How Long Do You Have? California vs. Arizona vs. New Mexico
The headline number is easy. The deadlines hiding underneath it are what actually cost people their claims — and each of these states hides a different one.
| California | Arizona | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary injury claim | 2 years | 2 years | 3 years |
| Government claim notice | About 6 months | 180 days | 90 days |
| Dog bite | 2 years | 1 year for strict liability | 3 years |
| Medical malpractice | Its own rule, from discovery | 2 years, with discovery | Statute of repose from treatment |
| Wrongful death | 2 years from death | 2 years from death | 3 years from death |
New Mexico gives the most time, then takes it back
Three years for an ordinary claim is the most generous of the three. But New Mexico also has the shortest government notice period at 90 days, and medical claims run on a statute of repose that can start at the treatment rather than at discovery of the harm.
Arizona hides a one-year clock inside a two-year state
Arizona's strict-liability dog-bite claim — the stronger of the two dog-bite theories, because it does not require proving the owner knew — expires in one year rather than two. People read "two years", wait, and lose the better claim.
California’s trap is the government claim
Two years is the general rule, but the six-month presentation requirement for public entities runs first and is easily missed when it is not obvious a public entity was involved at all — a dangerous road, a public hospital, a contractor working for a city.
The practical rule
Treat the earliest plausible deadline as the real one, and find out early which clocks are running on your facts rather than which one applies to most people.
Read the detail for your state
This page compares. These go into what actually applies where you were hurt.
Common questions
Which state gives me the most time?
New Mexico, for an ordinary claim — three years against two. But it also has the shortest government-claim deadline of the three, so the answer flips depending on who caused the harm.
Does the clock start at the injury or when I found out?
Usually the injury, but all three recognize a discovery rule in appropriate cases, and medical claims often follow their own rule entirely.
Not sure which state’s law applies to you?
It is not always obvious — and it changes the answer. A free, confidential review sorts it out in about two minutes.
More state comparisons
- Can I Sue My Insurer Under a Statute? California vs. Arizona vs. New Mexico
- Can You Sue the Other Side’s Insurer? California vs. Arizona vs. New Mexico
- Which State Caps Your Damages? California vs. Arizona vs. New Mexico
- The Deadline That Ends Most Government Claims
- Dog Bite Law Compared: California, Arizona and New Mexico
General information, not legal advice. Every situation is different, and which state’s law applies is itself a legal question.