Limitation Act 1980

Time limits under Part I subject to extension or exclusion under Part II

— s. 1 — Time limits under Part I subject to extension or exclusion under Part II (1) This Part of this Act gives the ordinary time limits for bringing actions…

Time limit for actions founded on tort

An action founded on tort shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued.

Time limit in case of successive conversions and extinction of title of owner of converted goods

(1) Where any cause of action in respect of the conversion of a chattel has accrued to any person and, before he recovers possession of the chattel, a further…

Special time limit in case of theft

(1) The right of any person from whom a chattel is stolen to bring an action in respect of the theft shall not be subject to the time limits under sections 2…

Time limit for actions for defamation or malicious falsehood

The time limit under section 2 of this Act shall not apply to an action for— (a) libel or slander, or (b) slander of title, slander of goods or other malicious…

Special time limit for certain actions in respect of damage or defects in relation to buildings

(1) Where by virtue of a relevant provision a person becomes entitled to bring an action against any other person, no action may be brought after the…

Time limit for actions founded on simple contract

An action founded on simple contract shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued.

Additional time limit for actions for damages for late payment of insurance claims

(1) An action in respect of breach of the term implied into a contract of insurance by section 13A of the Insurance Act 2015 (late payment of claims) may not…

Special time limit for actions in respect of certain loans

(1) Subject to subsection (3) below, section 5 of this Act shall not bar the right of action on a contract of loan to which this section applies. (2) This…

Time limit for actions to enforce certain awards

An action to enforce an award, where the submission is not by an instrument under seal, shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on…

Time limit for actions on a specialty

(1) An action upon a specialty shall not be brought after the expiration of twelve years from the date on which the cause of action accrued. (2) Subsection (1)…

Time limit for actions for sums recoverable by statute

(1) An action to recover any sum recoverable by virtue of any enactment shall not be brought after the expiration of six years from the date on which the cause…

Special time limit for claiming contribution

(1) Where under section 1 of the Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978 any person becomes entitled to a right to recover contribution in respect of any…

Special time limit for actions by insurers etc in respect of automated vehicles

(1) Where by virtue of section 5 of the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 an insurer or vehicle owner becomes entitled to bring an action against any…

Special time limit for actions relating to construction products

(1) An action under section 148 of the Building Safety Act 2022 shall not be brought after the expiration of 15 years from the date on which the right of…

Special time limit for actions in respect of personal injuries

(1) This section applies to any action for damages for negligence, nuisance or breach of duty (whether the duty exists by virtue of a contract or of provision…

Actions in respect of personal injuries attributable to child sexual abuse

(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act apply to an action to which this section applies. (2) This section applies to any…

Dismissal of actions in respect of personal injuries attributable to child sexual abuse

(1) This section applies where an action to which section 11ZA applies is brought after the expiration of the time limit that would apply but for that section…

Actions in respect of defective products

(1) This section shall apply to an action for damages by virtue of any provision of Part I of the Consumer Protection Act 1987. (2) None of the time limits…

Actions against insurers etc of automated vehicles

(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act shall apply to an action for damages under section 2 of the Automated and Electric…

Special time limit for actions under Fatal Accidents legislation

(1) An action under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 shall not be brought if the death occurred when the person injured could no longer maintain an action and…

Operation of time limit under section 12 in relation to different dependants

(1) Where there is more than one person for whose benefit an action under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 is brought, section 12(2)(b) of this Act shall be…

Definition of date of knowledge for purposes of sections 11 to 12

(1) Subject to subsections (1A) and (1B) below, in sections 11 and 12 of this Act references to a person’s date of knowledge are references to the date on…

Special time limit for negligence actions where facts relevant to cause of action are not known at date of accrual

(1) This section applies to any action for damages for negligence, other than one to which section 11 of this Act applies, where the starting date for…

Overriding time limit for negligence actions not involving personal injuries

(1) An action for damages for negligence, other than one to which section 11 or 11ZA of this Act applies, shall not be brought after the expiration of fifteen…

Time limit for actions to recover land

(1) No action shall be brought by any person to recover any land after the expiration of twelve years from the date on which the right of action accrued to him…

Time limit for redemption actions

When a mortgagee of land has been in possession of any of the mortgaged land for a period of twelve years, no action to redeem the land of which the mortgagee…

Extinction of title to land after expiration of time limit

Subject to— (a) section 18 of this Act;… (b) … at the expiration of the period prescribed by this Act for any person to bring an action to recover land…

Settled land and land held on trust

(1) Subject to section 21(1) and (2) of this Act, the provisions of this Act shall apply to equitable interests in land … as they apply to legal estates…

Time limit for actions to recover rent

No action shall be brought, and the power conferred by section 72(1) of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 shall not be exercisable, to recover…

Actions for breach of commonhold duty

An action in respect of a right or duty of a kind referred to in section 37(1) of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 (enforcement) shall not be…

Time limit for actions to recover money secured by a mortgage or charge or to recover proceeds of the sale of land

(1) No action shall be brought to recover— (a) any principal sum of money secured by a mortgage or other charge on property (whether real or personal); or (b)…

Time limit for actions in respect of trust property

(1) No period of limitation prescribed by this Act shall apply to an action by a beneficiary under a trust, being an action— (a) in respect of any fraud or…

Time limit for actions claiming personal estate of a deceased person

Subject to section 21(1) and (2) of this Act— (a) no action in respect of any claim to the personal estate of a deceased person or to any share or interest in…

Time limit in respect of actions for an account

An action for an account shall not be brought after the expiration of any time limit under this Act which is applicable to the claim which is the basis of the…

Time limit for actions to enforce judgments

(1) An action shall not be brought upon any judgment after the expiration of six years from the date on which the judgment became enforceable. (2) No arrears…

Time limit for actions to enforce advowsons and extinction of title to advowsons

(1) No person shall bring an action to enforce a right to present to or bestow any ecclesiastical benefice as patron of that benefice after the expiration of…

Administration to date back to death

For the purposes of the provisions of this Act relating to actions for the recovery of land and advowsons an administrator of the estate of a deceased person…

Cure of defective disentailing assurance

(1) This section applies where— (a) a person entitled in remainder to an entailed interest in any land makes an assurance of his interest which fails to bar…

Actions for recovery of property obtained through unlawful conduct etc

(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act applies to any proceedings under Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act…

Actions to prohibit dealing with property subject to an external request

(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act applies to any proceedings under Part 4A of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External…

Actions for recovery of property for purposes of an external order

(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act applies to any proceedings under Chapter 2 of Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act…

Actions for exploitation proceeds orders

(1) None of the time limits given in the preceding provisions of this Act applies to proceedings under Part 7 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (criminal…

Actions relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles

This Act has effect subject to section 43 of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.

Extension of limitation period in case of disability

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, if on the date when any right of action accrued for which a period of limitation is prescribed by this…

Extension for cases where the limitation period is the period under section 14A(4)(b)

(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, if in the case of any action for which a period of limitation is prescribed by section 14A of this Act— (a) the period…

Fresh accrual of action on acknowledgment or part payment

(1) Subsections (2) and (3) below apply where any right of action (including a foreclosure action) to recover land or an advowson or any right of a mortgagee…

Formal provisions as to acknowledgments and part payments

(1) To be effective for the purposes of section 29 of this Act, an acknowledgment must be in writing and signed by the person making it. (2) For the purposes…

Effect of acknowledgment or part payment on persons other than the maker or recipient

(1) An acknowledgment of the title to any land, benefice, or mortgaged personalty by any person in possession of it shall bind all other persons in possession…

Postponement of limitation period in case of fraud, concealment or mistake

(1) Subject to subsection (3)subsections (3), (4A) and (4B) below, where in the case of any action for which a period of limitation is prescribed by this Act…

Discretionary exclusion of time limit for actions for defamation or malicious falsehood

— s. 32A — Discretionary exclusion of time limit for actions for defamation or malicious falsehood (1) If it appears to the court that it would be equitable to…

Discretionary exclusion of time limit for actions in respect of personal injuries or death

— s. 33 — Discretionary exclusion of time limit for actions in respect of personal injuries or death (1) If it appears to the court that it would be equitable…

Extension of time limits because of alternative dispute resolution in certain consumer contract disputes

(1) In this section— “ADR” has the same meaning as in Chapter 4 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024; “ADR entity” means a…

New claims in pending actions: rules of court

(1) For the purposes of this Act, any new claim made in the course of any action shall be deemed to be a separate action and to have been commenced— (a) in the…

Equitable jurisdiction and remedies

(1) The following time limits under this Act, that is to say— (a) the time limit under section 2 for actions founded on tort; (aa) the time limit under section…

Application to the Crown and the Duke of Cornwall

(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, and without prejudice to section 39, this Act shall apply to proceedings by or against the Crown in…

Interpretation

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— “action” includes any proceeding in a court of law, including an ecclesiastical court (and see…

Saving for other limitation enactments

This Act shall not apply to any action or arbitration for which a period of limitation is prescribed by or under any other enactment (whether passed before or…

Transitional provisions, amendments and repeals

(1) Schedule 2 to this Act, which contains transitional provisions, shall have effect. (2) The enactments specified in Schedule 3 to this Act shall have effect…

Short title, commencement and extent

(1) This Act may be cited as the Limitation Act 1980. (2) This Act, except section 35, shall come into force on 1st May 1981. (3) Section 35 of this Act shall…

Sch. 1 para. 1

Where the person bringing an action to recover land, or some person through whom he claims, has been in possession of the land, and has while entitled to the…

Sch. 1 para. 2

Where any person brings an action to recover any land of a deceased person (whether under a will or on intestacy) and the deceased person— (a) was on the date…

Sch. 1 para. 3

Where any person brings an action to recover land, being an estate or interest in possession assured otherwise than by will to him, or to some person through…

Sch. 1 para. 4

The right of action to recover any land shall, in a case where— (a) the estate or interest claimed was an estate or interest in reversion or remainder or any…

Sch. 1 para. 5

(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, a tenancy from year to year or other period, without a lease in writing, shall for the purposes of this Act be treated…

Sch. 1 para. 6

(1) Where— (a) any person is in possession of land by virtue of a lease in writing by which a rent of not less than ten pounds a year is reserved; and (b) the…

Sch. 1 para. 7

(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, a right of action to recover land by virtue of a forfeiture or breach of condition shall be treated as having accrued…

Sch. 1 para. 8

(1) No right of action to recover land shall be treated as accruing unless the land is in the possession of some person in whose favour the period of…

Sch. 1 para. 9

Where any settled land or any land subject to a trust of land is in the possession of a person entitled to a beneficial interest in the land … (not being a…

Sch. 1 para. 10

Subject to paragraph 11 below, section 15(1) of this Act shall apply to the bringing of an action to recover any land by the Crown or by any spiritual or…

Sch. 1 para. 11

(1) An action to recover foreshore may be brought by the Crown at any time before the expiration of sixty years from the date mentioned in section 15(1) of…

Sch. 1 para. 12

Notwithstanding section 15(1) of this Act, where in the case of any action brought by a person other than the Crown or a spiritual or eleemosynary corporation…

Sch. 1 para. 13

Section 15(2) of this Act shall apply in any case where the Crown or a spiritual or eleemosynary corporation sole is entitled to the succeeding estate or…

Sch. 2 para. 1

Nothing in this Act shall affect the operation of section 4 of the Limitation Act 1963, as it had effect immediately before 1 January 1979 (being the date on…

Sch. 2 para. 2

The amendment made by section 14(1) of the Limitation Act 1963 in section 5 of the Limitation (Enemies and War Prisoners) Act 1945 (which provides that section…

Sch. 2 para. 3

It is hereby declared that a decision taken at any time by a court to grant, or not to grant, leave under Part I of the Limitation Act 1963 (which, so far as…

Sch. 2 para. 4

(1) In section 33(6) of this Act the reference to section 1(1) of the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 shall be construed as including a reference to section 1 of the…

Sch. 2 para. 5

Notwithstanding anything in section 29(7) of this Act or in the repeals made by this Act, the Limitation Act 1939 shall continue to have effect in relation to…

Sch. 2 para. 6

Section 28 of the Limitation Act 1939 (provisions as to set-off or counterclaim) shall continue to apply (as originally enacted) to any claim by way of set-off…

Sch. 2 para. 7

Section 37(2)(c) of this Act shall be treated for the purposes of the Hovercraft Act 1968 as if it were contained in an Act passed before that Act.

Sch. 2 para. 8

In relation to a lease granted before the coming into force of section 3(2) of the Limitation Amendment Act 1980 (which substituted “ten pounds a year” for “…

Sch. 2 para. 9

(1) Nothing in any provision of this Act shall— (a) enable any action to be brought which was barred by this Act or (as the case may be) by the Limitation Act…

Sch. 3 para. 2

In section 21A of the Administration of Estates Act 1925 (debtor who becomes creditor’s executor by representation or administrator to account for debt to…

Sch. 3 para. 3

In section 2(1) of the Limitation (Enemies and War Prisoners) Act 1945 (interpretation), for the words “the Limitation Act 1939” in the definition of “statute…

Sch. 3 para. 4

In section 3(4) of the Charitable Trusts (Validation) Act 1954 (application of section 31(2) to (4) of the Limitation Act 1939 for purposes of that section)…

Sch. 3 para. 5

In section 5(3) of the Carriage by Air Act 1961 (application of time limit in that Act to arbitrations), for the words “section twenty-seven of the Limitation…

Sch. 3 para. 6

In section 7(2)(a) of the Carriage of Goods by Road Act 1965 (appliction of time limit in that Act to arbitrations), for the words “section 27 of the…

Sch. 3 para. 7

In paragraph 7(6) of Schedule 3 to the Agriculture Act 1967 (conditions applying to amalgamated agricultural units) for the words “the Limitation Act 1939”…

Sch. 3 para. 8

In paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 3 to the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969 (time limits for claims for compensation under that Act to be treated as if contained…

Sch. 3 para. 9

In section 25(5) of the Law of Property Act 1969 (accrual of cause of action to recover compensation for loss due to undisclosed land charges), for the words…

Sch. 3 para. 10

In section 10 of the Animals Act 1971 (application of certain enactments to liability under sections 2 to 4 of that Act) for the words “the Limitation Acts…

Sch. 3 para. 11

In section 2(4) of the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972 (civil liability under that Act) for the words from “the Limitation Acts 1939 and 1963” to “1954”…

Sch. 3 para. 12

In section 88(4) of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (civil liability under that Act) for paragraph (c) there shall be substituted the following paragraph—…