Article 2. Limitations of Time

LIMITATIONS OF TIME

The Sections of Article 2.:

NY CPLR § 201. Application of article
NY CPLR § 202. Cause of action accruing without the state
NY CPLR § 203. Method of computing periods of limitation generally
NY CPLR § 204. Stay of commencement of action;  demand for arbitration
NY CPLR § 205. Termination of action
NY CPLR § 206. Computing periods of limitation in particular actions
NY CPLR § 207. Defendant’s absence from state or residence under false name
NY CPLR § 208. Infancy, insanity
NY CPLR § 209. War
NY CPLR § 210. Death of claimant or person liable;  cause of action accruing after death and before grant of letters
NY CPLR § 211. Actions to be commenced within twenty years
NY CPLR § 212. Actions to be commenced within ten years
NY CPLR § 213. Actions to be commenced within six years:  where not otherwise provided for;  on contract;  on sealed instrument;  on bond or note, and mortgage upon real property;  by state based on misappropriation of public property;  based on mistake;  by corporation against director, officer or stockholder;  based on fraud
NY CPLR § 213-a. Actions to be commenced within four years;  residential rent overcharge
NY CPLR § 213-b. Action by a victim of a criminal offense
NY CPLR § 213-c. Action by victim of conduct constituting certain sexual offenses
NY CPLR § 214. Actions to be commenced within three years:  for non-payment of money collected on execution;  for penalty created by statute;  to recover chattel;  for injury to property;  for personal injury;  for malpractice other than medical, dental or podiatric malpractice;  to annul a marriage on the ground of fraud
NY CPLR § 214-a. Action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice to be commenced within two years and six months;  exceptions
NY CPLR § 214-b. Action to recover damages for personal injury caused by contact with or exposure to phenoxy herbicides
NY CPLR § 214-c. Certain actions to be commenced within three years of discovery
NY CPLR § 214-d. Limitations on certain actions against licensed engineers and architects
NY CPLR § 214-e. Action to recover damages for personal injury caused by the infusion of such blood products which result in the contraction of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or AIDS
NY CPLR § 214-f. Action to recover damages for personal injury caused by contact with or exposure to any substance or combination of substances found within an area designated as a superfund site
NY CPLR § 215. Actions to be commenced within one year:  against sheriff, coroner or constable;  for escape of prisoner;  for assault, battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel or slander;  for violation of right of privacy;  for penalty given to informer;  on arbitration award
NY CPLR § 216. Abbreviation of period to one year after notice
NY CPLR § 217. Proceeding against body or officer;  actions complaining about conduct that would constitute a union’s breach of its duty of fair representation;  four months
NY CPLR § 217-a. Actions to be commenced within one year and ninety days
NY CPLR § 218. Transitional provisions

NY CPLR § 201. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE

An action, including one brought in the name or for the benefit of the state, must be commenced within the time specified in this article unless a different time is prescribed by law or a shorter time is prescribed by written agreement.  No court shall extend the time limited by law for the commencement of an action.

NY CPLR § 202. CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUING WITHOUT THE STATE

An action based upon a cause of action accruing without the state cannot be commenced after the expiration of the time limited by the laws of either the state or the place without the state where the cause of action accrued, except that where the cause of action accrued in favor of a resident of the state the time limited by the laws of the state shall apply.

NY CPLR § 203. METHOD OF COMPUTING PERIODS OF LIMITATION GENERALLY

(a) Accrual of cause of action and interposition of claim.  The time within which an action must be commenced, except as otherwise expressly prescribed, shall be computed from the time the cause of action accrued to the time the claim is interposed.

(b) Claim in complaint where action commenced by service.  In an action which is commenced by service, a claim asserted in the complaint is interposed against the defendant or a co-defendant united in interest with such defendant when:

  1. the summons is served upon the defendant;  or
  2. first publication of the summons against the defendant is made pursuant to an order, and publication is subsequently completed;  or
  3. an order for a provisional remedy other than attachment is granted, if, within thirty days thereafter, the summons is served upon the defendant or first publication of the summons against the defendant is made pursuant to an order and publication is subsequently completed, or, where the defendant dies within thirty days after the order is granted and before the summons is served upon the defendant or publication is completed, if the summons is served upon the defendant’s executor or administrator within sixty days after letters are issued;  for this purpose seizure of a chattel in an action to recover a chattel is a provisional remedy;  or
  4. an order of attachment is granted, if the summons is served in accordance with the provisions of section 6213 ;  or
  5. the summons is delivered to the sheriff of that county outside the city of New York or is filed with the clerk of that county within the city of New York in which the defendant resides, is employed or is doing business, or if none of the foregoing is known to the plaintiff after reasonable inquiry, then of the county in which the defendant is known to have last resided, been employed or been engaged in business, or in which the cause of action arose;  or if the defendant is a corporation, of a county in which it may be served or in which the cause of action arose;  provided that:
    • (i) the summons is served upon the defendant within sixty days after the period of limitation would have expired but for this provision;  or
    • (ii) first publication of the summons against the defendant is made pursuant to an order within sixty days after the period of limitation would have expired but for this provision and publication is subsequently completed;  or
    • (iii) the summons is served upon the defendant’s executor or administrator within sixty days after letters are issued, where the defendant dies within sixty days after the period of limitation would have expired but for this provision and before the summons is served upon the defendant or publication is completed.
  6. in an action to be commenced in a court not of record, the summons is delivered for service upon the defendant to any officer authorized to serve it in a county, city or town in which the defendant resides, is employed or is doing business, or if none of the foregoing be known to the plaintiff after reasonable inquiry, then in a county, city or town in which defendant is known to have last resided, been employed or been engaged in business, or, where the defendant is a corporation, in a county, city or town in which it may be served, if the summons is served upon the defendant within sixty days after the period of limitation would have expired but for this provision;  or, where the defendant dies within sixty days after the period of limitation would have expired but for this provision and before the summons is served upon the defendant, if the summons is served upon his executor or administrator within sixty days after letters are issued.

(c) Claim in complaint where action commenced by filing.  In an action which is commenced by filing, a claim asserted in the complaint is interposed against the defendant or a co-defendant united in interest with such defendant when the action is commenced.

(d) Defense or counterclaim.  A defense or counterclaim is interposed when a pleading containing it is served.  A defense or counterclaim is not barred if it was not barred at the time the claims asserted in the complaint were interposed, except that if the defense or counterclaim arose from the transactions, occurrences, or series of transactions or occurrences, upon which a claim asserted in the complaint depends, it is not barred to the extent of the demand in the complaint notwithstanding that it was barred at the time the claims asserted in the complaint were interposed.

(e) Effect upon defense or counterclaim of termination of action because of death or by dismissal or voluntary discontinuance.  Where a defendant has served an answer containing a defense or counterclaim and the action is terminated because of the plaintiff’s death or by dismissal or voluntary discontinuance, the time which elapsed between the commencement and termination of the action is not a part of the time within which an action must be commenced to recover upon the claim in the defense or counterclaim or the time within which the defense or counterclaim may be interposed in another action brought by the plaintiff or his successor in interest.

(f) Claim in amended pleading.  A claim asserted in an amended pleading is deemed to have been interposed at the time the claims in the original pleading were interposed, unless the original pleading does not give notice of the transactions, occurrences, or series of transactions or occurrences, to be proved pursuant to the amended pleading.

(g) Time computed from actual or imputed discovery of facts.  Except as provided in article two of the uniform commercial code or in section two hundred fourteen-a of this chapter, where the time within which an action must be commenced is computed from the time when facts were discovered or from the time when facts could with reasonable diligence have been discovered, or from either of such times, the action must be commenced within two years after such actual or imputed discovery or within the period otherwise provided, computed from the time the cause of action accrued, whichever is longer.

NY CPLR § 204. STAY OF COMMENCEMENT OF ACTION; DEMAND FOR ARBITRATION

(a) Stay.  Where the commencement of an action has been stayed by a court or by statutory prohibition, the duration of the stay is not a part of the time within which the action must be commenced.

(b) Arbitration.  Where it shall have been determined that a party is not obligated to submit a claim to arbitration, the time which elapsed between the demand for arbitration and the final determination that there is no obligation to arbitrate is not a part of the time within which an action upon such claim must be commenced.  The time within which the action must be commenced shall not be extended by this provision beyond one year after such final determination.

NY CPLR § 205. TERMINATION OF ACTION

(a) New action by plaintiff.  If an action is timely commenced and is terminated in any other manner than by a voluntary discontinuance, a failure to obtain personal jurisdiction over the defendant, a dismissal of the complaint for neglect to prosecute the action, or a final judgment upon the merits, the plaintiff, or, if the plaintiff dies, and the cause of action survives, his or her executor or administrator, may commence a new action upon the same transaction or occurrence or series of transactions or occurrences within six months after the termination provided that the new action would have been timely commenced at the time of commencement of the prior action and that service upon defendant is effected within such six-month period.  Where a dismissal is one for neglect to prosecute the action made pursuant to rule thirty-two hundred sixteenof this chapter or otherwise, the judge shall set forth on the record the specific conduct constituting the neglect, which conduct shall demonstrate a general pattern of delay in proceeding with the litigation.

(b) Defense or counterclaim.  Where the defendant has served an answer and the action is terminated in any manner, and a new action upon the same transaction or occurrence or series of transactions or occurrences is commenced by the plaintiff or his successor in interest, the assertion of any cause of action or defense by the defendant in the new action shall be timely if it was timely asserted in the prior action.

(c) Application.  This section also applies to a proceeding brought under the workers’ compensation law.

NY CPLR § 206. COMPUTING PERIODS OF LIMITATION IN PARTICULAR ACTIONS

(a) Where demand necessary.  Except as provided in article 3 of the uniform commercial code, where a demand is necessary to entitle a person to commence an action, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the time when the right to make the demand is complete, except that

  1. where a right grows out of the receipt or detention of money or property by a trustee, agent, attorney or other person acting in a fiduciary capacity, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the time when the person having the right to make the demand discovered the facts upon which the right depends;  and
  2. where there was a deposit of money to be repaid only upon a special demand, or a delivery of personal property not to be returned specifically or in kind at a fixed time or upon a fixed contingency, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the demand for repayment or return.

(b) Based on misconduct of agent.  Where a judgment is entered against a principal in an action based upon an injury resulting from the act or omission of his deputy or agent, the time within which an action by the principal against the deputy or agent to recover damages by reason of such judgment must be commenced shall be computed, from the time when the action against the principal was finally determined.  Where an injury results from the representation by a person that he is an agent with authority to execute a contract in behalf of a principal, the time within which an action to recover damages for breach of warranty of authority must be commenced by the person injured against the purported agent shall be computed from the time the person injured discovered the facts constituting lack of authority.

(c) Based on breach of covenant of seizin or against incumbrances.  In an action based upon breach of a covenant of seizin or against incumbrances, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from an eviction.

(d) Based on account.  In an action based upon a mutual, open and current account, where there have been reciprocal demands between the parties, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the time of the last transaction in the account on either side.

NY CPLR § 207. DEFENDANT’S ABSENCE FROM STATE OR RESIDENCE UNDER FALSE NAME

If, when a cause of action accrues against a person, he is without the state, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the time he comes into or returns to the state.  If, after a cause of action has accrued against a person, that person departs from the state and remains continuously absent therefrom for four months or more, or that person resides within the state under a false name which is unknown to the person entitled to commence the action, the time of his absence or residence within the state under such a false name is not a part of the time within which the action must be commenced.  If an action is commenced against a person described above, the time within which service must be made on such person in accordance with subdivisions (a) and (b) of section three hundred six-b of this chapter shall be computed in accordance with this section.  This section does not apply:

  1. while there is in force a designation, voluntary or involuntary, made pursuant to law, of a person to whom a summons may be delivered within the state with the same effect as if served personally within the state;  or
  2. while a foreign corporation has one or more officers or other persons in the state on whom a summons against such corporation may be served;  or
  3. while jurisdiction over the person of the defendant can be obtained without personal delivery of the summons to the defendant within the state.

NY CPLR § 208. INFANCY, INSANITY

If a person entitled to commence an action is under a disability because of infancy or insanity at the time the cause of action accrues, and the time otherwise limited for commencing the action is three years or more and expires no later than three years after the disability ceases, or the person under the disability dies, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be extended to three years after the disability ceases or the person under the disability dies, whichever event first occurs;  if the time otherwise limited is less than three years, the time shall be extended by the period of disability.  The time within which the action must be commenced shall not be extended by this provision beyond ten years after the cause of action accrues, except, in any action other than for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice, where the person was under a disability due to infancy.  This section shall not apply to an action to recover a penalty or forfeiture, or against a sheriff or other officer for an escape.

NY CPLR § 209. WAR

(a) Cause of action accruing in foreign country.  Where a cause of action, whether originally accrued in favor of a resident or non-resident of the state, accrued in a foreign country with which the United States or any of its allies were then or subsequently at war, or territory then or subsequently occupied by the government of such foreign country, the time which elapsed between the commencement of the war, or of such occupation, and the termination of hostilities with such country, or of such occupation, is not a part of the time within which the action must be commenced.  This section shall neither apply to nor in any manner affect an action brought pursuant to section six hundred twenty-five of the banking law against a banking organization or against the superintendent of financial services.

(b) Right of alien.  Where a person is unable to commence an action in the courts of the state because any party is an alien subject or citizen of a foreign country at war with the United States or any of its allies, whether the cause of action accrued during or prior to the war, the time which elapsed between the commencement of the war and the termination of hostilities with such country is not a part of the time within which the action must be commenced.

(c) Non-enemy in enemy country or enemy-occupied territory.  Where a person entitled to commence an action, other than a person entitled to the benefits of subdivision (b), is a resident of, or a sojourner in, a foreign country with which the United States or any of its allies are at war, or territory occupied by the government of such foreign country, the period of such residence or sojourn during which the war continues or the territory is so occupied is not a part of the time within which the action must be commenced.

NY CPLR § 210. DEATH OF CLAIMANT OR PERSON LIABLE; CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUING AFTER DEATH AND BEFORE GRANT OF LETTERS

(a) Death of claimant.  Where a person entitled to commence an action dies before the expiration of the time within which the action must be commenced and the cause of action survives, an action may be commenced by his representative within one year after his death.

(b) Death of person liable. The period of eighteen months after the death, within or without the state, of a person against whom a cause of action exists is not a part of the time within which the action must be commenced against his executor or administrator.

(c) Cause of action accruing after death and before grant of letters.  In an action by an executor or administrator to recover personal property wrongfully taken after the death and before the issuance of letters, or to recover damages for taking, detaining or injuring personal property within that period, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the time the letters are issued or from three years after the death, whichever event first occurs.  Any distributee, next of kin, legatee or creditor who was under a disability prescribed in section 208 at the time the cause of action accrued, may, within two years after the disability ceases, commence an action to recover such damages or the value of such property as he would have received upon a final distribution of the estate if an action had been timely commenced by the executor or administrator.

NY CPLR § 211. ACTION TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN TWENTY YEARS

(a) On a bond.  An action to recover principal or interest upon a written instrument evidencing an indebtedness of the state of New York or of any person, association or public or private corporation, originally sold by the issuer after publication of an advertisement for bids for the issue in a newspaper of general circulation and secured only by a pledge of the faith and credit of the issuer, regardless of whether a sinking fund is or may be established for its redemption, must be commenced within twenty years after the cause of action accrues.  This subdivision does not apply to actions upon written instruments evidencing an indebtedness of any corporation, association or person under the jurisdiction of the public service commission, the commissioner of transportation, the interstate commerce commission, the federal communications commission, the civil aeronautics board, the federal power commission, or any other regulatory commission or board of a state or of the federal government.  This subdivision applies to all causes of action, including those barred on April eighteenth, nineteen hundred fifty, by the provisions of the civil practice act then effective.

(b) On a money judgment. A money judgment is presumed to be paid and satisfied after the expiration of twenty years from the time when the party recovering it was first entitled to enforce it.  This presumption is conclusive, except as against a person who within the twenty years acknowledges an indebtedness, or makes a payment, of all or part of the amount recovered by the judgment, or his heir or personal representative, or a person whom he otherwise represents.  Such an acknowledgment must be in writing and signed by the person to be charged.  Property acquired by an enforcement order or by levy upon an execution is a payment, unless the person to be charged shows that it did not include property claimed by him.  If such an acknowledgment or payment is made, the judgment is conclusively presumed to be paid and satisfied as against any person after the expiration of twenty years after the last acknowledgment or payment made by him.  The presumption created by this subdivision may be availed of under an allegation that the action was not commenced within the time limited.

(c) By state for real property. The state will not sue a person for or with respect to real property, or the rents or profits thereof, by reason of the right or title of the state to the same, unless the cause of action accrued, or the state, or those from whom it claims, have received the rents and profits of the real property or of some part thereof, within twenty years before the commencement of the action.

(d) By grantee of state for real property. An action shall not be commenced for or with respect to real property by a person claiming by virtue of letters patent or a grant from the state, unless it might have been maintained by the state, as prescribed in this section, if the patent or grant had not been issued or made.

(e) For support, alimony or maintenance. An action or proceeding to enforce any temporary order, permanent order or judgment of any court of competent jurisdiction which awards support, alimony or maintenance, regardless of whether or not arrears have been reduced to a money judgment, must be commenced within twenty years from the date of a default in payment.  This section shall only apply to orders which have been entered subsequent to the date upon which this section shall become effective. 

NY CPLR § 212. ACTION TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN TEN YEARS

(a) Possession necessary to recover real property. An action to recover real property or its possession cannot be commenced unless the plaintiff, or his predecessor in interest, was seized or possessed of the premises within ten years before the commencement of the action.

(b) Annulment of letters patent. Where letters patent or a grant of real property, issued or made by the state, are declared void on the ground of fraudulent suggestion or concealment, forfeiture, mistake or ignorance of a material fact, wrongful detaining or defective title, an action to recover the premises may be commenced by the state or by a subsequent patentee or grantee, or his successor in interest, within ten years after the determination is made.

(c) To redeem from a mortgage. An action to redeem real property from a mortgage with or without an account of rents and profits may be commenced by the mortgagor or his successors in interest, against the mortgagee in possession, or against the purchaser of the mortgaged premises at a foreclosure sale in an action in which the mortgagor or his successors in interest were not excluded from their interest in the mortgaged premises, or against a successor in interest of either, unless the mortgagee, purchaser or successor was continuously possessed of the premises for ten years after the breach or non-fulfillment of a condition or covenant of the mortgage, or the date of recording of the deed of the premises to the purchaser.

(d) To recover under an affidavit of support of an alien. An action under section one hundred twenty-two of the social services law to recover amounts paid to or on behalf of an alien for whom an affidavit of support pursuant to section 213A of the immigration and naturalization act has been signed.

(e) By a victim of sex trafficking, compelling prostitution, or labor trafficking. An action by a victim of sex trafficking, compelling prostitution, labor trafficking or aggravated labor trafficking, brought pursuant to subdivision (c) of section four hundred eighty-three-bb of the social services law , may be commenced within ten years after such victimization occurs provided, however, that such ten year period shall not begin to run and shall be tolled during any period in which the victim is or remains subject to such conduct.

NY CPLR § 213. ACTION TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN SIX YEARS; WHERE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, ON CONTRACT; ON SEALED INSTRUMENT; ON BOND OR NOTE, AND MORTGAGE UPON REAL PROPERTY; BY STATE BASED ON MISAPPROPIATION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY; BASED ON MISTAKE; BY CORPORATION AGAINST DIRECTOR, OFFICER OR STOCKHOLDER; BASED ON FRAUD

The following actions must be commenced within six years:

  1. an action for which no limitation is specifically prescribed by law;
  2. an action upon a contractual obligation or liability, express or implied, except as provided in section two hundred thirteen-a of this article or article 2 of the uniform commercial code or article 36-B of the general business law;
  3. an action upon a sealed instrument;
  4. an action upon a bond or note, the payment of which is secured by a mortgage upon real property, or upon a bond or note and mortgage so secured, or upon a mortgage of real property, or any interest therein;
  5. an action by the state based upon the spoliation or other misappropriation of public property;  the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from discovery by the state of the facts relied upon;
  6. an action based upon mistake;
  7. an action by or on behalf of a corporation against a present or former director, officer or stockholder for an accounting, or to procure a judgment on the ground of fraud, or to enforce a liability, penalty or forfeiture, or to recover damages for waste or for an injury to property or for an accounting in conjunction therewith.
  8. an action based upon fraud;  the time within which the action must be commenced shall be the greater of six years from the date the cause of action accrued or two years from the time the plaintiff or the person under whom the plaintiff claims discovered the fraud, or could with reasonable diligence have discovered it.

NY CPLR § 213-a. ACTION TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN FOUR YEARS;  RESIDENTIAL RENT OVERCHARGE

An action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice must be commenced within two years and six months of the act, omission or failure complained of or last treatment where there is continuous treatment for the same illness, injury or condition which gave rise to the said act, omission or failure;  provided, however, that where the action is based upon the discovery of a foreign object in the body of the patient, the action may be commenced within one year of the date of such discovery or of the date of discovery of facts which would reasonably lead to such discovery, whichever is earlier.  For the purpose of this section the term “continuous treatment” shall not include examinations undertaken at the request of the patient for the sole purpose of ascertaining the state of the patient’s condition.  For the purpose of this section the term “foreign object” shall not include a chemical compound, fixation device or prosthetic aid or device.

NY CPLR § 213-b. ACTION BY A VICTIM OF A CRIMINAL OFFENSE

Notwithstanding any other limitation set forth in this article or in article five of the estates, powers and trusts law, an action by a crime victim, or the representative of a crime victim, as defined in subdivision six of section six hundred twenty-one of the executive law , may be commenced to recover damages from a defendant:  (1) convicted of a crime which is the subject of such action, for any injury or loss resulting therefrom within seven years of the date of the crime or (2) convicted of a specified crime as defined in paragraph (e) of subdivision one of section six hundred thirty-two-a of the executive law which is the subject of such action for any injury or loss resulting therefrom within ten years of the date the defendant was convicted of such specified crime.

NY CPLR § 213-c. ACTION BY VICTIM OF CONDUCT CONSTITUTING CERTAIN SEXUAL OFFENSES

Notwithstanding any other limitation set forth in this article, a civil claim or cause of action to recover from a defendant as hereinafter defined, for physical, psychological or other injury or condition suffered by a person as a result of acts by such defendant of rape in the first degree as defined in section 130.35 of the penal law , or criminal sexual act in the first degree as defined in section 130.50 of the penal law , or aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree as defined in section 130.70 of the penal law , or course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree as defined in section 130.75 of the penal law may be brought within five years.  As used in this section, the term “defendant” shall mean only a person who commits the acts described in this section or who, in a criminal proceeding, could be charged with criminal liability for the commission of such acts pursuant to section 20.00 of the penal law and shall not apply to any related civil claim or cause of action arising from such acts.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to require that a criminal charge be brought or a criminal conviction be obtained as a condition of bringing a civil cause of action or receiving a civil judgment pursuant to this section or be construed to require that any of the rules governing a criminal proceeding be applicable to any such civil action.

NY CPLR § 214. ACTION TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN THREE YEARS: FOR NON-PAYMENT OF MONEY COLLECTED ON EXECUTION; FOR PENALTY CREATED BY STATUE; TO RECOVER CHATTEL; FOR INJURY TO PROPERTY; FOR PERSONAL INJURY; FOR MALPRACTICE OTHER THAN MEDICAL, DENTAL OR PODIATRIC MALPRACTICE; TO ANNUL A MARRIAGE ON THE GROUND OF FRAUD

The following actions must be commenced within three years:

  1. an action against a sheriff, constable or other officer for the non-payment of money collected upon an execution;
  2. an action to recover upon a liability, penalty or forfeiture created or imposed by statute except as provided in sections 213 and 215;
  3. an action to recover a chattel or damages for the taking or detaining of a chattel;
  4. an action to recover damages for an injury to property except as provided in section 214-c;
  5. an action to recover damages for a personal injury except as provided in sections 214-b 214-c and 215 ;
  6. an action to recover damages for malpractice, other than medical, dental or podiatric malpractice, regardless of whether the underlying theory is based in contract or tort;  and
  7. an action to annul a marriage on the ground of fraud;  the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the time the plaintiff discovered the facts constituting the fraud, but if the plaintiff is a person other than the spouse whose consent was obtained by fraud, the time within which the action must be commenced shall be computed from the time, if earlier, that that spouse discovered the facts constituting the fraud.

NY CPLR § 214-a. ACTION FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL PODIATRIC MALPRACTICE TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN TWO YEARS AND SIX MONTHS; EXCEPTIONS

An action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice must be commenced within two years and six months of the act, omission or failure complained of or last treatment where there is continuous treatment for the same illness, injury or condition which gave rise to the said act, omission or failure;  provided, however, that where the action is based upon the discovery of a foreign object in the body of the patient, the action may be commenced within one year of the date of such discovery or of the date of discovery of facts which would reasonably lead to such discovery, whichever is earlier.  For the purpose of this section the term “continuous treatment” shall not include examinations undertaken at the request of the patient for the sole purpose of ascertaining the state of the patient’s condition.  For the purpose of this section the term “foreign object” shall not include a chemical compound, fixation device or prosthetic aid or device.

NY CPLR § 214-b. ACTION TO RECOVER DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY CONTACT WITH OR EXPOSURE TO PHENOXY HERBICIDES

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, an action to recover damages for personal injury caused by contact with or exposure to phenoxy herbicides while serving as a member of the armed forces of the United States in Indo-China from January first, nineteen hundred sixty-two though May seventh, nineteen hundred seventy-five, may be commenced within two years from the date of the discovery of such injury, or within two years from the date when through the exercise of reasonable diligence the cause of such injury should have been discovered, whichever is later.

NY CPLR § 214-c. CERTAIN ACTIONS TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN THREE YEARS OF DISCOVERY

  1. In this section: “exposure” means direct or indirect exposure by absorption, contact, ingestion, inhalation, implantation or injection.
  2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 214 , the three year period within which an action to recover damages for personal injury or injury to property caused by the latent effects of exposure to any substance or combination of substances, in any form, upon or within the body or upon or within property must be commenced shall be computed from the date of discovery of the injury by the plaintiff or from the date when through the exercise of reasonable diligence such injury should have been discovered by the plaintiff, whichever is earlier.
  3. For the purposes of sections fifty-e and fifty-i of the general municipal law section thirty-eight hundred thirteen of the education law and the provisions of any general, special or local law or charter requiring as a condition precedent to commencement of an action or special proceeding that a notice of claim be filed or presented within a specified period of time after the claim or action accrued, a claim or action for personal injury or injury to property caused by the latent effects of exposure to any substance or combination of substances, in any form, upon or within the body or upon or within property shall be deemed to have accrued on the date of discovery of the injury by the plaintiff or on the date when through the exercise of reasonable diligence the injury should have been discovered, whichever is earlier.
  4. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions two and three of this section, where the discovery of the cause of the injury is alleged to have occurred less than five years after discovery of the injury or when with reasonable diligence such injury should have been discovered, whichever is earlier, an action may be commenced or a claim filed within one year of such discovery of the cause of the injury;  provided, however, if any such action is commenced or claim filed after the period in which it would otherwise have been authorized pursuant to subdivision two or three of this section the plaintiff or claimant shall be required to allege and prove that technical, scientific or medical knowledge and information sufficient to ascertain the cause of his injury had not been discovered, identified or determined prior to the expiration of the period within which the action or claim would have been authorized and that he has otherwise satisfied the requirements of subdivisions two and three of this section.
  5. This section shall not be applicable to any action for medical or dental malpractice.
  6. This section shall be applicable to acts, omissions or failures occurring prior to, on or after July first, nineteen hundred eighty-six, except that this section shall not be applicable to any act, omission or failure:
    • (a) which occurred prior to July first, nineteen hundred eighty-six, and
    • (b) which caused or contributed to an injury that either was discovered or through the exercise of reasonable diligence should have been discovered prior to such date, and
    • (c) an action for which 1 was or would have been barred because the applicable period of limitation had expired prior to such date.

NY CPLR § 214-d. LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN ACTIONS AGAINST LICENSED ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS

  1. Any person asserting a claim for personal injury, wrongful death or property damage, or a cross or third-party claim for contribution or indemnification arising out of an action for personal injury, wrongful death or property damage, against a licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or against a partnership, professional corporation or limited liability company lawfully practicing architecture, engineering, land surveying or landscape architecture which is based upon the professional performance, conduct or omission by such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm occurring more than ten years prior to the date of such claim, shall give written notice of such claim to each such architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm at least ninety days before the commencement of any action or proceeding against such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm including any cross or third-party action or claim.  The notice of claim shall identify the performance, conduct or omissions complained of, on information and belief, and shall include a request for general and special damages.  Service of such written notice of claim may be made by any of the methods permitted for personal service of a summons upon a natural person, partnership or professional corporation.  A notice of claim served in accordance with this section shall be filed, together with proof of service thereof, in any court of this state in which an action, proceeding or cross or third-party claim arising out of such conduct may be commenced or interposed, within thirty days of the service of the notice of claim.  Upon the filing of any such notice of claim, a county clerk shall collect an index number fee in accordance with section eight thousand eighteen of this chapter and an index number shall be assigned.
  2. In such pleadings as are subsequently filed in any court, each party shall represent that it has fully complied with the provisions of this section.
  3. Service of a notice as provided in this section shall toll the applicable statute of limitations to and including a period of one hundred twenty days following such service.
  4. From and after the date of service of the notice provided for in subdivision one of this section, the claimant shall have the right to serve a demand for discovery and production of documents and things for inspection, testing, copying or photographing in accordance with rule three thousand one hundred twenty of this chapter.  Such demand shall be governed by the procedures of article thirty-one of this chapter.  In addition, the claimant shall have the right to the examination before trial of such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm or to serve written interrogatories upon such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm after service of and compliance with a demand for production and inspection in accordance with this section.  The court may, at any time at its own initiative or on motion of such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm deny, limit, condition or restrict such examination before trial or written interrogatories upon a showing that such claimant has failed to establish reasonable necessity for the information sought or failed to establish that the information sought by such examination or interrogatories cannot reasonably be determined from the documents or things provided in response to a demand for production and inspection served in accordance with this section.  Such examination before trial or interrogatories shall otherwise be governed by article thirty-one of this chapter.
  5. After the expiration of ninety days from service of the notice provided in subdivision one of this section, the claimant may commence or interpose an action, proceeding or cross or third-party claim against such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm.  The action shall proceed in every respect as if the action were one brought on account of conduct occurring less than ten years prior to the claim described in said action, unless the defendant architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm shall have made a motion under rule three thousand two hundred eleven or three thousand two hundred twelve of this chapter, in which event the action shall be stayed pending determination of the motion.  Such motion shall be granted upon a showing that such claimant has failed to comply with the notice of claim requirements of this section or for the reasons set forth in subdivision (h) of rule three thousand two hundred eleven or subdivision (i) of rule three thousand two hundred twelve of this chapter;  provided, however, such motion shall not be granted if the moving party is in default of any disclosure obligation as set forth in subdivision four of this section.
  6. No claim for personal injury, or wrongful death or property damage, or a cross or third-party claim for contribution or indemnification arising out of an action for personal injury, wrongful death or property damage may be asserted against a licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm arising out of conduct by such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm occurring more than ten years prior to the accrual of such claim shall be commenced or interposed against any such licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm unless it shall appear by and as an allegation in the complaint or necessary moving papers that the claimant has complied with the requirements of this section.  Upon the commencement of such a proceeding or action or interposition of such cross or third-party claim, a county clerk shall not be entitled to collect an index number fee and such action, proceeding or cross or third-party claim shall retain the previously assigned index number.  Such action, proceeding or cross or third-party claim shall otherwise be governed by the provisions of this chapter.
  7. The provisions of this section shall apply only to a licensed architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm practicing architecture, engineering, land surveying or landscape architecture in the state of New York at the time the conduct complained of occurred and shall not apply to any person or entity, including but not limited to corporations, which was not licensed as an architect, engineer, land surveyor or landscape architect or such firm in this state or to a firm not lawfully practicing architecture, engineering, land surveying or landscape architecture at the time the conduct complained of occurred.
  8. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to in any way alter or extend any applicable statutes of limitations except as expressly provided herein.

NY CPLR § 214-e. ACTION TO RECOVER DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY THE INFUSION OF SUCH BLOOD PRODUCTS WHICH RESULT ON THE CONTRACTION OF THE HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) AND/OR AIDS

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any cause of action for an injury or death against a proprietary manufacturer of blood products for damages involving the infusion of such blood products which resulted in the contraction of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or AIDS which is barred as of the effective date of this section because the applicable period of limitation has expired is hereby revived, and an action thereon may be commenced and prosecuted provided such action is commenced within two years of the effective date of this section.  The provisions of this section shall be inapplicable to any civil action governed by the statute of limitations of another jurisdiction.

NY CPLR § 214-f. ACTION TO RECOVER DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY CONTACT WITH OR EXPOSURE TO ANY SUBSTANCE OR COMBINATION OF SUBSTANCES FOUND WITHIN AN AREA DESIGNATED AS A SUPERFUND SITE

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, an action to recover personal damages for injury caused by contact with or exposure to any substance or combination of substances contained within an area designated as a superfund site pursuant to either Chapter 103 of Section 42 of the United States Code and/or section 27-1303 of the environmental conservation law , may be commenced by the plaintiff within the period allowed pursuant to section two hundred fourteen-c of this article or within three years of such designation of such an area as a superfund site, whichever is latest.

NY CPLR § 215. ACTION TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE YEAR: AGAINST SHERIFF, CORONER OR CONSTABLE; FOR ESCAPE OF PRISONER; FOR ASSAULT, BATTERY, FALSE IMPRISONMENT, MALICIOUS PROSECUTION, LIBEL OR SLANDER; FOR VIOLATION OF RIGHT OF PRIVACY; FOR PENALTY GIVEN TO INFORMER; ON ARBITRATION AWARD

The following actions shall be commenced within one year:

  1. an action against a sheriff, coroner or constable, upon a liability incurred by him by doing an act in his official capacity or by omission of an official duty, except the non-payment of money collected upon an execution;
  2. an action against an officer for the escape of a prisoner arrested or imprisoned by virtue of a civil mandate;
  3. an action to recover damages for assault, battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, false words causing special damages, or a violation of the right of privacy under section fifty-one of the civil rights law ;
  4. an action to enforce a penalty or forfeiture created by statute and given wholly or partly to any person who will prosecute;  if the action is not commenced within the year by a private person, it may be commenced on behalf of the state, within three years after the commission of the offense, by the attorney-general or the district attorney of the county where the offense was committed;  and
  5. an action upon an arbitration award.
  6. An action to recover any overcharge of interest or to enforce a penalty for such overcharge.
  7. an action by a tenant pursuant to subdivision three of section two hundred twenty-three-b of the real property law .
    • (a) Whenever it is shown that a criminal action against the same defendant has been commenced with respect to the event or occurrence from which a claim governed by this section arises, the plaintiff shall have at least one year from the termination of the criminal action as defined in section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law in which to commence the civil action, notwithstanding that the time in which to commence such action has already expired or has less than a year remaining.
    • (b) Whenever it is shown that a criminal action against the same defendant has been commenced with respect to the event or occurrence from which a claim governed by this section arises, and such criminal action is for rape in the first degree as defined in section 130.35 of the penal law , or criminal sexual act in the first degree as defined in section 130.50 of the penal law , or aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree as defined in section 130.70 of the penal law , or course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree as defined in section 130.75 of the penal law , the plaintiff shall have at least five years from the termination of the criminal action as defined in section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law in which to commence the civil action, notwithstanding that the time in which to commence such action has already expired or has less than a year remaining.

NY CPLR § 216. ABBREVIATION OF PERIOD TO ONE YEAR AFTER NOTICE

(a) Action to recover money.

  1. No action for the recovery of any sum of money due and payable under or on account of a contract, or for any part thereof, shall be commenced by any person who has made claim to the sum, after the expiration of one year from the giving of notice, as hereinafter provided, to the claimant that an action commenced by another person is pending to recover the sum, or any part thereof, exceeding fifty dollars in amount.  This limitation shall not be construed to enlarge the time within which the cause of action of the claimant would otherwise be barred.
  2. If any person shall make claim for the recovery of any sum of money due and payable under or on account of a contract, and an action has theretofore been, or shall thereafter be, commenced by another person to recover the sum, or any part thereof, exceeding fifty dollars in amount, the defendant in such action may, within twenty days from the date of service upon him of the complaint or from the date of receipt by him of the claim, whichever occurs later, make a motion before the court in which the action is pending for an order permitting the defendant to give notice to the claimant that the action is pending.  The court in which the action is pending shall grant the order where it appears that a person not a party to the action has made claim against the defendant for the sum of money, or any part thereof, exceeding fifty dollars in amount;  that the action was brought without collusion between the defendant and the plaintiff;  and that the claimant cannot, with due diligence, be served with process in such a manner as to obtain jurisdiction over his person.  The order shall provide, among such other terms and conditions as justice may require, that notice shall be given to the claimant by sending by registered mail a copy of the summons and complaint in the action and the order and a notice addressed to the claimant at his last known address.  In the event that registration of mail directed to any country or part thereof shall be discontinued or suspended, notice to a claimant whose last known address is within such country or part thereof shall be given by ordinary mail, under such terms and conditions as the court may direct.  Proof that the notice has been mailed shall be filed within ten days from the date of the order;  otherwise the order becomes inoperative.  Upon such filing, notice shall be deemed to have been given on the tenth day after the date of such order.
  3. Upon proof by affidavit or otherwise, to the satisfaction of the court, that the conditions of this subdivision have been satisfied and that there is no collusion between the claimant and the defendant, the court shall make an order staying further prosecution of the action for a period not to exceed one year from the date when the notice shall have been given to the claimant.  At the time of the granting of such order or at any time thereafter, the court, upon the motion of any party, shall, as a condition of the granting of the order or its continuation, impose upon the defendant such terms as justice may require as to the furnishing of an undertaking in an amount to be fixed by the court.  The stay shall be vacated and the undertaking, if any has been given, may be discharged or modified, as justice may require, upon proof to the court by any party to the action that the claimant has intervened or has instituted another action in any court of this state to recover the said sum of money, or any part thereof, exceeding fifty dollars.
  4. A motion for any relief as prescribed in this subdivision shall be made on notice to all other parties to the action.
  5. Whenever claims are made by two or more persons, each claiming to be, to the exclusion of the other, the duly authorized deputy, officer or agent to demand, receive, collect, sue for or recover the same sum of money due and payable under or on account of a contract, or any part thereof, exceeding fifty dollars in amount, for and on behalf of the same person, each person making such a claim shall be deemed an adverse claimant.  Notwithstanding that an action has been commenced in the name of or on behalf of the person for whom he claims to be the duly authorized deputy, officer or agent, any such adverse claimant may be notified of the pendency of an action as provided in this subdivision and may intervene in the action and be designated as claiming to be or as the alleged deputy, officer or agent.
  6. Whenever an action has been commenced for the recovery of any sum of money exceeding fifty dollars due and payable under or on account of a contract and the records of the defendant show that a person other than the plaintiff has the right, exclusive of other deputies, officers or agents of the plaintiff, to demand, sue for and recover the same sum of money, or any part thereof, exceeding fifty dollars in amount, either in his own name, on his own behalf, or as the authorized deputy, officer or agent for the plaintiff, and the defendant has received no notice of transfer, revocation, or other change in right or authority acceptable to it, the person so appearing on the records shall be deemed to have made an adverse claim to the sum of money and may be treated as an adverse claimant.

(b) Action to recover property.  When an action has been commenced to recover specific personal property, including certificates of stocks, bonds, notes or other securities or obligations, exceeding fifty dollars in value, held by the defendant within the state, or to enforce a vested or contingent interest or lien upon such property, and a person not a party to the action asserts a claim to the whole or any part of the same property or to a right, interest or lien upon it which is adverse to the plaintiff’s claim, and the court in which the action is pending has no jurisdiction over the adverse claimant to direct the issuance of process or if the same be issued it would be without effect notwithstanding that the action seeks to have declared, enforced, regulated, defined or limited, rights, interests or liens upon specific personal property within the state, the defendant in the action may within twenty days from the date of service upon him of the complaint or within twenty days of the date of the receipt by him of the adverse claim, whichever shall occur later, make a motion before the court for leave to give notice to the adverse claimant of the pending action in the same manner as provided in subdivision (a).  Upon the granting of such an order, the provisions of subdivision (a) shall apply insofar as they are compatible with the subject matter of the action.

NY CPLR § 217. PROCEEDING AGAINST BODY OR OFFICER; ACTIONS COMPLAINING ABOUT CONDUCT THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A UNION’S BREACH OF ITS DUTY OF FAIR REPRESENTATION; FOUR MONTHS

  1. Unless a shorter time is provided in the law authorizing the proceeding, a proceeding against a body or officer must be commenced within four months after the determination to be reviewed becomes final and binding upon the petitioner or the person whom he represents in law or in fact, or after the respondent’s refusal, upon the demand of the petitioner or the person whom he represents, to perform its duty;  or with leave of the court where the petitioner or the person whom he represents, at the time such determination became final and binding upon him or at the time of such refusal, was under a disability specified in section 208 , within two years after such time.
    • (a) Any action or proceeding against an employee organization subject to article fourteen of the civil service law or article twenty of the labor law which complains that such employee organization has breached its duty of fair representation regarding someone to whom such employee organization has a duty shall be commenced within four months of the date the employee or former employee knew or should have known that the breach has occurred, or within four months of the date the employee or former employee suffers actual harm, whichever is later.
    • (b) Any action or proceeding by an employee or former employee against an employer subject to article fourteen of the civil service law or article twenty of the labor law, an essential element of which is that an employee organization breached its duty of fair representation to the person making the complaint, shall be commenced within four months of the date the employee or former employee knew or should have known that the breach has occurred, or within four months of the date the employee or former employee suffers actual harm, whichever is later.

NY CPLR § 217-a. ACTIONS TO BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE YEAR AND NINETY DAYS

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and irrespective of whether the relevant statute is expressly amended by the uniform notice of claim act, every action for damages or injuries to real or personal property, or for the destruction thereof, or for personal injuries or wrongful death, against any political subdivision of the state, or any instrumentality or agency of the state or a political subdivision, any public authority or any public benefit corporation that is entitled to receive a notice of claim as a condition precedent to commencement of an action, shall not be commenced unless a notice of claim shall have been served on such governmental entity within the time limit established by section fifty-e of the general municipal law , and such action must be commenced in compliance with all the requirements of section fifty-e and subdivision oneof section fifty-i of the general municipal law .  Except in an action for wrongful death against such an entity, an action for damages or for injuries to real or personal property, or for the destruction thereof, or for personal injuries, alleged to have been sustained, shall not be commenced more than one year and ninety days after the cause of action therefor shall have accrued or within the time period otherwise prescribed by any special provision of law, whichever is longer.  Nothing herein is intended to amend the court of claims act or any provision thereof.

NY CPLR § 218. TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

(a) Actions barred at effective date. Nothing in this article shall authorize any action to be commenced which is barred when this article becomes effective, except insofar as the right to commence the action may be revived by an acknowledgment or payment.

(b) Cause of action accrued and not barred at effective date. Where a cause of action accrued before, and is not barred when this article becomes effective, the time within which an action must be commenced shall be the time which would have been applicable apart from the provisions of this article, or the time which would have been applicable if the provisions of this article had been in effect when the cause of action accrued, whichever is longer.

Scroll to Top