Washington · Deadline to sue · Updated Oct 2026
Deadline to sue after a car accident in Washington
Time limits, government claims and a calculator.
Short answer
In Washington, you generally have 3 years from the crash to sue, for car damage and for an injury. For a city, county or other local government, file a tort claim form first and wait 60 calendar days before suing; the deadline is paused during those 60 days (RCW 4.96.020(4)).
- Property damage (your car)
- 3 years
- Injury
- 3 years
- Law
- RCW 4.16.080(2)
- Small claims limit
- $10,000
Claims against a government in Washington
- For a city, county or other local government, file a tort claim form first and wait 60 calendar days before suing; the deadline is paused during those 60 days (RCW 4.96.020(4)).
- For the State, present the claim to the Office of Risk Management and wait 60 calendar days (RCW 4.92.110).
Deadline to sue in Washington
Protecting your deadline in Washington
- Deadline for both kinds of claim in Washington: 3 years.
- If a government was involved, act fast. For a city, county or other local government, file a tort claim form first and wait 60 calendar days before suing; the deadline is paused during those 60 days (RCW 4.96.020(4)).
- Small claims, for car damage up to $10,000: Washington 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 Washington
Questions about deadlines to sue in Washington
How long do you have to sue after a car accident in Washington?
3 years from the crash, for car damage and for an injury (RCW 4.16.080(2)).
How do claims against a government work in Washington?
For a city, county or other local government, file a tort claim form first and wait 60 calendar days before suing; the deadline is paused during those 60 days (RCW 4.96.020(4)). For the State, present the claim to the Office of Risk Management and wait 60 calendar days (RCW 4.92.110).
What is the small claims limit in Washington?
$10,000 for individuals, $5,000 for businesses.
More for Washington drivers
- All car accident rules in Washington
- 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
- RCW 46.52.030
- WAC 446-85-010
- RCW 46.29.090
- RCW 46.30.020
- RCW 48.22.030
- RCW 48.22.095
- RCW 4.16.080
- RCW 4.22.005
- RCW 4.96.020
- WAC 284-30-360
- WAC 284-30-370
- OIC – Mandatory auto insurance law
- OIC – Filing an auto insurance claim
- OIC – Hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver
- WA DOL – Reporting collision damage
- RCW 48.22.085 (PIP rejection)
- RCW 4.92.110 (claims against the State)
- WSP – WRECR / OMVCR collision reports
Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.