Utah Statutes of limitation

Many of the criminal statutes of limitations can be found at this link

Many of the civil statutes of limitations can be found at this link

See the links above to get to many of the Utah statutes of limitations. The text of only some of the statutes of limitations are listed below. Warning: Utah's Statutes of Limitations may change or be updated at any time, and the information on this page may not be accurate or up to date. Use at your own risk.

Disabilities -- Time tolled

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 224 Disabilities -- Time tolled.

     78B-2-224.   Disabilities -- Time tolled.
    A statute of limitations may not be applied to a person's ability to bring an action during a period in which the person is:
    (1) a minor; or
    (2) mentally incompetent. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Within six months

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 301 Within six months.

     78B-2-301.   Within six months.
    An action may be brought within six months against a tax collector or the tax collector's designee:
    (1) to recover any goods, wares, merchandise, other property seized in his official capacity, or the price or value of any of it;
    (2) for damages for the seizure, detention, sale of, or injury to, any goods, wares, merchandise, or other personal property seized;
    (3) for damages done to any person or property in making a seizure;
    (4) for money paid or seized under protest and which, it is claimed, ought to be refunded. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Within one year

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 302 Within one year.

     78B-2-302.   Within one year.
    An action may be brought within one year:
    (1) for liability created by the statutes of a foreign state;
    (2) upon a statute for a penalty or forfeiture where the action is given to an individual, or to an individual and the state, except when the statute imposing it prescribes a different limitation;
    (3) upon a statute, or upon an undertaking in a criminal action, for a forfeiture or penalty to the state;
    (4) for libel, slander, false imprisonment, or seduction;
    (5) against a sheriff or other officer for the escape of a prisoner arrested or imprisoned upon either civil or criminal process;
    (6) against a municipal corporation for damages or injuries to property caused by a mob or riot;
    (7) except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, against a county legislative body or a county executive to challenge a decision of the county legislative body or county executive, respectively; or
    (8) on a claim for relief or a cause of action under Title 63L, Chapter 5, Utah Religious Land Use Act. 

Amended by Chapter 89, 2010 General Session

Within one year -- Actions on claims against county, city, or town

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 303 One year -- Actions on claims against county, city, or town.

     78B-2-303.   One year -- Actions on claims against county, city, or town.
    Actions on claims against a county, city, or incorporated town, which have been rejected by the county executive, city commissioners, city council, or board of trustees shall be brought within one year after the first rejection. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Within two years

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 304 Within two years.

78B-2-304. Within two years.

An action may be brought within two years:

(1) against a marshal, sheriff, constable, or other officer for liability incurred during the performance of the officer's official duties or by the omission of an official duty, including the nonpayment of money collected upon an execution;

(2) for recovery of damages for a death caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another;

(3) in causes of action against the state and its employees, for injury to the personal rights of another if not otherwise provided by state or federal law; or

(4) in causes of action against a political subdivision of the state and its employees, for injury to the personal rights of another arising after May 1, 2000, if not otherwise provided by state or federal law.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 6 Particular Proceedings Part 7 Utah Product Liability Act

78B-6-706. Statute of limitations.

A civil action under this part shall be brought within two years from the time the individual who would be the claimant in the action discovered, or in the exercise of due diligence should have discovered, both the harm and its cause.

Within three years

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 305 Within three years.

     78B-2-305.   Within three years.
    An action may be brought within three years:
    (1) for waste, trespass upon, or injury to real property; except that when waste or trespass is committed by means of underground works upon any mining claim, the cause of action does not accrue until the discovery by the aggrieved party of the facts constituting the waste or trespass;
    (2) for taking, detaining, or injuring personal property, including actions for specific recovery; except that in cases where the subject of the action is a domestic animal usually included in the term "livestock," which at the time of its loss has a recorded mark or brand, if the animal strayed or was stolen from the true owner without the owner's fault, the cause does not accrue until the owner has actual knowledge of facts that would put a reasonable person upon inquiry as to the possession of the animal by the defendant;
    (3) for relief on the ground of fraud or mistake; except that the cause of action does not accrue until the discovery by the aggrieved party of the facts constituting the fraud or mistake;
    (4) for a liability created by the statutes of this state, other than for a penalty or forfeiture under the laws of this state, except where in special cases a different limitation is prescribed by the statutes of this state; or
    (5) to enforce liability imposed by Section 78B-3-603, or for damages under Section 78B-6-1701, except that the cause of action does not accrue until the aggrieved party knows or reasonably should know of the harm suffered. 

Amended by Chapter 143, 2010 General Session

Utah Code Title 13 Commerce and Trade Chapter 24 Uniform Trade Secrets Act Section 7 Statute of limitations.

13-24-7. Statute of limitations.

    An action for misappropriation shall be brought within three years after the misappropriation is discovered or, by the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have been discovered. For the purposes of this section, a continuing misappropriation constitutes a single claim. 

Action against corporate stockholders or directors

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 306 Action against corporate stockholders or directors.

     78B-2-306.   Action against corporate stockholders or directors.
    Actions against directors or stockholders of a corporation to recover a penalty or forfeiture imposed, or to enforce a liability created shall be brought within three years after the discovery by the aggrieved party of the facts upon which the penalty or forfeiture attached, or the liability accrued. Actions against stockholders of a bank pursuant to levy of assessment to collect their statutory liability must be brought within three years after the levy of the assessment. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Within four years

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 307 Within four years.

     78B-2-307.   Within four years.
    An action may be brought within four years:
    (1) after the last charge is made or the last payment is received:
    (a) upon a contract, obligation, or liability not founded upon an instrument in writing; 
    (b) on an open store account for any goods, wares, or merchandise; or
    (c) on an open account for work, labor or services rendered, or materials furnished;
    (2) for a claim for relief or a cause of action under the following sections of Title 25, Chapter 6, Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act:
    (a) Subsection 25-6-5(1)(a), which in specific situations limits the time for action to one year, under Section 25-6-10;
    (b) Subsection 25-6-5(1)(b); or
    (c) Subsection 25-6-6(1); and
    (3) for relief not otherwise provided for by law. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Civil actions for sexual abuse of a child

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 308 Civil actions for sexual abuse of a child.

     78B-2-308.   Civil actions for sexual abuse of a child.
    (1) As used in this section:
    (a) "Child" means a person under 18 years of age.
    (b) "Discovery" means when a person knows or reasonably should know that the injury or illness was caused by the intentional or negligent sexual abuse.
    (c) "Injury or illness" means either a physical injury or illness or a psychological injury or illness. A psychological injury or illness need not be accompanied by physical injury or illness.
    (d) "Molestation" means touching the anus, buttocks, or genitalia of any child, the breast of a female child younger than 14 years of age, or otherwise taking indecent liberties with a child, or causing a child to take indecent liberties with the perpetrator or another, with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
    (e) "Negligently" means a failure to act to prevent the child sexual abuse from further occurring or to report the child sexual abuse to law enforcement when the adult who could act knows or reasonably should know of the child sexual abuse and is the victim's parent, stepparent, adoptive parent, foster parent, legal guardian, ancestor, descendant, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, grandparent, stepgrandparent, or any person cohabiting in the child's home.
    (f) "Person" means an individual who was intentionally or negligently sexually abused. It does not include individuals whose claims are derived through another individual who was sexually abused.
    (g) "Sexual abuse" means acts or attempted acts of sexual intercourse, sodomy, or molestation directed towards a child.
    (2) A person shall file a civil action for intentional or negligent sexual abuse suffered as a child:
    (a) within four years after the person attains the age of 18 years; or
    (b) if a person discovers sexual abuse only after attaining the age of 18 years, that person may bring a civil action for such sexual abuse within four years after discovery of the sexual abuse, whichever period expires later.
    (3) The victim need not establish which act in a series of continuing sexual abuse incidents caused the injury complained of, but may compute the date of discovery from the date of discovery of the last act by the same perpetrator which is part of a common scheme or plan of sexual abuse.
    (4) The knowledge of a custodial parent or guardian may not be imputed to a person under the age of 18 years.
    (5) A civil action may be brought only against a living person who intentionally perpetrated the sexual abuse or negligently permitted the sexual abuse to occur. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Within six years -- Mesne profits of real property -- Instrument in writing

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 309 Within six years -- Mesne profits of real property -- Instrument in writing.

     78B-2-309.   Within six years -- Mesne profits of real property -- Instrument in writing.
    An action may be brought within six years:
    (1) for the mesne profits of real property;
    (2) upon any contract, obligation, or liability founded upon an instrument in writing, except those mentioned in Section 78B-2-311; and
    (3) to recover fire suppression costs or other damages caused by wildland fire. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Actions against public officers -- Within six years

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 310 Actions against public officers -- Within six years.

     78B-2-310.   Actions against public officers -- Within six years.
    An action by the state, any agency, or public corporation against any public officer for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office or against any surety upon his official bond may be brought within six years after the officer ceases to hold his office. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session

Eight years

Utah Code Title 78B Judicial Code Chapter 2 Statutes of Limitations Section 311 Eight years.

     78B-2-311.   Eight years.
    An action may be brought within eight years upon a judgment or decree of any court of the United States, or of any state or territory within the United States. 

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 3, 2008 General Session