Free tool · California
How long do you have to file your injury claim?
Enter the date you were hurt and answer two questions. The tool shows the California deadlines that apply, including the six-month government claim rule most people have never heard of.
Enter the date to see your deadlines.
- 6 monthsWritten claim against a city, county, the state, a transit agency, or a school district (Gov. Code 911.2).
- 2 yearsLawsuit against a private party (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1).
- Paused until 18For minors, the two years run from the 18th birthday (Code of Civil Procedure 352), except for government claims.
The rules
Three deadlines, three different clocks.
- 6 months
Claims against a government entity
Before you can sue a city, county, the state, a transit agency, or a school district, you must present a written claim to it within six months of the injury. Miss it and you can apply to file a late claim within one year, but approval is not guaranteed. Once the claim is rejected in writing, you have six months to sue.
- 2 years
Lawsuits against private parties
Most California personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury or death. Uninsured motorist claims against your own insurer have a separate two-year rule with its own steps.
- Paused until 18
Minors
When the injured person is under 18, the two-year clock does not start until their 18th birthday. The exception is government claims: the six-month claim deadline still applies to children.
Questions
Deadline questions.
What counts as a government entity?
Any public agency or its employee on the job: the City of Los Angeles (including LAPD and LADOT), Glendale, Burbank, and Pasadena, Los Angeles County, the State of California (including Caltrans and the CHP), LA Metro, the Glendale Beeline and other city bus systems, and public school districts. A crash with a city bus, a fall on a public sidewalk, or a collision caused by a dangerous road condition usually means a government claim.
It has been more than six months. Is my claim over?
Not necessarily. You can apply to present a late claim within one year of the injury (Gov. Code 911.4). The agency must grant it in some situations, for example when the injured person was a minor for the whole six months, or when the delay was due to mistake, surprise, or excusable neglect and the agency was not prejudiced (Gov. Code 911.6). If it denies the application, there is a court process with its own deadline. Talk to a lawyer right away.
Does the clock pause for a child?
For a lawsuit against a private party, yes: the two years run from the 18th birthday (CCP 352). For a government claim, no: the six-month deadline applies to children too (CCP 352(b)), although a child who was a minor for the entire six months has strong grounds for a late claim.
What deadlines does this tool not show?
Several. Uninsured motorist claims against your own insurer must be started within two years by suing the driver, settling in writing, or formally demanding arbitration (Ins. Code 11580.2). Store and traffic video is often overwritten within days, so preservation letters cannot wait. Claims against Caltrans go to the Department of General Services, and some agencies have their own claim forms. The tool also assumes the injury happened in California and does not cover every tolling rule, such as a defendant who is out of state or a wrongful death that occurs later than the injury.
This tool is general information about California law as of September 22, 2026. It is not legal advice, and using it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It assumes the injury happened in California and does not cover every tolling rule. Deadlines can be shorter or longer depending on the facts.
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