Turn a date into a deadline
Want the actual dates, not just the rule? The free filing-deadline calculator takes your accident date, state, and rail operator and estimates both your statute-of-limitations date and the short government notice window.
Full state-by-state table
The first column is the standard personal-injury statute of limitations, measured from the date of the accident. The second column is the typical government / transit-agency notice deadline — the short fuse that catches most people off guard.
| State | Injury deadline | If govt / transit agency involved |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years | ~6 months to 1 yr |
| Alaska | 2 years | Varies; file ASAP |
| Arizona | 2 years | 180 days notice of claim |
| Arkansas | 3 years | Varies |
| California | 2 years | 6 months (govt claim) |
| Colorado | 2 years | 182 days notice |
| Connecticut | 2 years | Varies; often short notice |
| Delaware | 2 years | 1 yr notice (some) |
| District of Columbia | 3 years | 6 months notice (WMATA) |
| Florida | 2 years | 3 yrs notice for govt |
| Georgia | 2 years | 6-12 months ante litem |
| Hawaii | 2 years | Varies |
| Idaho | 2 years | 180 days notice |
| Illinois | 2 years | 1 yr (local govt/transit) |
| Indiana | 2 years | 180-270 days notice |
| Iowa | 2 years | Varies |
| Kansas | 2 years | Varies |
| Kentucky | 1 year | 1 yr - very short |
| Louisiana | 1 year | 1 yr - very short |
| Maine | 6 years | 180 days notice (govt) |
| Maryland | 3 years | 1 yr notice (local govt) |
| Massachusetts | 3 years | 2 yrs presentment (MBTA) |
| Michigan | 3 years | Varies |
| Minnesota | 2 years | 180 days notice (govt) |
| Mississippi | 3 years | 90 days notice (govt) |
| Missouri | 5 years | 90 days notice (some) |
| Montana | 3 years | Varies |
| Nebraska | 4 years | 1 yr notice (political subd.) |
| Nevada | 2 years | Varies |
| New Hampshire | 3 years | Varies |
| New Jersey | 2 years | 90 days notice (NJ Transit) |
| New Mexico | 3 years | 90 days notice (govt) |
| New York | 3 years | 90 days notice + 1 yr 90 days (MTA) |
| North Carolina | 3 years | Varies |
| North Dakota | 6 years | Varies |
| Ohio | 2 years | Varies |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | 1 yr notice (govt) |
| Oregon | 2 years | 180 days notice (govt) |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | 6 months notice (SEPTA/govt) |
| Rhode Island | 3 years | Varies |
| South Carolina | 3 years | Varies |
| South Dakota | 3 years | Varies |
| Tennessee | 1 year | 1 yr - very short |
| Texas | 2 years | 6 months notice (govt/DART) |
| Utah | 4 years | 1 yr notice (govt) |
| Vermont | 3 years | Varies |
| Virginia | 2 years | Varies |
| Washington | 3 years | 60 days notice (govt) |
| West Virginia | 2 years | Varies |
| Wisconsin | 3 years | 120 days notice (govt) |
| Wyoming | 4 years | Notice required |
Special case: Amtrak and federal claims
Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation) is a federally chartered entity. Claims arising from Amtrak operations can implicate federal law and carry their own deadlines, frequently a two-year window. If you were a railroad employee injured on the job, your claim runs under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA), which has a three-year statute of limitations and works very differently from state workers' compensation. These distinctions are exactly why railroad-experienced counsel matters — see how to choose a train accident attorney.
Why the transit-agency clock is the dangerous one
Most U.S. commuter and subway rail is operated by public agencies protected by sovereign immunity. To sue them, the law typically requires a written notice of claim within a short window after the accident:
- New York (MTA, LIRR, Metro-North): notice of claim generally within 90 days; lawsuit within 1 year and 90 days.
- New Jersey (NJ Transit): notice within 90 days under the Tort Claims Act.
- Pennsylvania (SEPTA): written notice within 6 months.
- California (Metro, BART, Metrolink): government claim within 6 months.
- Massachusetts (MBTA): presentment requirements under the Tort Claims Act.
These deadlines are unforgiving. The single most valuable thing you can do after a train accident is calendar your notice deadline and contact an attorney well before it — ideally within days, not months.
Frequently asked questions
What is the statute of limitations for a train accident?
In most states it is two or three years from the accident date, ranging from one year (Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee) to six years (Maine, North Dakota). When a transit agency is the defendant, a much shorter 90–180 day notice deadline usually applies first.
Why is the deadline shorter against a transit agency?
Agencies like the MTA, NJ Transit, SEPTA and BART are government entities protected by sovereign-immunity laws that require a formal written notice of claim within a short window — often 90–180 days — before you can sue. Missing it can bar the claim entirely.
Does the deadline ever pause or extend?
Sometimes. Many states toll the clock for minors or for injuries that could not reasonably be discovered right away, and wrongful-death claims may run from the date of death. Exceptions are narrow — confirm with a licensed attorney.
