Statute of limitations for sexual assault in Arkansas

Rule or statute summary

In Arkansas, the statute of limitations (SOL) for bringing a criminal prosecution for what people commonly call “sexual assault” generally relies on the state’s default limitations period, rather than a special, claim-type-specific time window tied to the phrase “sexual assault.”

Default rule (baseline for this article): Arkansas applies a 6-year limitations period under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)(2). Based on the jurisdiction data provided, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified for “sexual assault” beyond this general/default period. So, the starting point for the SOL analysis in this snapshot is the 6-year general SOL.

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you turn that rule into a deadline you can understand in calendar terms:

• You enter the date the offense occurred (or another clock-start trigger date you choose for the analysis).
• The tool outputs the calculated last day to file under the general 6-year rule.

Important note (not legal advice): SOL calculations can be affected by additional legal doctrines (for example, tolling or other procedural events). This content is designed as a baseline/default timeline and may not fully model every exception—especially if you don’t have the relevant dates and case-specific factors.

Citations

Use these sources to confirm the authoritative text before finalizing the calculation.

• Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105

If an assumption is uncertain, document it alongside the calculation so the result can be re-run later.

Capture the source for each input so another team member can verify the same result quickly.

General limitations period (default rule)

Arkansas’s general SOL framework is in Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109. For this jurisdiction snapshot, the applicable default period is:

• 6 years
  **Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)(2)

How this governs “sexual assault” in this snapshot

Because the provided jurisdiction data indicates no sexual-assault-specific sub-rule was found, you should treat Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)(2) as the time limit for this article’s purposes.

Boundary to keep in mind: “Sexual assault” can be charged under different Arkansas criminal statutes and subsections, and SOL outcomes can depend on the exact charge language and any applicable doctrines. This guide is best read as a baseline SOL timeline using the default 6-year rule.

If you’re working from a specific alleged offense or charge, the safest approach is to confirm the exact Arkansas statute charged and the relevant trigger/clock-start date(s) before relying on any computed deadline.

Use the calculator

You can model the deadline using DocketMath’s SOL calculator with the general 6-year rule.

1. Go to /tools/statute-of-limitations
2. Enter the trigger date you want to start the clock from.

   • For a straightforward baseline estimate under the default rule, the trigger is typically the date of the alleged offense (or the date you’re using as the offense date for analysis).
3. Select **jurisdiction: Arkansas (US-AR)
4. Use the tool’s setting for the applicable SOL rule:

   • Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)(2): 6 years (general/default period)

Output: how changes in inputs change the result

Here’s what you should expect when you adjust the trigger/offense date:

Quick example (illustrative)

• If an alleged sexual-assault-related offense occurred on January 1, 2019, then under the 6-year default rule in Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)(2), the computed deadline would land around January 1, 2025 (with the exact “last day” dependent on how the tool counts and the date inputs you provide).
• If you use March 15, 2019 as the trigger date instead, the computed deadline would shift to about March 15, 2025.

Gentle checklist before you rely on the result

Before using the calculator output as a practical deadline reference, verify:

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — How to choose the right calculator
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — How to choose the right calculator