Limitation Period Calculator — Time Limits to File in India
A claim filed after the limitation period is barred no matter how strong it is on the facts. The Limitation Act, 1963 sets a different period for each kind of proceeding, running from the date the cause of action arose. Select your claim type and that date to see where you stand.
AdvoMitra is a legal technology platform and is not a law firm. These tools and drafts are provided for general information. They are not legal advice, and no template fits every situation — have an advocate review anything you intend to rely on.
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Why limitation decides cases before the merits do
Limitation is not a technicality the court can overlook. Section 3 of the Limitation Act requires a suit filed after the prescribed period to be dismissed, even if the opposite party does not raise the point.
That makes the date your cause of action arose one of the most important facts in any matter — and one of the most frequently argued. In a money claim it is usually the date payment fell due. In a contract dispute it is the date of breach. In a property matter it can be the date possession was lost or the date a right was denied.
What can extend or restart the clock
A written acknowledgement of the debt, signed before the period expires, restarts limitation from the date of acknowledgement under Section 18. Part payment has the same effect under Section 19, provided it is recorded.
Time spent prosecuting a case in a court without jurisdiction can be excluded under Section 14. Where the person entitled to sue was a minor or of unsound mind, Section 6 allows the period to run from when the disability ends.
An appeal has the benefit of Section 5 — delay can be condoned for sufficient cause. A suit has no equivalent provision.
Where people get caught out
Assuming the period runs from the last conversation rather than the date of breach. Treating an email chain as an acknowledgement when it does not admit the debt. Waiting for a legal notice to be answered while the period quietly expires.
If you are anywhere near the limit, the safe course is to file and then negotiate, rather than negotiate and then find you cannot file.
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