Statute of Limitations for Class D / 4th Degree Felony in Pennsylvania

Overview

In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations (SOL) sets a deadline for the Commonwealth to begin prosecution for a criminal offense. For a Class D / 4th degree felony, that deadline is generally 2 years.

DocketMath’s Statute of Limitations calculator uses the governing SOL rules for Pennsylvania to estimate the filing window based on key dates (like the date of the alleged offense or when the limitations clock may begin). Use the tool to model outcomes quickly—especially when you’re comparing scenarios (for example, two possible offense dates, or whether a tolling trigger may apply).

Limitation period

For Class D / 4th degree felony charges in Pennsylvania, the default SOL period is:

• 2 years

This is reflected in 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5552, which establishes limitation periods for various grades of criminal offenses.

How the deadline is typically used (conceptual timing)

While the details of “when the clock starts” and “whether it stops or pauses” can depend on the facts, SOL timing usually turns on questions like:

1. What date is treated as the offense date (or the date of the relevant conduct)?
2. When did the Commonwealth take action to “commence prosecution” (or otherwise meet statutory filing requirements)?
3. Were any exceptions triggered that extend, toll, or otherwise modify the SOL period?

For your workflow, think of the calculator as generating a range of dates during which a prosecution is potentially timely under the default rule—then you can adjust inputs if an exception may apply.

Inputs that most affect outputs in DocketMath

When you use DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator, the values you choose can change the resulting SOL timeline:

• Offense date (or earliest alleged relevant date)
• Offense classification (e.g., Class D / 4th degree felony)
• Any exception/tolling selection flags (when applicable in the tool)

If you update the offense date, you shift the computed “latest possible” filing date by the same number of days. If you select an exception that alters the SOL calculation, the output may change more than just by shifting—because the deadline may extend or the clock may be paused.

Key exceptions

Pennsylvania’s SOL scheme includes specific exceptions that can change the default deadline. For 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5552, one key sub-rule relevant to this topic is listed as:

• 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5552 — 2 years — exception V3

Because exception labeling can be tool-specific (and the underlying statutory text may use different phrasing for categories), the most practical way to use this information is:

• Treat “exception V3” as a signal that there is a statutorily recognized situation where the standard 2-year limitation period may not apply in the same way.
• Confirm whether your fact pattern aligns with the exception category before relying on a “timely/untimely” outcome.

Practical checklist before you run the calculator

Use this quick checklist to decide whether you should test an exception scenario in DocketMath:

Statute citation

The statutory basis for Pennsylvania’s 2-year limitation period for a Class D / 4th degree felony is:

• 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5552

  • 2 years
  • Exception V3 (as reflected in the jurisdiction data used for the calculator)

Official statutory text:

• https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/PDF/2000/0/0136..PDF

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s Statute of Limitations calculator is designed to help you generate and compare timelines for Pennsylvania charges.

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

What you’ll do

1. Open DocketMath → Statute of Limitations calculator: /tools/statute-of-limitations
2. Select:

   • Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania (US-PA)
   • Offense class/degree: Class D / 4th degree felony
3. Enter the key date(s) the tool asks for (typically the alleged offense date).
4. If you believe the scenario may fit a statutory modifier, enable or select the corresponding exception option that aligns with V3 as shown in the jurisdiction data.
5. Review:

   • The computed SOL period (default: 2 years)
   • The earliest/latest relevant window the tool returns

How outputs change when you change inputs

Use these examples to understand how DocketMath will respond:

• Changing the offense date by 30 days
  → The computed “latest possible” date typically shifts by about 30 days, assuming no exception or tolling changes.

• Switching from default rule to “exception V3” scenario
  → The output may extend or otherwise alter the computation depending on how the exception is implemented in the calculator’s logic and what the exception is meant to do under 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5552.

If you want a tighter analysis, run multiple calculator scenarios (different alleged offense dates; default vs. exception category) and compare the result ranges.

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