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England & Wales Breach of Contract Deadline Calculator
In England & Wales, a breach of a written contract generally must be filed within 6 years (Limitation Act 1980, s. 5 (12 years for deeds, s. 8)). Enter the date of breach to get the exact last day, accounting for leap years and weekend deadlines, then save it to your calendar.
England & Wales Breach of Contract deadline
Statute: Limitation Act 1980, s. 5 (12 years for deeds, s. 8) — 6 years.
For personal injury the 3 years can run from the date of knowledge (s. 14), and the court may disapply the limit (s. 33).
General information only, not legal advice. Limitation periods have exceptions (discovery rule, minors, incapacity, government defendants, tolling agreements, statutes of repose) — confirm the deadline with a licensed attorney in the jurisdiction.
General information and templates, not legal advice. Laws differ by jurisdiction and change; have a qualified lawyer review anything you rely on. Disclaimer
How the deadline is calculated
The limitation period is added in whole calendar years to the trigger date (same month and day). A 29 February trigger lands on 28 February in non-leap years. Where the last day falls when the court office is closed, proceedings issued on the next day it is open are generally treated as in time (Pritam Kaur v S Russell & Sons [1973]). Public holidays are not modelled.
Exceptions that change the deadline
- Discovery rule — the clock may start when the injury or breach was (or should have been) discovered.
- Minors and incapacity — the period is often paused (tolled) until the disability ends.
- Claims against government bodies — short notice deadlines apply. For personal injury the 3 years can run from the date of knowledge (s. 14), and the court may disapply the limit (s. 33).
- Statutes of repose and contractual limitation clauses can shorten the time.
General information only, not legal advice. Limitation periods have exceptions (discovery rule, minors, incapacity, government defendants, tolling agreements, statutes of repose) — confirm the deadline with a licensed attorney in the jurisdiction.
England & Wales limitation periods
| Case type | Years | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Injury | 3 | Limitation Act 1980, s. 11 |
| Breach of Contract | 6 | Limitation Act 1980, s. 5 (12 years for deeds, s. 8) |
| Property Damage | 6 | Limitation Act 1980, s. 2 (negligence) |