Statute of Limitations for Unjust Enrichment / Restitution in Maryland

Overview

In Maryland, claims framed as unjust enrichment or restitution typically face a statute of limitations analysis that turns on how the claim is legally characterized and what limitations period Maryland courts apply.

For many restitution-style demands, Maryland courts apply the general limitations period for civil actions rather than a claim-type-specific clock. In other words, absent a special statutory rule for a specific category of claim, the analysis often defaults to Maryland’s general SOL period of 3 years.

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator can help you model that 3-year window and see how changing key dates (like the date of injury, demand, or accrual) affects the output.

Limation period

Default rule: 3 years (general SOL)

Maryland’s general statute of limitations for civil actions is 3 years under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106. For purposes of this guide, the key takeaway is:

• General/default SOL period: 3 years
• What changes the period: your claim’s accrual date (the date the cause of action “starts running”) and whether an exception tolls (pauses) or resets the clock.

What you need to calculate the deadline

To use DocketMath effectively, gather the dates that most directly affect accrual and filing timing, such as:

• Date the dispute arose (often tied to when the benefit was conferred, payment was made, services were performed, or the conduct causing the alleged inequity occurred)
• Accrual date (the earliest date a plaintiff could have sued on the theory)
• Any demand date (sometimes relevant in disputes where a demand precedes a remedy)
• Filing date you’re evaluating (or your internal target date)

Because unjust enrichment and restitution arguments are highly fact-dependent in how they’re pleaded, treat “accrual date” as the controlling input you’ll validate against the case timeline.

How the 3-year output typically behaves

In most straightforward scenarios under the general 3-year rule:

• If the claim accrued on June 1, 2022, the presumptive SOL deadline is June 1, 2025 (subject to tolling/exception rules).
• If the claim accrued on September 15, 2022, the presumptive deadline is September 15, 2025.

Those “anniversary date” deadlines are a baseline model. Maryland exceptions can modify them.

No special unjust enrichment sub-rule found

Based on the jurisdiction data provided for this article:

• No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for unjust enrichment/restition under a specialized limitations section.
• The general/default period therefore applies: 3 years under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106.

Key exceptions

Maryland’s limitations analysis is rarely just “3 years on the calendar.” Several doctrines may extend the time to sue (tolling) or affect when accrual starts. While this guide isn’t legal advice, you can use the checklist below to spot whether an exception could matter before you finalize your deadline.

Common categories to check

Use this as a practical “issue spotter” list:

A key “timeline pitfall” to avoid

When your accrual date is uncertain

If you’re unsure whether the clock starts:

• when money was paid,
• when services ended,
• when the benefit was received,
• when the relationship ended,
• or when a demand was made,

that uncertainty is exactly what you should model in DocketMath: run the calculation using multiple candidate accrual dates, then narrow based on your fact pattern and how the claim was pleaded.

Statute citation

The general statute of limitations period relevant to civil actions in Maryland is:

• Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106 — 3 years (general civil limitations period)

For the full statutory text reference used for this jurisdiction data, see:
https://codes.findlaw.com/md/courts-and-judicial-proceedings/md-code-cts-and-jud-pro-sect-5-106/?utm_source=openai

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you compute a deadline under Maryland’s general 3-year period and lets you see how changing inputs affects the output.

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

Suggested inputs to enter

1. Jurisdiction: US-MD (Maryland)
2. Statute / period basis: General SOL for civil actions (3 years under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106)
3. Accrual date: Use the date you believe the unjust enrichment/restitution claim accrued (this is typically the most sensitive input)
4. Tolling/exception adjustment: If you’re tracking a tolling event, input it only if you have a clear factual/legal reason tied to Maryland doctrine (otherwise keep it “no tolling” to see the baseline).

How outputs change

• If you move the accrual date forward by 30 days, the SOL deadline generally moves forward by about 30 days (for the baseline 3-year rule).
• If you apply a tolling period (pause), the deadline generally extends by the length of the pause.

To avoid “false precision,” run a baseline first, then re-run after you confirm or adjust the accrual date and any tolling facts.

Practical workflow

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — Tool comparison
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — How-to guide
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — Tool comparison