Arizona Personal Injury Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File?

By Gordana “Gordi” Mikalacki, founding attorney, Elmm Law Group · Last updated: October 15, 2026

In Arizona, you generally have 2 years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (A.R.S. 12-542). Claims against a city, county or the state have much shorter deadlines: a notice of claim within 180 days and a lawsuit within 1 year.

Sources: Arizona Revised Statutes 12-542, 12-821, 12-821.01, 12-502, 12-541, 12-555 and 23-1061, via azleg.gov.

2 years
most injury and car accident claims
A.R.S. 12-542
180 days
notice of claim against a public entity
A.R.S. 12-821.01
1 year
lawsuit against a public entity
A.R.S. 12-821
1 year
dog bite claims under the strict-liability statute
A.R.S. 12-541
The 180-day trap

The deadline most people miss is not the two-year one. If a city bus, a police car, a county road defect or any other public entity is involved, Arizona requires a written notice of claim within 180 days, including a specific settlement amount. A claim filed on day 181 is barred, no matter how strong it is.

Arizona injury claim deadlines at a glance

Type of claimDeadlineStatuteNotes
Personal injury, including car, truck and motorcycle crashes2 yearsA.R.S. 12-542Counted from the date of the injury.
Wrongful death2 years from the date of deathA.R.S. 12-542The statute says the action accrues at the death of the injured person.
Medical malpractice2 yearsA.R.S. 12-54212-542 expressly includes medical malpractice. Other procedural rules apply.
Damage to your vehicle or other property2 yearsA.R.S. 12-542Same two-year period as injury claims.
Claim against a city, county, state agency or public employeeNotice of claim: 180 days. Lawsuit: 1 year.A.R.S. 12-821.01, A.R.S. 12-821The notice must include facts and a specific settlement amount. It is deemed denied after 60 days without a response.
Dog bite (strict liability statute)1 yearA.R.S. 12-541Claims on a liability created by statute have a one-year limit. A negligence claim may have a different deadline.
Injured person under 18Clock usually starts at 18A.R.S. 12-502Public-entity claims: notice within 180 days after turning 18 (A.R.S. 12-821.01).
Defective productGenerally two years after the claim accruesA.R.S. 12-542The starting date and any exceptions depend on the facts of the case.
Uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) claim with your own insurerWritten notice to your insurer within 3 yearsA.R.S. 12-555Counted from the accident, or in some cases from when you learned the other driver was uninsured or underinsured. A UIM claim also requires a timely claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
Workers’ compensation1 year to file with the Industrial CommissionA.R.S. 23-1061A separate no-fault system with its own rules. A claim against a third party (such as another driver) follows the normal civil deadline.

When does the clock start?

For most injury claims the clock starts on the date of the accident, because that is when the injury happens and you know about it. For wrongful death it starts on the date of death (A.R.S. 12-542). For claims against a public entity, A.R.S. 12-821.01 says the claim accrues when the injured person realizes they have been damaged and knows, or reasonably should know, what caused it.

Arizona courts also apply a discovery rule in some cases, where an injury or its cause could not reasonably have been discovered right away. This is fact-specific and courts apply it narrowly, so do not count on it. Treat the accident date as your start date.

What happens if you miss the deadline

If you file after the deadline, the defendant will ask the court to dismiss the case, and the court will almost always grant it. Once that happens, you lose the right to recover anything through the courts, and insurers know it: an expired claim has no settlement value.

Why you should not wait until the deadline

1

Evidence disappears
Business surveillance video is often overwritten within days or weeks. Skid marks fade, vehicles are repaired, and witnesses become hard to find.

2

Government claims move fast
The 180-day notice of claim must state a specific dollar amount, so you need to document your injuries and costs well before the deadline.

3

Insurance timelines run on their own clock
Your policy may require prompt notice of a crash, and adjusters often make early offers before they know the full extent of your injuries.

4

Lawsuits take time to prepare
Records, bills and expert opinions must be gathered before filing. Starting in month 23 leaves no room for problems.

For what filing actually involves, see our guide on how to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you have not gotten your police report yet, see how to get an accident report in Arizona. If you are still deciding whether you need help, read Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Arizona?

Frequently asked questions

How long after an accident can you sue in Arizona?

Generally two years from the date of the injury, under A.R.S. 12-542. If the claim is against a city, county, state agency or public employee, you must first file a notice of claim within 180 days (A.R.S. 12-821.01) and then file any lawsuit within one year (A.R.S. 12-821).

How long after a car accident can you sue in Arizona?

Two years from the date of the crash for injuries (A.R.S. 12-542), and two years for damage to your vehicle. If a government vehicle or a road defect was involved, the 180-day notice of claim and one-year lawsuit deadlines apply instead.

Is the deadline the same for property damage?

Yes. A.R.S. 12-542 applies the same two-year period to claims for injury to property, such as damage to your car.

What if the at-fault driver was a government employee?

Then much shorter deadlines apply. You must serve a written notice of claim on the government entity within 180 days (A.R.S. 12-821.01). The notice must include the facts and a specific dollar amount for which the claim can be settled. If you miss the 180 days, the claim is barred. You must then file any lawsuit within one year (A.R.S. 12-821).

Does negotiating with the insurance company stop the clock?

No. Talking to an adjuster, receiving offers, or exchanging medical records does not pause the statute of limitations. Only filing a lawsuit (or, for government claims, a timely notice of claim followed by a timely lawsuit) protects the claim.

Does a minor have more time to sue in Arizona?

Generally yes. Under A.R.S. 12-502, the time while the injured person is under 18 does not count, so the two years usually start on the 18th birthday. For claims against a public entity, A.R.S. 12-821.01 gives a minor 180 days after turning 18 to file the notice of claim.

How long do I have to file an uninsured motorist claim in Arizona?

You must give your own insurer written notice of an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim within three years after the accident (A.R.S. 12-555). For an uninsured claim, the three years can instead run from when you learned the other driver was uninsured or their insurer denied coverage. For an underinsured claim, you must also make a claim or file suit against the at-fault driver within the normal two-year deadline.

How long do you have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Arizona?

Two years from the date of death, not the date of the accident. A.R.S. 12-542 says a wrongful death action accrues at the death of the injured person.

Not sure which deadline applies to you?

Our team can look at the facts, identify every deadline in your case and make sure the right notice gets filed on time. Gordi is directly involved in your case. Learn more about our Phoenix personal injury lawyer and Mesa personal injury lawyer teams. Call our team at 480-329-5084, available 24/7 in English, Spanish and Serbo-Croatian.

Related Arizona injury resources

About this page. Compiled by Elmm Law Group, an Arizona personal injury law firm with offices in Phoenix and Mesa, from the Arizona Revised Statutes as published on azleg.gov. Deadlines can be affected by facts not covered here. This page is general information, not legal advice.