Statute of Limitations for Class C / 3rd Degree Felony in Ohio

5 min read

Published March 22, 2026 • By DocketMath Team

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently — verify all citations with current official sources.

Overview

In Ohio, the statute of limitations sets a deadline for the state to file (or continue, depending on the situation) a criminal prosecution. For a Class C felony (3rd degree felony), the timeline is controlled primarily by Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13.

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you translate the statute into an actual due date by taking the relevant starting date and applying the correct period and exceptions. Because the “start” date can hinge on specific event facts (for example, when the crime was committed versus when certain conditions occurred), the calculator is most reliable when you select the correct commencement date.

Note: This page describes Ohio’s general limitations framework for a Class C felony. It does not cover every procedural nuance (like tolling or case-specific motions), so treat it as a reference tool—not a substitute for legal advice.

Limitation period

Class C / 3rd degree felony baseline: 0.5 years

Under Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13, a prosecution for a Class C felony generally falls under a shorter limitation period than many other felony categories.

For this category, the jurisdiction data you provided indicates:

SOL Period: 0.5 years
Applies to: Ohio Class C felony / 3rd degree felony
Statutory driver: Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13
Exception: Exception V3 (see below)

Converting “0.5 years” into a calendar timeframe

A “half-year” limitation can be modeled in practice as about 6 months from the relevant start date. DocketMath applies the math mechanically; however, your final calendar result depends on:

The date the offense is deemed to have occurred (or another statutory “trigger” date, if an exception or tolling concept applies).
How the calculator treats leap years and day-count conventions.

To get the most accurate output, enter the precise date that corresponds to the statute’s start point for your fact pattern.

What changes when you adjust inputs?

DocketMath’s calculator output (the “last day to file” type result) will generally move in predictable ways:

If you enter a later starting date, the limitations deadline moves later by the same general offset.
If you switch to a different offense class, the limitation period changes (and the deadline recalculates accordingly).
If you enable/apply an exception, the effective deadline may change (often extending it), because the exception can alter whether and how time keeps running.

Use the checklist below to keep your inputs consistent.

Quick input checklist

Key exceptions

Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13 includes exceptions and special rules that can affect whether a limitation period applies exactly as stated—or whether time is effectively paused or adjusted.

Exception V3: 0.5 years

Your provided jurisdiction data lists:

Exception V3
SOL Period: 0.5 years
Statute: Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13

This matters because an exception can change the practical meaning of “deadline,” even when the base period remains the same category length. In other words: the case might still involve a half-year window, but the statutory condition(s) under Exception V3 can determine whether that window is measured from the standard trigger date or from a different event/condition.

Practical takeaway

Before you treat the limitation period as a straight “6 months from the offense date,” verify whether the facts implicate Exception V3 under Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13. If the exception applies, the calculated deadline you need may differ from the baseline approach.

Warning: Limitations outcomes can turn on fact-specific details (for example, what the prosecution can prove about timing or statutory triggers). A mechanically correct deadline based on the wrong trigger date can create a misleading sense of safety.

Statute citation

The governing statute for Ohio’s criminal statute of limitations for felony classifications is:

Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13 — limitations periods and exceptions for criminal prosecutions.

Reference link (authenticated PDF from the Ohio legislature site):
https://codes.ohio.gov/assets/laws/revised-code/authenticated/29/2901/2901.13/7-16-2015/2901.13-7-16-2015.pdf

For your requested category:

Class C felony / 3rd degree felony SOL Period: 0.5 years
Exception noted in jurisdiction data: Exception V3 under Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.13

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool is designed to take the statutory period and produce a concrete deadline date.

Primary CTA: **/tools/statute-of-limitations

When you open the calculator, focus on three things:

Offense category
- Select Class C / 3rd degree felony.
**Starting date (trigger date)
- Enter the date that corresponds to the statute’s start point for your scenario.
Exception selection
- Apply Exception V3 only when the exception matches the relevant facts and statutory condition.

How output changes with your selections

Below is the typical relationship between selections and output:

What you change	What you should expect the calculator to do
Starting date goes later	Deadline moves later roughly by the same half-year interval
Starting date goes earlier	Deadline moves earlier accordingly
Switching offense class	Limitation period changes; deadline recalculates
Applying Exception V3 (when applicable)	Effective deadline can shift depending on how the exception changes the measurement

Suggested workflow (practical and repeatable)

Pitfall: Many limitations disputes start with a disagreement over the trigger date. If your start date is off by even a few months, a correct “0.5 years” calculation can still land on the wrong calendar deadline.