Florida Civil Litigation Resource
Florida Statute of Limitations Calculator
Estimate a preliminary filing deadline for common Florida civil claims under the 2026 Florida Statutes. Select the claim type and enter the proposed legal accrual date; then review the result against the actual facts, tolling rules, repose periods and any statute outside Chapter 95.
2026 Florida Statutes • Chapter 95
Limitations Periods Depend on the Claim and the Accrual Rule
Section 95.11 provides many of Florida’s civil limitations periods, but some causes of action have different statutes, special accrual rules, repose periods or procedural prerequisites.
Deadline-estimation tool only.
The calculator does not determine when a cause of action legally accrued, whether a discovery rule applies, whether a limitations period was tolled, whether a statute of repose applies, or whether another statute provides a different deadline.
Interactive Litigation Tool
Calculate a Preliminary Florida Filing Deadline
Choose a common claim category and enter the proposed accrual date. For construction claims, also enter the applicable certificate/abandonment date to compare the seven-year repose period.
Claim & Date Information
For construction claims, use the earliest applicable temporary certificate of occupancy, certificate of occupancy, certificate of completion, or abandonment date described in § 95.11(3)(b).
Preliminary Results
Limitations Analysis
Select a claim type and enter the proposed accrual date.
Do not wait until the calculated date.
A claim can be barred earlier than a simple “add years” calculation suggests. Accrual, discovery, repose, presuit notices, governmental claims, contractual provisions, death, bankruptcy, tolling and other statutes can materially change the analysis.
Common 2026 Limitation Periods
Florida Civil Claims Use Different Filing Periods
Section 95.11 includes multiple limitations periods. These cards summarize several common categories used by the calculator.
5 Years
Written Contracts
Legal or equitable actions on a contract, obligation or liability founded on a written instrument generally fall within the five-year period, subject to statutory exceptions.
4 Years
Fraud & Unwritten Contracts
Fraud, unwritten contracts, rescission, trespass, many intentional torts and several other categories are listed in the four-year subsection.
2 Years
Negligence & Wrongful Death
Section 95.11 lists negligence, wrongful death and certain professional-malpractice actions within the two-year category.
1 Year
Specific Performance & Certain Bond Claims
Specific performance and certain payment-bond enforcement claims are among the actions listed in the one-year subsection.
Accrual, Discovery & Repose
Why a Calendar Deadline Can Be More Complicated Than the Number of Years
Accrual
When the Clock Starts
Section 95.031 and claim-specific statutes determine when a cause of action accrues. The legally correct trigger date is often the central issue.
Discovery
Some Claims Use Discovery Rules
Fraud, professional malpractice, medical malpractice and latent construction defects can involve discovery-based accrual rules or separate statutory language.
Tolling
Limited Statutory Grounds
Section 95.051 identifies circumstances under which limitations periods are tolled and states that no other reason shall toll the running of a limitations period except as specified by statute.
Repose
Outside Deadline
A statute of repose can bar a claim regardless of later discovery. Construction claims under § 95.11(3)(b) include a seven-year repose period subject to the statute’s specific trigger rules.
Important Special Categories
Some Claims Should Not Be Reduced to a Simple Date Addition
The following categories require additional statutory analysis before relying on a limitations estimate.
Medical Malpractice
Discovery + Repose + Presuit Requirements
Medical malpractice has special two-year discovery language, a four-year outside period in many cases, exceptions, and Chapter 766 presuit requirements.
Separate medical-malpractice analysis requiredGovernment Defendants
Chapter 768 Notice Requirements
Claims involving governmental entities can be subject to presuit notice and other requirements in addition to a limitations period.
Do not rely on Chapter 95 aloneClaims Arising Elsewhere
Florida Borrowing Statute
Section 95.10 addresses causes of action arising in another state and can require consideration of the other jurisdiction’s limitations law.
Choice-of-law analysis may be necessaryRelated Litigation Resources
St. Johns Law Group Civil Litigation Services
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View Legal Tools →Statute of Limitations FAQs
Common Questions About Florida Filing Deadlines
Does the calculator determine when my cause of action accrued?
No. You must enter a proposed accrual or trigger date. Determining the legally correct accrual date can require analysis of the statute, contract, discovery rule and case facts.
Can a statute of repose expire before the limitations period?
Yes. A statute of repose creates an outside deadline tied to a specified event and can bar a claim even when the claimant discovered the problem later. Construction claims under § 95.11(3)(b) are an important example.
Can a limitations period be tolled?
Sometimes. Section 95.051 identifies statutory tolling circumstances. Tolling should not be assumed without reviewing the specific facts and governing law.
Why does the calculator exclude medical malpractice from automatic calculation?
Medical malpractice combines a two-year discovery-based limitations period, an outside period, statutory exceptions and Chapter 766 presuit requirements. A simple date-adder can be misleading.
What if the claim involves a government agency?
Additional presuit notice, sovereign-immunity and timing requirements may apply. The general Chapter 95 result should not be treated as the complete deadline analysis.
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