Oregon Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type

Understanding Oregon's statute of limitations is essential for anyone considering legal action in the state. These deadlines determine how long you have to file a lawsuit or how long prosecutors have to bring criminal charges. Missing a filing deadline can permanently bar your claim, regardless of how strong your case may be.

This guide covers both civil and criminal statutes of limitations in Oregon, with the specific ORS (Oregon Revised Statutes) citations for each category.

What Is a Statute of Limitations?

A statute of limitations is a law that sets the maximum amount of time after an event within which a legal action may be filed. Once that time period expires, the claim is generally barred forever.

In Oregon, statutes of limitations are found primarily in ORS Chapter 12 for civil matters and ORS Chapter 131 for criminal matters. The clock typically starts running on the date the injury, breach, or crime occurs. However, Oregon recognizes several exceptions that can pause or extend these deadlines.

Oregon Civil Statute of Limitations

Oregon's civil statutes of limitations govern how long a person has to file a lawsuit in civil court. These deadlines vary based on the type of claim, ranging from one year to ten years.

If you fail to file your civil claim before the established deadline, the opposing party can raise the statute of limitations as a defense and file a motion to dismiss your case. Once a court grants that dismissal, your legal claim is lost permanently.

Civil Statute of Limitations Table

Type of Case	Time Limit	Statute
Personal Injury	2 years	ORS 12.110(1)
Assault and Battery	2 years	ORS 12.110(1)
Libel and Slander	2 years	ORS 12.110(1)
Fraud	2 years from discovery	ORS 12.110(1)
Medical Malpractice	2 years from discovery (5-year max)	ORS 12.110(4)
Wrongful Death	3 years	ORS 30.020
Written Contracts	6 years	ORS 12.080(1)
Oral Contracts	6 years	ORS 12.080(1)
Injury to Personal Property	6 years	ORS 12.080(4)
Trespass on Real Property	6 years	ORS 12.080(3)
Debt Collection	6 years	ORS 12.080(1)
Product Liability	2 years from discovery	ORS 30.905
Construction Defects	2 years (10-year max from completion)	ORS 12.135
Rental Agreement Disputes	1 year	ORS 12.125
Judgments	10 years	ORS 12.070
Penalty or Forfeiture (to state)	2 years	ORS 12.110
Child Sexual Abuse (civil)	No limit (as of June 2025)	ORS 12.117
Adult Sexual Assault (civil)	No limit	ORS 12.118

Personal Injury (2 Years)

Under ORS 12.110(1), an action for assault, battery, false imprisonment, or any other injury to a person must be filed within two years. The clock begins on the date of the injury. This two-year deadline applies to most personal injury claims, including car accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, and premises liability cases.

For fraud-based claims, the limitation period begins from the date the fraud was discovered, not the date it occurred.

Medical Malpractice (2 Years from Discovery)

Oregon applies a discovery rule for medical malpractice under ORS 12.110(4). You have two years from the date you first discovered (or should have discovered) the injury caused by the medical treatment. However, there is an absolute maximum of five years from the date of the treatment, regardless of when you discovered the harm.

Wrongful Death (3 Years)

Under ORS 30.020, a wrongful death lawsuit must be filed within three years after the date of the deceased person's death. This is separate from the personal injury statute and provides an additional year beyond the standard two-year injury deadline.

Contracts (6 Years)

Oregon provides six years to file a lawsuit for breach of contract under ORS 12.080(1). This deadline applies to both written and oral contracts. The same six-year period covers actions on debts, accounts, and other contractual liabilities.

An exception exists for contracts involving the sale of goods, which fall under ORS 72.7250 and carry a four-year limitation period.

Property Damage (6 Years)

Claims for taking, detaining, or injuring personal property must be filed within six years under ORS 12.080(4). Claims for trespass on or injury to real property also carry a six-year deadline under ORS 12.080(3).

Construction Defects (10-Year Maximum)

Under ORS 12.135, claims arising from construction, alteration, or repair of improvements to real property must be filed within the applicable limitation period (usually two years for injury) but no later than ten years after substantial completion of the project.

Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Sexual Assault (No Limit)

As of June 26, 2025, Oregon enacted HB 3582, which eliminated the civil statute of limitations for claims based on child sexual abuse. Previously, survivors had until age 40 or five years from the date they discovered the connection between the abuse and their injuries, whichever was later.

Under ORS 12.118, civil claims based on sexual assault of an adult may also be commenced at any time. The 2025 law also removed the requirement that institutions "knowingly" allowed or permitted the abuse, making it easier for survivors to hold organizations accountable.

Oregon Criminal Statute of Limitations

Oregon's criminal statutes of limitations are found in ORS 131.125 and related sections. These deadlines determine how long the state has to file criminal charges after a crime is committed.

Crimes with No Statute of Limitations

Under ORS 131.125(1), the following crimes may be prosecuted at any time:

• Murder
• Aggravated murder
• Attempted murder
• Attempted aggravated murder
• Conspiracy or solicitation to commit murder or aggravated murder
• Manslaughter in any degree

Criminal Statute of Limitations Table

Crime Category	Time Limit	Statute
Murder, aggravated murder, attempted murder, manslaughter	No limit	ORS 131.125(1)
Rape 1st degree, sodomy 1st degree, unlawful sexual penetration 1st degree, sexual abuse 1st degree	20 years	ORS 131.125(2)
Strangulation (felony under ORS 163.187(4)), criminal mistreatment 1st degree, rape 2nd/3rd degree, sodomy 2nd/3rd degree, unlawful sexual penetration 2nd degree, sexual abuse 2nd degree, using child in sexual display, encouraging child sexual abuse 1st degree, incest, compelling prostitution, luring a minor	6 years	ORS 131.125(3)
Strangulation (under ORS 163.187(3)), sexual abuse 3rd degree, performing obscenity before a minor, displaying obscene materials to minors	4 years	ORS 131.125(4)
Arson (any degree)	6 years	ORS 131.125(6)
Theft 1st degree, aggravated theft 1st degree, extortion, robbery (any degree), forgery 1st degree, credit card fraud, identity theft	6 years	ORS 131.125(7)
Other felonies	3 years	ORS 131.125(8)
Misdemeanors	2 years	ORS 131.125(9)
Violations	6 months	ORS 131.125(9)

Felony Sex Crimes (20 Years)

Under ORS 131.125(2), the most serious sexual felonies carry a 20-year statute of limitations. These include first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and first-degree sexual abuse.

If the victim was under 18 at the time of the crime, prosecution may commence at any time before the victim turns 30, or within 20 years of the crime, whichever is later.

Other Sexual and Abuse Felonies (6 Years)

Under ORS 131.125(3), a range of sexual offenses and abuse-related felonies carry a six-year statute of limitations. If the victim was under 18, prosecution may begin before the victim turns 30 or within 12 years after the offense is reported to law enforcement or the Department of Human Services, whichever comes first.

Sexual Misdemeanors (4 Years)

Certain sexual and obscenity-related misdemeanors under ORS 131.125(4) carry a four-year statute of limitations instead of the standard two-year misdemeanor period. If the victim was under 18, prosecution may begin before the victim turns 22 or within four years after the offense is reported to law enforcement or the Department of Human Services, whichever comes first.

Financial and Property Crimes (6 Years)

Under ORS 131.125(7), theft, extortion, robbery, forgery, credit card fraud, and identity theft all carry six-year statutes of limitations.

General Felonies (3 Years)

Any felony not specifically listed in ORS 131.125 must be prosecuted within three years after the crime is committed, per ORS 131.125(8).

Misdemeanors and Violations

Misdemeanors generally carry a two-year statute of limitations. Violations (the least serious category of offense in Oregon) must be prosecuted within six months.

Tolling: When the Clock Stops Running

Oregon law provides several situations where the statute of limitations is paused (or "tolled"). During a tolling period, the deadline clock does not run.

Criminal Tolling Rules

Under ORS 131.145, the criminal statute of limitations does not run during any period when:

• The accused is absent from the state
• The accused is not a resident of Oregon
• The accused is in hiding or concealing themselves to avoid prosecution

The maximum extension from tolling is three years beyond the original deadline.

Civil Tolling Rules

Under ORS 12.160, the civil statute of limitations is tolled if the person entitled to bring the action was, at the time the cause of action accrued:

• A minor (under 18): The statute is tolled until the person turns 18, but the total extension cannot exceed five years or one year after the person turns 18, whichever comes first.
• A person with a disabling mental condition: The statute is tolled for the duration of the condition, but the total extension cannot exceed five years or one year after the condition ends, whichever comes first.

Discovery Rule

For certain claims, Oregon applies a "discovery rule" that starts the clock when the plaintiff discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) the injury. This applies to:

• Fraud claims under ORS 12.110
• Medical malpractice under ORS 12.110(4)
• Product liability under ORS 30.905
• Construction defect claims under ORS 12.135

Recent Changes to Oregon Statute of Limitations Law

HB 3582 (Effective June 26, 2025)

Oregon enacted HB 3582 in June 2025, making major changes to civil statutes of limitations for sexual abuse and assault claims:

• Eliminated the civil filing deadline for child sexual abuse claims (amending ORS 12.117)
• Removed the requirement that institutions "knowingly" allowed abuse
• The law does not revive claims that were already barred before June 26, 2025

2024 Criminal Statute Updates

Amendments to ORS 131.125 that took effect January 1, 2024, increased the statute of limitations for first-degree sexual offenses from 12 years to 20 years. These changes apply to offenses committed before, on, or after the effective date, but do not revive prosecutions that were already barred.

When Does the Statute of Limitations Not Apply in Oregon?

Oregon has specific situations where no statute of limitations applies:

• Murder and related offenses: Murder, aggravated murder, attempted murder, attempted aggravated murder, conspiracy or solicitation to commit murder or aggravated murder, and manslaughter in any degree have no filing deadline.
• Civil child sexual abuse claims: As of June 2025, there is no deadline to file a civil lawsuit for child sexual abuse.
• Civil adult sexual assault claims: ORS 12.118 allows these claims to be filed at any time.
• Federal crimes: Under federal law, there is no statute of limitations for federal crimes punishable by death, certain acts of terrorism, and certain federal sex offenses.
• DNA identification cases: When a suspect in certain sexual offenses is identified through DNA evidence, prosecution may commence at any time under ORS 131.125.

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