A statute of limitations is a law that sets a time limit on how long you have to file a lawsuit.  The time period begins to run on the date the claim “accrues” like the date that a contract is breached.  If the statute of limitations has “run” (expired), then the lawsuit is time-barred and it is too late to file the lawsuit.   There are different time limits for different causes of action.    Most of the civil statutes of limitations are found in Article 2 of the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR).

Breach of Contract  – 6 years   CPLR § 213(2)

Account Stated  – 6 years   CPLR § 213(2)

Debt Collection  – 6 years   CPLR § 213(2)

Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing  – 6 years   CPLR § 213(2)

Fraud, 6 years – CPLR §213(8)

Enforcing Court Judgments, 20 years – CPLR § 211(b)

Property Damage, 3 years – CPLR § 214(4)

Trespass, 3 years – CPLR § 214(4)

Mortgages 6 years – CPLR § 213(4)

Accounting, 6 years – CPLR § 213(1); See Vays v. 139 Emerson Place, 94 A.D.3d 480, 481 (1st Dept. 2012)

Declaratory Judgment – No general period of limitation in CPLR.  Look to the underlying claim and the nature of the relief sought to determine the applicable time period.  Otherwise, the six-year catch-all applies.Vigilant Insurance Co. of America v. Housing Authority, 87 N.Y.2d 36, 40-41 (1995).

Promisory Estoppel, 6 years – CPLR § 213(1); Enzinna v D’Youville Coll., 34 Misc. 3d 1223(A), 946 N.Y.S.2d 66 at n.1 (Supr. Ct. Erie Cty June 8, 2010); Huang v. Siam Commercial Bank Pub. Co., 247 Fed. Appx. 299, 301 n.2 (2d Cir. 2007).