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New Mexico Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type

Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 18, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 18, 2026. · 2 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content

New Mexico Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the statute of limitations for personal injury in New Mexico?

New Mexico gives you three years to file a personal injury lawsuit under NMSA 37-1-8. The clock usually starts on the date of the injury, though the discovery rule may delay the start if the injury was not immediately apparent.

Is there a statute of limitations on murder in New Mexico?

Capital felonies (including premeditated murder, felony murder, and depraved mind murder), first-degree violent felonies, and second-degree murder have no statute of limitations in New Mexico. Prosecutors can file charges at any time. The elimination of the deadline for second-degree murder took effect in May 2022.

How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in New Mexico?

You have three years from the date the malpractice occurred under NMSA 41-5-13. This is a statute of repose, meaning the clock starts on the date of the negligent act, not when you discovered the injury. Minors and incapacitated persons receive a one-year extension after reaching majority or recovering capacity.

What are the special rules for suing a government entity in New Mexico?

Under the New Mexico Tort Claims Act, you must file written notice within 90 days of the incident (6 months for wrongful death). After providing notice, you have two years to file a lawsuit. Missing the 90-day notice usually bars the claim, but NMSA 41-4-16(B) still allows suit if the governmental entity had actual notice of the occurrence, and the 90 days excludes time, up to another 90 days, during which the injury left you incapacitated from giving notice. Under NMSA 41-4-15(A), a minor under the full age of seven has until their ninth birthday to file.

Does the statute of limitations apply to child sexual abuse cases in New Mexico?

For civil claims, NMSA 37-1-30 requires suit before the later of the victim's 24th birthday or three years from the date the victim first disclosed the abuse to a licensed medical or mental health care provider, so a survivor who discloses after turning 24 still has three years from that disclosure. For criminal cases involving third- or fourth-degree offenses, the statute of limitations is tolled until the victim turns 18 or reports the offense. Second-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor has no statute of limitations, and neither does second-degree criminal sexual penetration under Section 30-9-11, which the statute lists without a minor-victim qualifier. Senate Bill 41, signed March 4, 2026, made both of those changes.

Updates

Corrected the civil childhood sexual abuse deadline to the later (not the earlier) of the victim's 24th birthday or three years from disclosure, removed an incorrect minor-victim qualifier from the no-limitation rule for second-degree criminal sexual penetration, added the actual-notice, incapacity and under-seven exceptions to the 90-day Tort Claims notice rule, limited the DNA tolling rule to third- and fourth-degree cases, and corrected the Senate Bill 41 signing date to March 4, 2026 (Laws 2026, Chapter 21).

Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Corrected the criminal no-statute-of-limitations list to include second-degree criminal sexual contact and penetration of a minor, which NMSA 30-1-8(H) also places outside any filing deadline, and clarified that the 30-1-9.1 tolling-until-18 rule applies only to third- and fourth-degree offenses.

Corrected the NMSA 30-1-8 subsection letters in the criminal deadlines table, which were systematically off by one (e.g. capital felonies and 1st-degree violent felonies cited to a nonexistent subsection (I) instead of the actual no-limit subsection (H)).

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Reviewed and approved by an editor

Sources and References

  1. NMSA 37-1-8: Injuries to person or reputation (3 years)(law.justia.com)
  2. NMSA 37-1-4: Accounts, unwritten contracts, injuries to property, fraud (4 years)(law.justia.com)
  3. NMSA 37-1-3: Written instruments and notes (6 years)(law.justia.com)
  4. NMSA 41-2-2: Wrongful death limitation of actions (3 years)(law.justia.com)
  5. NMSA 41-5-13: Medical malpractice limitations (3 years, statute of repose)(law.justia.com)
  6. NMSA 41-4-16: Tort Claims Act notice requirements (90 days)(law.justia.com)
  7. NMSA 30-1-8: Criminal time limitations for commencing prosecution(law.justia.com)
  8. NMSA 30-1-9.1: Tolling of statute of limitations for offenses against children(law.justia.com)
  9. NMSA 37-1-30: Civil action for damages due to childhood sexual abuse(law.justia.com)
  10. NMSA 37-1-22: Adverse possession (10 years)(law.justia.com)
  11. NMSA 52-1-31: Workers compensation claim filing deadline (1 year)(law.justia.com)
  12. NMSA 55-2-725: UCC statute of limitations for sale of goods (4 years)(law.justia.com)
  13. Governor signs SB 41 eliminating statute of limitations for child sex crimes (2026)(governor.state.nm.us).gov
  14. New Mexico Statutes Annotated (NMOneSource)(nmonesource.com).gov
  15. New Mexico Senate Bill 41 (2026 Regular Session): action history, signed by the Governor as Chapter 21 on March 4, 2026(nmlegis.gov)
  16. Senate Bill 41 (2026), final enacted text amending NMSA 30-1-8, 30-1-9.1 and 30-1-9.2(nmlegis.gov)
  17. NMSA 41-4-15 and 41-4-16: Tort Claims Act limitation period, notice of claims, actual-notice and incapacity exceptions(nmonesource.com)
  18. NMSA 37-1-30: civil action for damages due to childhood sexual abuse, commenced before the latest of the listed dates(nmonesource.com)
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