Massachusetts · statute of limitations

Statute of Limitations for Statute of Repose in Massachusetts

By DocketMath TeamUpdated April 8, 20267 min read

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

Overview

Massachusetts uses a 6-year general statute of limitations for the default rule in the provided jurisdiction data, and the governing statute is Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 277, § 63. This page covers the general limitation period reflected in DocketMath’s Massachusetts calculator, and no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found in the source data for this jurisdiction page.

In practical terms, the calculator helps you estimate the filing deadline by counting the applicable time period from the trigger date used for your claim. That trigger date matters because a deadline can change based on when the cause of action accrued, when the injury was discovered, or whether a statute creates a different rule.

Note: This page summarizes the default Massachusetts period in the provided data. If a claim has its own statute-specific deadline, that specific rule controls over the general period.

Deadline example

For a US-MA Statute of Repose limitations check, use the verified limitations period from the current rule packet: 3 years. The authority packet cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleV/Chapter260/Section2A).

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

How the DocketMath calculator works

DocketMath uses the date you enter as the starting point and applies the governing period to estimate the deadline. If you enter a later accrual date, the deadline moves later. If you enter an earlier date, the deadline moves earlier.

Typical inputs include:

Accrual date or trigger date: when the claim began for deadline purposes
Filing date: to check whether the case is timely
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Claim type: to determine whether the default rule applies or a specific deadline overrides it

Example calculation

If a claim accrued on March 15, 2020, and the applicable period is 6 years, the estimated deadline would fall on March 15, 2026.

That simple example assumes:

no tolling
no special statutory exception
no claim-specific shorter or longer deadline
the general rule applies

Worked example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Common ways the deadline can change

Claim-specific statutes: A special deadline can replace the default period.
Tolling rules: Certain events may stop the clock temporarily.
Accrual rules: The clock may begin later than the underlying event date if the legal trigger occurs later.
Disability or incapacity rules: Some statutes extend deadlines in limited situations.
Fraud-related timing rules: In some claims, concealment or delayed discovery can affect the calculation.

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

When the general rule should not be used

Do not use the 6-year default if your claim falls under a separate statute with its own timing rule. In those situations, the specific statute governs, and the default period becomes a fallback only if no special rule applies.

Statute citation

The jurisdiction data provided for Massachusetts cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 277, § 63 as the general statute and lists the general SOL period as 6 years.

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Sources and references

Start with the primary authority for Massachusetts and confirm the effective date before relying on any output. If the rule has been amended, update the inputs and rerun the calculation.

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2

Deadline example

Example inputs:

Accrual date: 2024-04-25
Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

Start with the accrual date.
Add 3 years.
The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Run the numbers for your matter against the verified rule for this jurisdiction.

See your deadline