Statutes of limitation are full of exceptions: tolling for minors, discovery rules, government-defendant notice requirements, federal law that overrides state law, and contractual limitations buried in tickets and employment agreements. The general deadline that applies to your claim is almost never the only deadline that matters. Run the free AI assessment or book a $75 consultation and we’ll tell you what’s actually ticking.
Personal Injury — Washington State
Most personal injury claims
Auto accidents, slip and fall, dog bites, premises liability, negligence. Three years from the date of injury to file suit. The clock starts on the date of the accident, not the date you finish treatment.
Medical malpractice (general rule)
Three years from the act or omission causing injury, OR one year from when you discovered or should have discovered it — whichever is later. Hard cap of 8 years from the act, with narrow exceptions.
Wrongful death
Three years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the deceased’s statutory beneficiaries. Survival actions (RCW 4.20.046, .060) follow the underlying tort’s statute of limitations.
Medical malpractice notice of intent
RCW 7.70.100: written notice of intent to sue must be served on the healthcare defendant 90 days before filing. If the statute of limitations would expire during that 90-day window, the deadline is extended to give you time.
Tort claim against a Washington government entity
If your injury was caused by a state, county, or city employee or agency (including King County Metro buses, WSDOT roadway design, public hospitals), you must file a written tort claim with the entity and wait 60 days before filing suit. The 3-year statute is tolled during the 60 days.
Property damage from accident
Three years for property damage (your car, bicycle, gear) caused by another’s negligence. Often bundled with the bodily injury claim.
Minors’ injury claims
If the injured person is under 18, the statute of limitations is generally tolled until they turn 18. They then have the regular limitations period (typically 3 years), so the practical deadline is age 21 for most personal injury claims. Exception: medical malpractice claims by minors are not tolled past age 18 under RCW 4.16.190(2), and the 8-year outer cap of RCW 4.16.350 still applies.
Business & Corporate — Washington State & Federal
WA Secretary of State annual report
Every WA LLC, corporation, LLP, and most other registered entities must file an annual report with the Secretary of State by the end of the entity’s anniversary month each year. Late filings trigger a delinquency fee, and continued non-filing leads to administrative dissolution — which collapses your liability shield.
BOI updates (Beneficial Ownership Information)
Federal Corporate Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. § 5336 / 31 C.F.R. § 1010.380. When required, reporting companies must update their FinCEN BOI report within 30 days of any change to beneficial ownership or company applicant information (address, name, ID document, ownership percentage). BOI scope and timing have shifted with FinCEN guidance — verify current applicability at engagement.
BOI initial report (newly formed entity)
Under current FinCEN guidance, reporting companies formed during 2024 generally had 90 days from formation to file the initial BOI report; 2025-and-later formations were given different windows; existing companies had a separate end-of-2024 deadline. The rule has been the subject of court orders and revised guidance — confirm the operative deadline before filing or skipping.
Written contract claims
Six years from breach to sue on a written contract. Oral contracts are 3 years (RCW 4.16.080(3)). UCC sales-of-goods claims are 4 years under RCW 62A.2-725. Contractual limitations and forum-selection clauses can shorten this further — read the contract.
Fraud / misrepresentation claims
Three years from discovery (or when discovery should have occurred) for fraud and intentional misrepresentation claims arising out of a business deal.
WA wage / final paycheck claims
WA wage payment claims (final paycheck on next regular payday after termination, RCW 49.48.010) and minimum-wage / overtime claims under RCW 49.46 generally run 3 years from accrual. Federal FLSA claims are 2 years (3 if willful). Important if you’re an employer terminating staff or a founder closing the business.
monthsUSPTO
Trademark Section 8 / 9 maintenance
Federal trademark registrations require a Section 8 Declaration of Use between the 5th and 6th year after registration, and combined Section 8 & 9 renewals between the 9th and 10th year, then every 10 years thereafter. Miss either window (plus the 6-month grace period) and the registration is cancelled.
WA non-compete enforceability windows
Washington restricts non-competes by minimum-earnings thresholds (adjusted annually under RCW 49.62) and other rules: written notice at the time of the offer, garden-leave-style consideration if entered after employment begins, 18-month maximum duration presumption, and bans for low-wage workers. Verify the current threshold before drafting or enforcing one.
Maritime — Federal Law
Jones Act (seaman’s injury or death)
Three years from the date of injury for a Jones Act negligence claim by a crew member against a vessel owner or operator. Same 3-year limit applies to general maritime law unseaworthiness claims.
LHWCA written notice to employer
Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act injuries require written notice to your employer within 30 days of the injury (or 30 days from when you knew or should have known the injury was work-related). Late notice can bar the claim absent a valid excuse.
LHWCA formal claim filing
One year from the date of injury (or last payment of compensation) to file a formal claim with the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. Two years for occupational diseases.
Cruise ship injury — written notice
Most cruise ship passenger contracts (including Holland America, Princess, Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean) require written notice of claim within 6 months of injury. Read your ticket. The deadline is enforceable under 46 U.S.C. § 30508.
Cruise ship injury — suit
Most cruise lines also require suit to be filed within 1 year of injury. Often must be filed in a specific federal court named in the ticket (typically Seattle for Alaska-bound cruises, Miami for Caribbean). Also enforceable under 46 U.S.C. § 30508.
General maritime tort (passenger or non-seaman)
Three years for maritime tort claims that are not subject to a shorter contractual limitation. Includes ferry passengers, recreational boating accidents, and dock workers not covered by LHWCA.
Washington State Ferries claims
Injury claims against Washington State Ferries (a state agency) require a tort claim notice under RCW 4.92 with a 60-day waiting period before suit. The federal maritime 3-year limitation also applies.
as neededMAINTENANCE & CURE
Maintenance and cure
The seaman’s right to maintenance (daily living stipend) and cure (medical care) lasts until you reach maximum medical improvement, regardless of fault. There is no fixed deadline to demand it — but if your employer cuts you off and you don’t challenge it, the right to back maintenance can be lost. Don’t wait.
Why these deadlines exist (and why they’re unforgiving)
Statutes of limitation exist so people don’t face decades-old claims when witnesses are dead, memories have faded, and records are gone. Courts apply them mechanically. A claim filed one day after the deadline is barred just as completely as one filed ten years late.
The three things that most often cause people to miss a deadline:
- Assuming the deadline is later than it is. The LHWCA 30-day notice and the WA SoS annual report are two of the most-missed deadlines we see.
- Not realizing a deadline exists at all. Cruise ticket limitations, government tort claim notices, the medical malpractice 90-day notice rule, and FinCEN BOI updates are common surprises.
- Settlement or negotiation talks. Negotiating with an insurer, employer, or counterparty does not stop the statute of limitations. Carriers and adverse parties sometimes slow-walk negotiations specifically to run the clock.
Run the AI case assessment with your facts and date of incident, and the system will flag every deadline that applies to your situation, with an attorney’s review of the output. No cost. No commitment. Five minutes.
Other deadlines worth knowing
Underinsured / uninsured motorist (UIM/UM)
Generally tied to your auto policy contract; many WA carriers treat the deadline as 3 years from the accident, but some policies have shorter contractual notice requirements. Read your policy.
WA L&I (Workers’ Compensation) appeals
If your land-based workers’ comp claim is denied, you have 60 days to protest, and 2 years to appeal certain orders. Maritime injuries on navigable waters are not covered by L&I — they fall under Jones Act, LHWCA, or general maritime law instead.
Product liability (Washington Product Liability Act)
Three years from the date of injury, with a 12-year “useful safe life” presumption under RCW 7.72.060.