LIMITATION ACT 2005

Table of Provisions

• Long Title

PART 1 -- Preliminary  

• 1 Short title
 
• 2 Commencement
 
• 3 Interpretation
 
• 4 Application of limitation periods under this Act
 
• 5 Actions other than personal injury actions do not revive
 
• 6 Personal injury actions -- accrual, limitation periods
 
• 6A Special provisions for child sexual abuse actions: no limitation period
 
• 7 Special provisions for certain personal injury actions relating to childbirth
 
• 8 Special provisions for certain defamation actions
 
• 9 Limitation periods under other written laws
 
• 10 Application to Crown

PART 2 -- Limitation periods

Division 1 -- Preliminary  

• 11 Limitation periods under this Part are extendable etc. under Part
 
• 12 When actions commence

Division 2 -- General limitation period  

• 13 General limitation period -- 6 years

Division 3 -- Limitation periods for particular causes of action  

• 14 Personal injury, Fatal Accidents Act 1959 actions -- 3 years
 
• 15 Defamation -- one year from publication
 
• 16 Trespass to the person etc. -- 3 years
 
• 17 Contribution between tortfeasors -- 2 years
 
• 18 Deeds -- 12 years
 
• 19 Recovery of land -- 12 years
 
• 20 Money secured on real property or on real and personal property -- 12 years
 
• 21 Interest secured on real property or on real and personal property
 
• 22 Interest secured on personal property
 
• 23 Possession -- 12 years
 
• 24 Foreclosure -- 12 years
 
• 25 Redemption -- 12 years
 
• 26 Accounts -- limitation period for the basis of the duty to account applies
 
• 27 Equitable actions (not analogous to other actions)
 
• 28 Tax mistakenly paid -- 12 months or as provided under other Act
 
• 29 Arbitration -- limitation period for corresponding civil proceeding applies

PART 3 -- Extension or shortening of limitation periods

Division 1 -- Extension for persons under 18 years when cause of action accrues  

• 30 Limitation periods applicable to persons under 15 when cause of action accrues
 
• 31 Limitation periods applicable to persons between 15 and 18 when cause of action accrues
 
• 32 Suspension of time while person under 18 is without guardian
 
• 33 Defendant in close relationship with person under 18 when cause of action accrues
 
• 34 Defamation

Division 2 -- Extension for persons with mental disability  

• 35 Suspension of time while person with mental disability is without guardian
 
• 36 Defendant in close relationship with person with mental disability
 
• 37 Defamation

Division 3 -- Extension by courts  

• 38 Court may extend time to commence actions in cases of fraud or improper conduct
 
• 39 Court may extend time to commence actions for personal injury or under Fatal Accidents Act 1959
 
• 40 Court may extend time to commence defamation actions
 
• 41 Court may extend time to commence action by person under 18 when cause of action accrues, with guardian
 
• 42 Court may extend time to commence action by person with a mental disability, with guardian
 
• 43 Jurisdiction and procedure
 
• 44 Further matters for court’s consideration on extension applications

Division 4 -- Extension or shortening by agreement  

• 45 Agreement to extend or shorten limitation period

Division 5 -- Extension by confirmation  

• 46 Meaning of confirmation
 
• 47 Limitation period extended by confirmation
 
• 48 Formal requirements for acknowledgments
 
• 49 Who has benefit of confirmation
 
• 50 Who is bound by confirmation
 
• 51 Effects of certain kinds of confirmation

Division 6 -- Extension of limitation periods -- other matters  

• 52 Persons with mental disability under 18 when cause of action accrues -- most beneficial limitation period applies
 
• 53 Limitation period in case of death of certain persons if cause of action accrues to certain other persons
 
• 54 Arbitration -- extension of limitation period

PART 4 -- Accrual of particular causes of action

Division 1 -- Accrual of certain causes of action other than to recover land  

• 55 Personal injury -- general
 
• 56 Personal injury -- asbestos related diseases
 
• 57 Survival of certain actions
 
• 58 Contributions between tortfeasors
 
• 59 Debts repayable on demand
 
• 60 Successive wrongs to goods
 
• 61 Equitable interests
 
• 62 Future interests of beneficiaries under trusts
 
• 63 Matters referable to arbitration
 
• 64 Arbitral awards

Division 2 -- Accrual of certain causes of action to recover land  

• 65 Adverse possession
 
• 66 Dispossession or discontinuance
 
• 67 Deceased in possession
 
• 68 Grantor in possession
 
• 69 Future interests in land
 
• 70 Forfeiture
 
• 71 Rent wrongly paid
 
• 72 Tenancies
 
• 73 Beneficial co-owners of land

PART 5 -- Effect of expiration of limitation period  

• 74 Time to commence actions may be extended despite extinguishment of rights
 
• 75 Extinguishment of right and title to land
 
• 76 No title by adverse possession against Crown
 
• 77 Future interests in land
 
• 78 Provisions in case of land held on trust

PART 6 -- Miscellaneous  

• 79 Burden of proof
 
• 80 Grounds in equity upon which to refuse relief preserved
 
• 81 Counterclaims -- commencement
 
• 82 Joint causes of action
 
• 83 Joint liability
 
• 84 Formal entry and claim
 
• 85 Other beneficiaries
 
• 86 Limited right to recover tax
 
• 87 Limited operation of certain court orders as to refund of tax
 
• 88 Arbitrations -- commencement

PART 7 -- Transitional provisions

Division 1 -- Provisions for Civil Liability Legislation Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse Actions) Act 2018  

• 89 Terms used
 
• 90 Application of section 6A
 
• 91 Previously barred causes of action
 
• 92 Previously settled causes of action
  Uncommenced provisions table Defined terms