--- title: Atlas Commons research objects — civil statute-of-limitations deadlines for Virginia license: CC0-1.0 source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) --- # Atlas Commons research objects — civil statute-of-limitations deadlines for Virginia Virginia's civil statute-of-limitations periods for 9 common causes of action, each as a recorded claim carrying the statute citation and URL so a consuming agent can verify it at the cited code — plus the single interpretive L5 boundary: these are the statutes as written, NOT any person's actual deadline (accrual, the discovery rule, tolling, and statutes of repose are fact-specific legal determinations). The atlas informs and routes to counsel; it never computes a deadline. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026). CC0. ## Claims ### Virginia sets a 1 year civil statute of limitations for defamation (libel / slander) (Va. Code § 8.01-247.1) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-247.1, the civil statute of limitations for defamation (libel / slander) in Virginia is 1 year. Note: Covers libel, slander, insulting words, defamation.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-247.1/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for fraud (Va. Code § 8.01-243(A)) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-243(A), the civil statute of limitations for fraud in Virginia is 2 years. Note: Statute § 8.01-249(1) sets the accrual rule for fraud.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-243/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for medical malpractice (Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) & (C)) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) & (C), the civil statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Virginia is 2 years. Note: an outer statute of repose of 10 year(s) may also bar the claim; One-year extension from discovery for foreign object or concealment.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-243/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for personal injury (Va. Code § 8.01-243(A)) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-243(A), the civil statute of limitations for personal injury in Virginia is 2 years. Note: Covers all personal-injury theories of recovery.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-243/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 2 years (injury) / 5 years (property) civil statute of limitations for product liability (Va. Code § 8.01-243) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-243, the civil statute of limitations for product liability in Virginia is 2 years (injury) / 5 years (property). Note: Virginia has no general products statute of repose.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-243/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for wrongful death (Va. Code § 8.01-244) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-244, the civil statute of limitations for wrongful death in Virginia is 2 years. Note: Brought by personal representative under § 8.01-50.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-244/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 3 years civil statute of limitations for contract oral (Va. Code § 8.01-246(4)) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-246(4), the civil statute of limitations for contract oral in Virginia is 3 years. Note: Unwritten or unsigned contracts.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-246/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 5 years civil statute of limitations for contract written (Va. Code § 8.01-246(2)) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-246(2), the civil statute of limitations for contract written in Virginia is 5 years. Note: Signed written contract.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-246/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Virginia sets a 5 years civil statute of limitations for property damage (Va. Code § 8.01-243(B)) **RECORDED.** Under Va. Code § 8.01-243(B), the civil statute of limitations for property damage in Virginia is 5 years. Note: Five-year period for injury to property.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter4/section8.01-243/ Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Why these statute-of-limitations periods are NOT your deadline (the L5 boundary) **INTERPRETATION.** The periods above are the statutes Virginia has on the books. They do NOT tell you YOUR deadline. When a claim "accrues" (starts the clock), whether the discovery rule, tolling, a minor/incapacity, or a statute of repose changes it, and which cause of action even applies, are fact-specific legal determinations. A missed deadline can permanently bar a claim. This atlas informs and routes — it is not legal advice and not a substitute for a licensed attorney. If you may have a claim, consult an attorney in Virginia immediately; for free civil legal aid see this state's legal-aid page. Source: Justice Atlas framing (over the statutes above) — https://justice-atlas.ryanjhunter.workers.dev/ Falsifier: occurred=FALSE (a framing/legal boundary, not an event) and adjudged=FALSE (the atlas's reading, not a court's ruling on any case) — the lowest-warrant claim. The period+citation claims above are recorded statutes (verifiable at the cited code); this boundary is the only interpretation. --- Every claim above carries a four-status warrant (RECORDED / MODELED / DERIVED / INTERPRETATION) and a named source you can re-fetch — this is a research object, not a flat fact. Structured: `https://justice-atlas.ryanjhunter.workers.dev/justice/sol/va.jsonld` ## Data ### Civil filing deadlines in Virginia — statutes as written RECORDED statutes (verify at each cited code). Not your actual deadline — accrual, tolling, and which claim applies are fact-specific. Consult a licensed attorney. | Claim | Deadline | Statute | Notes | Warrant | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Defamation (libel / slander) | 1 year | Va. Code § 8.01-247.1 | Covers libel, slander, insulting words, defamation. | RECORDED | | Fraud | 2 years | Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) | Statute § 8.01-249(1) sets the accrual rule for fraud. | RECORDED | | Medical malpractice | 2 years | Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) & (C) | repose 10y; One-year extension from discovery for foreign object or concealment. | RECORDED | | Personal injury | 2 years | Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) | Covers all personal-injury theories of recovery. | RECORDED | | Product liability | 2 years (injury) / 5 years (property) | Va. Code § 8.01-243 | Virginia has no general products statute of repose. | RECORDED | | Wrongful death | 2 years | Va. Code § 8.01-244 | Brought by personal representative under § 8.01-50. | RECORDED | | Contract oral | 3 years | Va. Code § 8.01-246(4) | Unwritten or unsigned contracts. | RECORDED | | Contract written | 5 years | Va. Code § 8.01-246(2) | Signed written contract. | RECORDED | | Property damage | 5 years | Va. Code § 8.01-243(B) | Five-year period for injury to property. | RECORDED |