Crimes with no statute of limitations
The crimes most often exempt from any time limit are murder and other offenses punishable by death or life imprisonment, followed by serious sex offenses, child sexual abuse, and in some states kidnapping, arson causing death or embezzlement of public funds. Federal law follows the same pattern: there is no limit for any offense punishable by death,[1] and none for felony child abduction, many child sex offenses, and certain sexual abuse crimes.[2]
| State | No time limit for | General felony limit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Capital offenses; felonies involving use, attempted use or threat of violence; felonies causing serious physical injury or death; sex offenses (§ 15-20A-5) against a victim under 16; and felony arson, forgery, counterfeiting and drug traffickingAla. Code § 15-3-5(a) | 5 years |
| Alaska | Murder (and attempt, solicitation, conspiracy or hindering prosecution of murder), felony sexual abuse of a minor, unclassified/class A/class B felony sexual assault, listed sexual offenses against victims under 18, kidnapping, distribution of child sexual abuse material, serious sex trafficking, and human traffickingAlaska Stat. § 12.10.010(a) | 5 years for most offenses; 10 years for listed felony offenses against the person |
| Arizona | Homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide resulting in death, class 2 felony sexual offenses (chapters 14 and 35.1), violent sexual assault, certain terrorism/child sex trafficking offenses (§§ 13-2308.01, 13-2308.03, 13-3212), misuse of public monies, felony falsification of public records, and attempts to commit theseA.R.S. § 13-107(A) | 7 years for class 2 through class 6 felonies |
| Arkansas | Capital murder, first- and second-degree murder, rape and first- or second-degree sexual assault of a minor, other listed sex offenses against minors, and fertility treatment fraud; also rape with identified DNA-capable biological evidenceArk. Code Ann. § 5-1-109 | 6 years (Class Y and Class A felonies); 3 years (Class B, C, D and unclassified felonies) |
| California | Offenses punishable by death or life imprisonment (including murder), embezzlement of public money, and rape and other listed felony sex offenses committed on or after January 1, 2017 (or not yet time-barred then)Cal. Penal Code § 799 | 3 years for most felonies; 6 years for felonies punishable by 8 years or more |
| Colorado | Murder, kidnapping, treason, forgery, felony sex offenses against a child, and attempt, conspiracy or solicitation to commit them; felony sexual assault when the offender is identified by DNA and the crime was reported within 20 yearsColo. Rev. Stat. § 16-5-401(1)(a), (8)(a.7)(III) | 3 years |
| Connecticut | Class A felonies (including murder), pre-2012 capital felonies, arson murder, sexual abuse, exploitation or assault of a victim who was a minor, criminal assistance to such offenders, perjury that led to the conviction of an innocent person, and fatal hit-and-run (§ 14-224(a))Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-193(a) | 5 years for offenses punishable by more than 1 year in prison |
| Delaware | Murder, any class A felony, attempts to commit them, and sexual offenses under § 761 (except §§ 763-765), plus child sexual exploitation and trafficking of a minor (§ 787)11 Del. C. § 205(a), (e) | 5 years for felonies other than murder and class A felonies |
| District of Columbia | Murder (first and second degree, including of a law enforcement officer, and terrorism-related murder), all degrees of sexual abuse and child sexual abuse listed in § 23-113(a)(1), and incestD.C. Code § 23-113(a)(1) | 6 years for most felonies; 10 years for listed sex-trafficking, child-enticement and prostitution offenses |
| Florida | Capital felonies, life felonies, felonies that resulted in a death, and perjury in a capital felony prosecution; certain sexual battery offenses (see below)Fla. Stat. § 775.15(1), (6), (13), (14) | 4 years for first-degree felonies; 3 years for other felonies |
| Georgia | Murder; armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery when DNA evidence establishes the accused's identity; certain sex offenses against children under 16 committed on or after July 1, 2012O.C.G.A. §§ 17-3-1, 17-3-2.1 | 4 years for most felonies (7 years if the victim was under 18); 7 years for crimes punishable by death or life imprisonment |
| Hawaii | Murder and attempted murder in any degree (and conspiracy or solicitation to commit murder), sexual assault in the first and second degrees, sex trafficking, and continuous sexual assault of a minor under 14Haw. Rev. Stat. § 701-108(1) | 3 years for most felonies; 6 years for class A felonies; 10 years for manslaughter not involving a vehicle |
| Idaho | Murder; voluntary manslaughter; rape under § 18-6101(3)-(10); sexual abuse of a child and lewd conduct or aggravated lewd conduct with a child; producing sexually exploitative material; terrorismIdaho Code § 19-401 | 5 years |
| Illinois | First and second degree murder, attempted murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, fatal aggravated DUI, leaving the scene of a crash causing death or injury, treason, arson, forgery, child sexual abuse material, and any offense involving sexual conduct or sexual penetration720 ILCS 5/3-5(a) | 3 years for most felonies; 7 years for theft over $100,000, identity theft and financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person |
| Indiana | Murder, and Level 1 and Level 2 felonies (Class A felonies for crimes before July 1, 2014)Ind. Code § 35-41-4-2(c), (d) | 5 years for Level 3 to Level 6 felonies |
| Iowa | Murder in the first or second degree; first-, second- or third-degree sexual abuse of a person under 18Iowa Code §§ 802.1, 802.2(1) | 3 years |
| Kansas | Murder, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, terrorism, illegal use of weapons of mass destruction, and childhood sexual abuse offenses against victims under 18K.S.A. § 21-5107(a) | 5 years for most crimes |
| Kentucky | All felonies, including murder, rape, robbery and felony theftKRS 500.050(1) | No time limit |
| Louisiana | Any crime punishable by death or life imprisonment (e.g., first- and second-degree murder); forcible or second-degree rape; molestation of a juvenile or of a person with a physical or mental disabilityLa. C.Cr.P. art. 571 | 6 years for felonies necessarily punishable by hard labor; 4 years for other felonies |
| Maine | Murder and criminal homicide in the 1st or 2nd degree; incest, unlawful sexual contact, sexual abuse of a minor, rape or gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual touching and sexual exploitation of a minor when the victim was under 18; aggravated sex trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation of a victim under 18 (added by PL 2025, c. 617)17-A M.R.S. § 8(1) | 6 years for Class A, B and C crimes (Maine's felony-level classes) |
| Maryland | All felonies, including murder, rape and felony sexual offenses; misdemeanors that a statute makes punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiaryMd. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106(a)-(b) | No general time limit for felonies |
| Massachusetts | Murder; and rape and indecent assault of a child, aggravated rape, rape of a child, forcible rape of a child and related child sex offenses and trafficking of a minor listed in § 63 (corroboration required after 27 years)M.G.L. c. 277, § 63 | 6 years for most crimes; 10 or 15 years for listed serious offenses |
| Michigan | Murder (and conspiracy or solicitation to commit it), first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and explosives, human trafficking and terrorism offenses punishable by life imprisonmentMCL 767.24(1) | 6 years for most offenses; 10 years for kidnapping, extortion, attempted murder, manslaughter, armed robbery and first-degree home invasion |
| Minnesota | Any crime resulting in death; kidnapping (§ 609.25); criminal sexual conduct in the first through fifth degrees and sexual extortion (§§ 609.342-609.345, 609.3458); sex trafficking (§ 609.322); labor trafficking of a victim under 18Minn. Stat. § 628.26(a)-(c), (e) | 3 years for most crimes, with longer periods for listed offenses (e.g., 5 years for some thefts over $35,000 and arson-related offenses, 10 years for first-degree arson) |
| Mississippi | Murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated domestic violence, kidnapping, arson, burglary, forgery, counterfeiting, robbery, larceny, rape, embezzlement, false pretenses or fraud, child abuse and child sex offenses, felony abuse of vulnerable persons, human trafficking, and sexual battery when DNA later identifies the accusedMiss. Code Ann. § 99-1-5(1)(a) | 2 years for felonies not listed in § 99-1-5; 5 years for bribery and felony assistance-program fraud; 6 years for timber larceny |
| Missouri | Murder; first-degree rape and forcible rape; first-degree sodomy and forcible sodomy; attempts of these; any class A felony; any sexual offense against a victim 18 or underMo. Rev. Stat. §§ 556.036.1, 556.037 | 3 years for most felonies; 5 years for class B felony arson (§ 569.040) and for §§ 569.050, 569.055 |
| Montana | Deliberate, mitigated and negligent homicide; listed sexual offenses (including sexual intercourse without consent, incest and sexual abuse of children) when the victim was under 18Mont. Code Ann. § 45-1-205(1)(a), (1)(c) | 5 years; 10 years for felony sexual intercourse without consent and certain other sex offenses (adult victims) |
| Nebraska | Treason, murder, arson, forgery, first- and second-degree sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, incest, sex or labor trafficking of a minor, offenses under § 28-1805, and third-degree sexual assault when the victim was under 16Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-110(11) | 3 years for most felonies; 5 years for identity theft, identity fraud and securities fraud; 6 years for abuse of a vulnerable or senior adult |
| Nevada | Murder; a sexual assault arising from the same facts as a murder; terrorism offenses under § 202.445; sexual assault or sex trafficking if the victim filed a written police report within the limitation period, or if the suspect is identified by DNANev. Rev. Stat. §§ 171.080, 171.082, 171.083 | 3 years for most felonies; 4 years for theft, robbery, burglary, forgery and arson; 6 years for sex trafficking; 20 years for sexual assault |
| New Hampshire | Murder; obstruction-type offenses (RSA 641:1–641:7) committed to assist in or conceal a murderN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 625:8, II, III(g) | 6 years (class A and class B felonies) |
| New Jersey | Murder, manslaughter, aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault, terrorism offenses, and certain other offenses listed in § 2C:1-6(a)N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:1-6(a) | 5 years for crimes (indictable offenses); 7 years for certain official misconduct, bribery and related offenses |
| New Mexico | Capital felonies, first-degree violent felonies, second-degree murder, second-degree criminal sexual penetration, and second-degree criminal sexual contact of a minorN.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-1-8(H) | 6 years for second-degree felonies; 5 years for third- and fourth-degree felonies |
| New York | Class A felonies (including murder), rape in the first degree, aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree, course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, incest in the first degree, and terrorism felonies that caused or risked death or serious injuryN.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 30.10(2)(a), (3)(g) | 5 years for most felonies |
| North Carolina | All felonies (including murder, rape, felony larceny) and malicious misdemeanorsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-1 | No time limit. North Carolina has no general statute of limitations for felonies. |
| North Dakota | MurderN.D. Cent. Code § 29-04-01 | 3 years for most felonies; 7 years for felony sex offenses (chapter 12.1-20) and human trafficking |
| Ohio | Aggravated murder and murder, plus conspiracy, attempt or complicity to commit themOhio Rev. Code § 2901.13(A)(2) | 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 |
| Oklahoma | Murder; listed sex crimes when the offender is identified by preserved DNA evidence or confessesOkla. Stat. tit. 22, §§ 151(A), 152(C)(2) | 3 years for most offenses; longer periods for listed crimes (e.g. 7 years for arson and felonies using a deadly weapon; 10 years after discovery for manslaughter) |
| Oregon | Aggravated murder, murder, any degree of manslaughter, and attempt, conspiracy or solicitation to commit aggravated murder or murder; first-degree sex crimes when the offender is identified by DNA or the prosecutor obtains listed corroborating evidenceOr. Rev. Stat. § 131.125(1), (10), (12) | 3 years for most felonies; 6 years for arson; longer periods for listed sex crimes |
| Pennsylvania | Murder; voluntary manslaughter; conspiracy or solicitation to commit murder if a murder results; felonies connected with first- or second-degree murder; vehicle homicide or leaving a fatal accident by a driver; aggravated assault on an on-duty police officer; rape, IDSI, sexual assault, incest and other listed sex offenses when the victim was under 1842 Pa.C.S. § 5551 | 2 years by default; 5 years for listed "major offenses" (e.g. aggravated assault, burglary, robbery, theft, forgery, arson, kidnapping); 12 years for major sexual offenses |
| Rhode Island | Treason against the state, any homicide, arson (all degrees), burglary, counterfeiting, forgery, robbery, rape, first-degree sexual assault, first- and second-degree child molestation sexual assault, bigamy, drug manufacturing or dealing, and any offense punishable by life imprisonmentR.I. Gen. Laws § 12-12-17(a) | 3 years unless the offense is listed; 10 years for felony larceny, embezzlement, bribery, perjury, extortion, racketeering and listed fraud crimes; no limit for listed serious felonies |
| South Carolina | Generally all crimes, felonies and misdemeanors alike, except the few offenses whose own statute sets a limitNo general criminal limitation statute in the S.C. Code | No time limit. South Carolina has no general statute of limitations for felonies. |
| South Dakota | Class A, B and C felonies (including murder and first-degree manslaughter); first-degree rape (victim under 13) and second-degree rape (force or threats)SDCL §§ 23A-42-1, 22-22-1 | 7 years for Class 1–6 felonies; no limit for Class A, B and C felonies |
| Tennessee | Offenses punishable by death or life imprisonment (including first degree murder); second degree murder committed on or after July 1, 2019; rape or aggravated rape of an adult reported within 3 years; listed child sex offenses (victim under 13, or 13-17 under the reporting rules); child sex trafficking on or after July 1, 2021Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-2-101(a), (l), (p), (q), (r) | 15 years (Class A), 8 years (Class B), 4 years (Class C or D), 2 years (Class E) |
| Texas | Murder and manslaughter; sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault of a child; continuous sexual abuse of a young child; indecency with a child; sexual assault with untested or unmatched DNA evidence or 5+ victims; fatal leaving the scene of a collision; child trafficking; tampering with a human corpse; and other listed offensesTex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 12.01(1) | 3 years for felonies not otherwise listed; 5, 7, 10 or 20 years (or no limit) for listed offenses |
| Utah | Capital felonies, aggravated murder, murder, manslaughter, child abuse homicide, aggravated and child kidnapping, rape, object rape, forcible sodomy, aggravated sexual assault, child rape and child sexual abuse offenses, aggravated human trafficking and smuggling, human trafficking of a childUtah Code § 76-1-301(2) | 4 years |
| Vermont | Murder, manslaughter, arson causing death, kidnapping, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault (including of a child), sexual exploitation of a minor under § 3258(c), human trafficking and aggravated human trafficking13 V.S.A. § 4501(a) | 3 years for most felonies; 6 years for grand larceny, robbery, burglary, embezzlement, forgery, bribery and felony tax offenses; 11 years for arson and first-degree aggravated domestic assault |
| Virginia | All feloniesVa. Code § 19.2-8 | No limit |
| Washington | Murder; homicide by abuse; arson, vehicular assault or hit-and-run causing death; vehicular homicide; first- and second-degree rape of a victim under 16; rape of a child and child molestation (all degrees); sexual exploitation of a minor; trafficking of a minor; rape by a first responder using that positionRCW 9A.04.080(1)(a) | 3 years for felonies not otherwise listed; 5, 6, 10 or 20 years (or no limit) for listed offenses |
| West Virginia | All feloniesW. Va. Code § 61-11-9 | No limit |
| Wisconsin | First-degree intentional and reckless homicide, felony murder, second-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault, first-degree sexual assault of a child, repeated sexual assault of a child (most degrees), and attempts at several of theseWis. Stat. § 939.74(2)(a) | 6 years |
| Wyoming | All crimes, felonies and misdemeanors alikeNo general criminal limitation statute (Remmick v. State, 2012 WY 57) | No limit |
Is there a statute of limitations on sexual assault?
It depends on the state, the victim’s age and the degree of the offense. Many states have no limit for rape or first-degree sexual assault; others allow 10 to 30 years, often extended when DNA evidence identifies the suspect. California removed the limit for rape and other listed forcible sex felonies committed on or after January 1, 2017.[5] Civil lawsuits by survivors are a separate deadline, and several states have recently opened “revival windows” for old civil claims.
Is there a statute of limitations on child abuse?
For sexual abuse of children, many states have no criminal time limit at all, and the rest usually start the clock only when the victim turns 18 or reports the abuse. Under federal law, sexual or physical abuse or kidnapping of a child under 18 can be prosecuted during the child’s lifetime or within 10 years of the offense, whichever is longer.[3] Physical abuse that is not sexual usually follows the ordinary felony or misdemeanor limits.
Why some crimes have no time limit
Limitation periods exist because evidence fades and people deserve finality, but legislatures have decided that for the most serious crimes the public interest in prosecution outweighs those concerns. DNA databases have strengthened the case: old cases are solved with reliable evidence decades later. For everything else, most states use a few general periods, typically 3 to 6 years for felonies and 1 to 2 years for misdemeanors; federal non-capital offenses have 5 years.[4]
Examples from the largest states
- California: no limit for crimes punishable by death or life imprisonment and listed sex felonies; 3 years for most felonies, 6 years for those punishable by 8 years or more, 1 year for misdemeanors.[5]
- Florida: no limit for capital and life felonies and felonies resulting in death; 4 years for first-degree felonies, 3 years for other felonies.[6]
- Texas and New York: no limit for murder; most other felonies have specific periods by offense, collected on the state pages.[7][8]
More detail: is there a statute of limitations on murder, the statute of limitations on theft, and the civil side in the wrongful death statute of limitations. Civil deadlines for every state are on the statute of limitations by state page.
Frequently asked questions
What crimes have no statute of limitations?
Murder in every state and under federal law; offenses punishable by death or life imprisonment in most states; and in many states rape, first-degree sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Some states have no general limit for any felony.
Is there a statute of limitations on sexual assault?
In many states, not for the most serious degrees, especially against children. Other states allow 10 to 30 years, often extended by DNA evidence. Check your state’s row for its rule.
Is there a statute of limitations on child abuse?
For child sexual abuse, often none, or the clock starts at age 18. Federal law allows prosecution during the child’s lifetime or within 10 years, whichever is longer. Non-sexual physical abuse usually follows ordinary felony limits.
Which states have no statute of limitations for felonies?
North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming have no general limitation period for felonies, so most felonies can be prosecuted at any time there.
Sources
- 18 U.S.C. § 3281: capital offenses (no limitation)
- 18 U.S.C. § 3299: child abduction and sex offenses (no limitation)
- 18 U.S.C. § 3283: offenses against children
- 18 U.S.C. § 3282: offenses not capital (five years)
- Cal. Penal Code §§ 800, 801: criminal limitation periods
- Fla. Stat. § 775.15(2)(a)-(b): criminal limitation periods
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 12.01: criminal limitation periods
- N.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 30.10(2)(b): criminal limitation periods