral one, but only 1 year for defamation.[1][4] The table lists every common civil claim with the statute and the notes that change it.
| Claim | Deadline | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury | 2 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A)Assault and battery: 1 year, accruing on the later of the act or learning the attacker's identity (§ 2305.111(B)). |
| Medical malpractice | 1 year | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.113(A)Repose: 4 years from the act or omission (§ 2305.113(C)); if the injury could not have been discovered within 3 years but is discovered before year 4 ends, 1 year from discovery; foreign object: 1 year from discovery (§ 2305.113(D)) A written notice sent before the 1-year period ends allows suit within 180 days after the notice (§ 2305.113(B)). The 4-year repose does not apply to minors or persons of unsound mind (§ 2305.113(C)). Covers medical, dental, optometric and chiropractic claims. |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2125.02(F)(1)Repose: Product liability death claims: 10 years from delivery of the product to the first purchaser, with exceptions (§ 2125.02(F)(2)) |
| Property damage | 2 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A)Recovering, taking or detaining personal property (conversion) is 4 years, and wrongful taking accrues when the wrongdoer is discovered (§ 2305.09(B)). Trespass on real property: 4 years (§ 2305.09(A)). |
| Written contract | 6 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.06Reduced from 8 years by SB 13 (134th G.A.), effective June 16, 2021. SB 219 (136th G.A.), effective Sept. 23, 2026, adds an exception for oil and gas lease claims; the 6-year period is unchanged. Sale of goods: 4 years under the UCC (§ 1302.98). |
| Oral contract | 4 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.07(A)Reduced from 6 years by SB 13 (134th G.A.), effective June 16, 2021. |
| Credit card / account debt | 6 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.07(C)Applies to any consumer transaction for personal, family or household purposes, including credit cards and accounts stated, whether or not in writing, and overrides the borrowing statute (added by SB 13, effective June 16, 2021). A payment, a written acknowledgment or a signed promise to pay starts a new period (§ 2305.08). |
| Fraud | 4 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.09(C)Claims based on unauthorized use of property (§ 2913.49 identity fraud) are 5 years. |
| Defamation | 1 year | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.11(A)Same 1-year period for libel and slander. |
| Product liability | 2 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A), (C)Repose: 10 years from delivery to the first purchaser or lessee (§ 2305.10(C)(1)); exceptions for fraud, longer express written warranties, asbestos and certain latent exposures; a claim accruing in the last 2 years of the 10 still gets 2 years |
What is different in Ohio
Ohio’s 1-year medical claim deadline is among the shortest in the country, but a written 180-day notice of intent sent within that year extends it. Consumer debt has a specific 6-year rule that starts 30 days after the last charge or payment. Unlike most states, Ohio has no notice-of-claim step for suits against cities and counties; the ordinary 2-year period applies.
- SB 13 (effective June 16, 2021) cut written contracts to 6 years (from 8) and oral contracts to 4 years (from 6), and set a 6-year limit for consumer debt that starts 30 days after the last charge or payment. (Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2305.06, 2305.07)[10]
- Medical claims have only a 1-year limit, but a written notice of intent sent within that year extends the deadline by 180 days. (Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.113(A), (B))[11]
- Assault and battery claims must be filed within 1 year, half the 2-year negligence period; childhood sexual abuse claims get 12 years from age 18. (Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.111(B), (C))[12]
- SB 109 (135th G.A., effective March 21, 2025) lets childhood sexual abuse survivors file claims at any time, but only against the bankruptcy estate of a congressionally chartered organization (the Boy Scouts of America); the current version runs until Oct. 12, 2028. (Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.111(C)(2))[13]
When the clock starts and stops
No general statutory discovery rule. Discovery applies by statute to fraud (§ 2305.09), listed toxic exposures (§ 2305.10(B)) and late-discovered medical injuries within the 4-year repose (§ 2305.113(D)). (Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2305.09, 2305.10(B), 2305.113(D))
Minors. Ohio pauses the clock while the injured person is a minor: the period starts at age 18. A minor may sue within the normal period after turning 18. The 4-year medical malpractice repose does not apply to minors (§ 2305.113(C)). Childhood sexual abuse: 12 years after age 18 (§ 2305.111(C)).[6]
Other tolling. Unsound mind tolls (§ 2305.16). A defendant's absence from Ohio, absconding or concealment tolls most periods, but not statutes of repose (§ 2305.15, as amended by HB 179, effective Oct. 24, 2024).
Suing the government in Ohio
Claims against a public body follow their own rules, and a missed notice can end the claim even when the ordinary limitation period is still open.[7][8]
| Defendant | Deadline | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| State agencies | No general notice-of-claim step; for injury claims covered by the state's liability insurance (§§ 9.82–9.83), first submit the claim to the Office of Risk Management (DAS)Suit in the Ohio Court of Claims within 2 years of accrual, or any shorter period for similar private suits (§ 2743.16(A)). | Ohio Rev. Code § 2743.16(B) |
| Cities, counties and other local entities | No statutory notice-of-claim requirement for political subdivisionsSuit within 2 years after accrual, or any shorter applicable period; tolled for minors under § 2305.16. | Ohio Rev. Code § 2744.04(A) |
Criminal statute of limitations in Ohio
Most felonies in Ohio: 6 years for most felonies; 20 years for listed serious felonies (e.g. voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated burglary); 25 years for rape and sexual battery. Misdemeanors: 2 years; 6 months for a minor misdemeanor.[9] Prosecutors must file charges within these periods; the victim’s civil deadline is separate.
| Offense | Time limit | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Felonies | 6 years for most felonies; 20 years for listed serious felonies (e.g. voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated burglary); 25 years for rape and sexual batteryThe period does not run while the corpus delicti is undiscovered or while the accused purposely avoids prosecution (§ 2901.13(G), (H)). | Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13(A) |
| Misdemeanors | 2 years; 6 months for a minor misdemeanor | Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13(A)(1) |
| No time limit | Aggravated murder and murder, plus conspiracy, attempt or complicity to commit them | Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13(A)(2) |
| Sexual assault | Rape and sexual battery: 25 years, plus 5 years after a later DNA match (§ 2901.13(A)(4), (D)). For abuse of a child under 18, the period does not start until the victim turns 18 or abuse is reported to a children services agency or police (§ 2901.13(J)). | Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13(A)(4), (D), (J) |
| Theft | Theft follows the general 6-year felony / 2-year misdemeanor periods; if an element is fraud or breach of fiduciary duty, prosecution may start within 1 year after discovery even if the period has run (§ 2901.13(B)). |
Worked example
A surgical error at a Columbus hospital on September 15, 2025: under the medical malpractice deadline is September 15, 2026. If the injured person was a child born September 3, 2012, the clock would not start until September 3, 2030, making the deadline September 3, 2032. Sending a 180-day letter before that date would extend it.
For a claim of $6,000 or less, Ohio’s small claims (Small Claims Division of Municipal Court or County Court) is usually faster and cheaper; compare the small claims limit by state.[14] To value an injury claim, try the car accident settlement calculator; for medical cases, compare the medical malpractice statute of limitations in other states. All states are on the statute of limitations by state page.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you have to sue for personal injury in Ohio?
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Ohio?
Does the statute of limitations pause for minors in Ohio?
What crimes have no statute of limitations in Ohio?
What is the Ohio statute of limitations on debt?
Sources
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A): personal injury limitation period
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.113(A): medical malpractice limitation period
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2125.02(F)(1): wrongful death limitation period
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.06: written contract limitation period
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.07(C): credit card / account debt limitation period
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.16: tolling for minors
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2743.16(B): claims against the state
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2744.04(A): claims against local government
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13(A): criminal limitation periods
- Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2305.06, 2305.07
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.113(A), (B)
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.111(B), (C)
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.111(C)(2)
- Ohio small claims (official court self-help)