Car accident laws by state
The four rules that shape every car accident claim, for all 51 jurisdictions. Open a state for the details, the statutes and a calculator set to its rules.
| State | Injury deadline | Fault rule | System | Minimum limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years | Contributory | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Alaska | 2 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 50/100/25 |
| Arizona | 2 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 25/50/15 |
| Arkansas | 3 years | Modified (50% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| California | 2 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 30/60/15 |
| Colorado | 3 years | Modified (50% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/15 |
| Connecticut | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Delaware | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/10 |
| District of Columbia | 3 years | Contributory | Choice no-fault | 25/50/10 |
| Florida | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | No-fault | PD 10 |
| Georgia | 2 years | Modified (50% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Hawaii | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | No-fault | 40/80/20 |
| Idaho | 2 years | Modified (50% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/15 |
| Illinois | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/20 |
| Indiana | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Iowa | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 20/40/15 |
| Kansas | 2 years | Modified (50% bar) | No-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Kentucky | 2 years | Pure comparative | Choice no-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Louisiana | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 15/30/25 |
| Maine | 6 years | Modified (50% bar) | At-fault | 50/100/25 |
| Maryland | 3 years | Contributory | At-fault | 30/60/15 |
| Massachusetts | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | No-fault | 25/50/30 |
| Michigan | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | No-fault | 50/100/10 |
| Minnesota | 6 years | Modified (51% bar) | No-fault | 30/60/10 |
| Mississippi | 3 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Missouri | 5 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Montana | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/20 |
| Nebraska | 4 years | Modified (50% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Nevada | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/20 |
| New Hampshire | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| New Jersey | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | Choice no-fault | 35/70/25 |
| New Mexico | 3 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 25/50/10 |
| New York | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | No-fault | 25/50/10 |
| North Carolina | 3 years | Contributory | At-fault | 50/100/50 |
| North Dakota | 6 years | Modified (50% bar) | No-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Ohio | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Oregon | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/20 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | Choice no-fault | 15/30/5 |
| Rhode Island | 3 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| South Carolina | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| South Dakota | 3 years | Slight/gross | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Tennessee | 1 year | Modified (50% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Texas | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 30/60/25 |
| Utah | 4 years | Modified (50% bar) | No-fault | 30/65/25 |
| Vermont | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/10 |
| Virginia | 2 years | Contributory | At-fault | 50/100/25 |
| Washington | 3 years | Pure comparative | At-fault | 25/50/10 |
| West Virginia | 2 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/25 |
| Wisconsin | 3 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/10 |
| Wyoming | 4 years | Modified (51% bar) | At-fault | 25/50/20 |
Compare one rule across states
Car accident statute of limitations by state
How long you have to sue for injuries, vehicle damage and wrongful death in every state.
View table →Comparative negligence by state
Pure, 50% bar, 51% bar or contributory: what happens to your claim if you were partly at fault.
View table →No-fault states
Which states make your own PIP pay first, the required PIP amounts and the threshold to sue.
View table →Minimum car insurance by state
Required liability limits in every state, and why the at-fault driver's limit caps most settlements.
View table →Dog bite laws by state
Strict liability or the one-bite rule, with each state's statute.
View table →Damage caps by state
States that limit pain and suffering or punitive damages in injury cases.
View table →