Pennsylvania · Deadline to sue · Updated Oct 2026
Deadline to sue after a car accident in Pennsylvania
Time limits, government claims and a calculator.
Short answer
In Pennsylvania, you generally have 2 years from the crash to sue, for car damage and for an injury. Before suing a government unit (city, township, county, state agency) for injury or property damage, file a written statement with that government unit within 6 months; for a Commonwealth agency, also file it with the Attorney General (42 Pa.C.S. § 5522).
- Property damage (your car)
- 2 years
- Injury
- 2 years
- Law
- 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(2), (3), (7)
- Small claims limit
- $12,000
Claims against a government in Pennsylvania
- Before suing a government unit (city, township, county, state agency) for injury or property damage, file a written statement with that government unit within 6 months; for a Commonwealth agency, also file it with the Attorney General (42 Pa.C.S. § 5522).
Shorter time limits to watch in Pennsylvania
- Crash report: If police were required to investigate (injury, death or a tow-away) but did not, each driver must send a written crash report to PennDOT within 5 days.
More facts for Pennsylvania
- Your choice of 'limited tort' or 'full tort' on your own policy decides whether you can sue for pain and suffering after a minor injury (75 Pa.C.S. § 1705).
- If you deal with the other driver's insurer without a lawyer, the insurer must warn you in writing at least 60 days before the deadline to sue may run out if it is still negotiating with you (31 Pa. Code § 146.7(e)).
Deadline to sue in Pennsylvania
Protecting your deadline in Pennsylvania
- Deadline for both kinds of claim in Pennsylvania: 2 years.
- If a government was involved, act fast. Before suing a government unit (city, township, county, state agency) for injury or property damage, file a written statement with that government unit within 6 months; for a Commonwealth agency, also file it with the Attorney General (42 Pa.C.S. § 5522).
- Small claims, for car damage up to $12,000: Pennsylvania small claims guide on Small Claims Map
- Don't wait for the insurer: talks with an adjuster don't stop the clock.
Free help in Pennsylvania
Questions about deadlines to sue in Pennsylvania
How long do you have to sue after a car accident in Pennsylvania?
2 years from the crash, for car damage and for an injury (42 Pa.C.S. § 5524(2), (3), (7)).
How do claims against a government work in Pennsylvania?
Before suing a government unit (city, township, county, state agency) for injury or property damage, file a written statement with that government unit within 6 months; for a Commonwealth agency, also file it with the Attorney General (42 Pa.C.S. § 5522).
What is the small claims limit in Pennsylvania?
$12,000 (Magisterial District Courts and Philadelphia Municipal Court).
More for Pennsylvania drivers
- All car accident rules in Pennsylvania
- Comparative fault
- Reporting a crash
- Uninsured driver
- Deadlines to sue in every state
- Small claims court for car damage
- Fault and payout explainer
- Insurance claim letter
- Police report request letter
Nearby states
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 3746 (notice to police)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 3747 (driver's written report)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1702 (financial responsibility amounts)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1705 (tort options)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1711 (required medical benefit)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1731 (UM/UIM offer)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1753 (Assigned Claims Plan benefits)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1786 (penalties)
- 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102 (comparative negligence)
- 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 (two years)
- 42 Pa.C.S. § 5522 (notice to government unit)
- 31 Pa. Code § 146.5
- 31 Pa. Code § 146.7
- PSP: Request a copy of a vehicle crash report
- PA Insurance Department: complaints, questions, help
Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.