## How the limitation period applies

The controlling primary authority for Alabama statute of limitations for general personal injury/negligence — Ala. Code § 6-2-38 (two-year limitation for actions for injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract) is **Ala. Code § 6-2-38**.

> **Ala. Code § 6-2-38.** (l) All actions for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract and not specifically enumerated in this section must be brought within two years.

## Use the calculator

DocketMath's statute-of-limitations tool can model these timelines once you identify the controlling claim type and accrual date. Use the source panel for the verified primary-source citations.

[Open the Statute of Limitations calculator](/tools/statute-of-limitations)

## Sources

- [Ala. Code § 6-2-38 — Section 6-2-38 Commencement of Actions - Two Years.](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-38)

All sources are official primary law published by `alison.legislature.state.al.us` (state legislature, .gov).

**Corroboration method:** Two independent Playwright-rendered fetches of https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-38 at 2026-05-11T05:57:35Z and 2026-05-11T05:57:57Z returned identical operative text for subsection (l) and for the full statute body. Page also displays the legislative-history chain (Code 1896, §2800 through Acts 1984, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 85-39, p. 40, §1), confirming the section is currently codified..


In Alabama, claims labeled “false arrest” or “false imprisonment” usually turn on whether a person was detained without lawful authority and whether the...

Statute of Limitations for False Arrest / False Imprisonment in Alabama

The following must be commenced within six years: (1) Actions for any trespass to person or liberty, such as false imprisonment or assault and battery; (2) Actions for any trespass to real or personal property; (3) Actions for the detention or conversion of personal property; (4) Actions founded on promises in writing not under seal; (5) Actions for the recovery of money upon a loan, upon a stated or liquidated account or for arrears of rent due upon a parol demise; (6) Actions for the use and occupation of land; (7) Motions and other actions against the sureties of any sheriff, coroner, constable, or any public officer and actions against the sureties of executors, administrators, or guardians for any nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance, whatsoever, of their principal, the time to be computed from the act done or omitted by their principal which fixes the liability of the surety; (8) Motions and other actions against attorneys-at-law for failure to pay over money of their clients or for neglect or omission of duty; and (9) Actions upon any simple contract or speciality not specifically enumerated in this section.

The following must be commenced within six years:

(1) Actions for any trespass to person or liberty, such as false imprisonment or assault and battery;

(2) Actions for any trespass to real or personal property;

(3) Actions for the detention or conversion of personal property;

(4) Actions founded on promises in writing not under seal;

(5) Actions for the recovery of money upon a loan, upon a stated or liquidated account or for arrears of rent due upon a parol demise;

(6) Actions for the use and occupation of land;

(7) Motions and other actions against the sureties of any sheriff, coroner, constable, or any public officer and actions against the sureties of executors, administrators, or guardians for any nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance, whatsoever, of their principal, the time to be computed from the act done or omitted by their principal which fixes the liability of the surety;

(8) Motions and other actions against attorneys-at-law for failure to pay over money of their clients or for neglect or omission of duty; and

(9) Actions upon any simple contract or speciality not specifically enumerated in this section.

Except as otherwise provided by law, the prosecution of all felonies, except those specified in Section 15-3-3, Section 15-3-5, or any other felony that has a specified limitations period, shall be commenced within five years after the commission of the offense.

(l) All actions for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract and not specifically enumerated in this section must be brought within two years.

Unless otherwise provided, the prosecution of all misdemeanors before a circuit or district court must be commenced within 12 months after the commission of the offense.

In actions seeking relief on the ground of fraud where the statute has created a bar, the claim must not be considered as having accrued until the discovery by the aggrieved party of the fact constituting the fraud, after which he must have two years within which to prosecute his action.

No action may be brought under this chapter more than one year after the person bringing the action discovers or reasonably should have discovered the act or practice which is the subject of the action, but in no event may any action be brought under this chapter more than four years from the date of the transaction giving rise to the cause of action unless the contract or warranty is for more than three years. If the contract or warranty is for more than three years, no action may be brought more than one year from the expiration date of the contract or warranty or more than one year after the person bringing the action discovered or reasonably should have discovered the act or practice which is the subject of the action, whichever occurs first. (Acts 1981, No. 81-355, p. 510, §14.)

The following must be commenced within six years: (1) Actions for any trespass to person or liberty, such as false imprisonment or assault and battery; (2) Actions for any trespass to real or personal property; (3) Actions for the detention or conversion of personal property; (4) Actions founded on promises in writing not under seal; (5) Actions for the recovery of money upon a loan

All actions for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract and not specifically enumerated in this section must be brought within two years.

(b) A tort claim against the United States shall be forever barred unless it is presented in writing to the appropriate Federal agency within two years after such claim accrues or unless action is begun within six months after the date of mailing, by certified or registered mail, of notice of final denial of the claim by the agency to which it was presented.

Actions based on fraud must be brought within two years after discovery.

For minors and those adjudicated as incompetent, the statute of limitations does not run until they reach the age of majority or are competent.

(a) An action by a representative to recover damages for wrongful act, omission, or negligence causing the death of the decedent under Sections 6-5-391 and 6-5-410 must be commenced within two years from the death. ... (k) All actions of libel or slander must be brought within two years. (l) All actions for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract and not specifically enumerated in this section must be brought within two years. (m) All actions for the recovery of wages, overtime, damages, fees, or penalties ... must be brought within two years. (n) All actions ... wherein a principal or master is sought to be held liable for the act or conduct of his agent, servant, or employee under the doctrine of respondeat superior must be brought within two years. (o) All actions commenced under Section 6-5-411 to recover damages for injury or damage to property of a decedent must be brought within two years.

Under Alabama's general criminal SOL, felony prosecutions must be commenced within five years after the commission of the offense, unless (a) the offense is listed in §15-3-3 or §15-3-5, or (b) the offense has its own specified limitations period elsewhere in Alabama law. For a Class B felony that is not specifically excepted, the 5-year period of §15-3-1 controls.

Under Alabama law, the residual statute of limitations for general personal-injury and negligence actions is two years from accrual: § 6-2-38(l) requires that all actions for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract and not specifically enumerated in § 6-2-38 must be brought within two years. Some torts (e.g., trespass to real property, fraud, and certain other claims at § 6-2-34) carry a longer six-year period, but the default tort/PI/negligence period in Alabama 

Under Alabama law, the statute of limitations for an action on an ordinary (unsealed) written contract is six years from accrual: § 6-2-34(4) imposes a six-year period on actions founded on promises in writing not under seal, and § 6-2-34(9) provides a residual six-year period for actions upon any simple contract or speciality not specifically enumerated in the section. Written contracts under seal (sealed specialties) fall outside § 6-2-34 and are governed by a separate, longer period under § 6

The baseline Alabama statute of limitations for civil personal-injury tort claims is two years under Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l). Alabama's equitable tolling doctrine operates through the statutory savings clause at § 6-2-3: where a defendant fraudulently conceals the existence of a cause of action, the limitations period does not begin to run until the plaintiff discovers — or with reasonable due diligence should have discovered — the concealed claim, at which point the plaintiff has two additional y

All legal service liability (legal malpractice) actions in Alabama must be commenced within 2 years after the act or omission giving rise to the claim. If the cause of action was not and could not reasonably have been discovered within 2 years, the action may be commenced within 6 months of discovery. In no event may the action be commenced more than 4 years after the act or omission (repose cap).

In Alabama, enforcement of a child support arrears judgment must be commenced within 20 years of entry of the judgment or order, under Ala. Code § 6-2-32's limitation for actions upon judgments or decrees of any court. Modification of a child support order is not subject to a fixed limitations period — it requires a showing of a material change in circumstances (Ala. Code § 30-3-5 and governing case law); there is no time bar on seeking modification so long as a material change is demonstrated.

Under Ala. Code § 15-3-2, the prosecution of all misdemeanors before a circuit or district court must be commenced within 12 months after the commission of the offense, unless otherwise provided by law. Alabama does not sub-classify misdemeanors into Class A/B/C in its criminal SOL chapter; § 15-3-2 is the single governing provision for all misdemeanor prosecutions (including what is elsewhere termed a petty or Class C misdemeanor) in circuit and district courts.

Statute of limitations for personal injury in US-AL is 2 years under Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l).

Statute of limitations for breach written contract in US-AL is 6 years under Ala. Code § 6-2-34(4) and § 6-2-34(9).

Statute of limitations for class b 2nd degree felony in US-AL is 5 years under Ala. Code § 15-3-1.

Statute of limitations for equitable tolling in US-AL is 2 years under Ala. Code § 6-2-38.

Alabama requires all legal service liability (legal malpractice) actions to be commenced within 2 years after the act or omission giving rise to the claim. A discovery extension allows filing within 6 months of discovery if the cause of action was not and could not reasonably have been discovered within 2 years. An absolute 4-year repose cap applies regardless of discovery.

Under the continuing violation doctrine in Alabama, the limitations clock measures from the last act in the ongoing series of violations. Alabama Code § 6-2-38(l) provides a 2-year SOL for all actions for injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract. For employment discrimination claims using the continuing violation theory, federal Title VII's 180/300-day administrative filing rule applies. This receipt receipts the underlying 2-year Alabama tort SOL as the baseline perio

Alabama Code § 7-2-725, which enacts UCC Article 2, sets a 4-year statute of limitations for breach of a contract for the sale of goods. A cause of action accrues when the breach occurs, regardless of the aggrieved party's knowledge. Parties may reduce the period to not less than one year by agreement, but may not extend it beyond four years.

Under Ala. Code § 6-2-34, actions founded on promises in writing not under seal, and actions for the recovery of money upon a loan, must be commenced within six years; a promissory note is a written promise to pay a loan, so an action on promissory-note debt is governed by this six-year period.

Under Ala. Code § 6-2-34(1), civil actions for any trespass to person or liberty — including assault and battery, which encompasses civil sexual assault/rape claims — must be commenced within six years.

In Alabama, an invasion-of-privacy claim is an injury to the rights of another not arising from contract and must be brought within two years under Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l).

Under Ala. Code § 6-2-34(2), actions for any trespass to real or personal property must be commenced within six years.

Under Ala. Code § 6-2-34(9), actions upon any simple contract or speciality not specifically enumerated in the section — including oral contracts — must be commenced within six years.

Credit-card and open-account debt rests on a contractual obligation governed by Ala. Code § 6-2-34, which sets a 6 years limitations period for contract actions.

Tortious interference with business relations is an injury to property/economic rights governed by the general tort limitations statute Ala. Code § 6-2-38, which requires suit within 2 years.

A Federal Tort Claims Act claim is forever barred unless presented in writing to the appropriate federal agency within two years after the claim accrues under 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b). This federal limitations period applies uniformly, including to FTCA claims arising in Alabama.

When any person is absent from the state during the period within which an action might have been commenced against him, the time of such absence must not be computed as a portion of the time necessary to create a bar under this chapter.