JUSTICE SHOULDN’T EXPIRE.
Criminal statutes of limitations can determine whether a survivor’s case may still be prosecuted years after sexual violence occurred. The rules are not consistent across the country.
This page focuses on criminal statutes of limitations for felony-level sexual offenses. It is an educational overview, not legal advice. Individual cases may depend on the exact offense, survivor age, when the offense occurred, DNA evidence, tolling rules, and changes in state law.
THE RULES CHANGE AT STATE LINES.
Select your state to review RAINN’s offense-by-offense database and statutory citations. Some offenses have no prosecution deadline; others have time limits or exceptions. The offense date, survivor’s age, and specific charge can change which rule applies. Database entries have their own update dates; a qualified attorney can help confirm the current law for an individual case.
FEDERAL LAW ALREADY GOES FURTHER.
Federal law does not impose a criminal limitation period on many felony sex offenses. Federal jurisdiction is limited, so these statutes do not replace state law for most sexual-assault cases.
18 U.S.C. § 3299
An indictment may be brought at any time, without limitation, for covered federal child-abduction offenses and felony offenses under specified federal sex-crime chapters, including federal sexual-abuse offenses and sex trafficking.
Read the federal statute18 U.S.C. § 3283
For an offense involving the sexual or physical abuse or kidnapping of a child under 18, a limitation period cannot bar prosecution during the child’s lifetime or for ten years after the offense, whichever is longer. Many felony child-sex offenses are separately covered by § 3299’s no-limit rule.
Read the federal statuteThe I AM JANE DOE Community supports eliminating criminal statutes of limitations for felony sexual offenses nationwide.
Ending a limitation period does not lower the burden of proof. Prosecutors would still have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and courts would still evaluate the evidence.
For criminal cases, lawmakers generally cannot revive a prosecution after the applicable limitation period already expired. Reform therefore matters before more cases become permanently time-barred.
THE DEADLINE IS NOT THE SAME AS THE EVIDENCE.
A statute of limitations answers whether a prosecution may legally begin. It does not answer whether evidence is sufficient, whether charges should be filed, or whether guilt can be proven. RAINN’s current policy position calls for eliminating or reforming criminal statutes of limitations for serious sex offenses.
Learn about the law in your state, share this page, and ask your state legislators to support eliminating criminal statutes of limitations for felony sexual offenses. You do not have to share your own story to advocate for change.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Pink marks the seven states identified in RAINN’s July 2026 guidance as having no criminal time limits for crimes or felonies broadly: Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Yellow highlights California’s removal of deadlines for specified felony sex offenses under Penal Code § 799, subject to its effective-date rules. Cyan marks the other states for offense-by-offense review, including offenses that may have no deadline. These colors summarize approaches, not the outcome of any individual case. This overview also draws on federal statutes. The state links are research starting points, not determinations about whether an individual case can proceed.
State laws are complex and change. This page links each state directly to RAINN’s state-law database so visitors can review offense-specific rules and statutory citations.
RAINN: Criminal Statutes of Limitations for Sex Crimes
RAINN: Recommendations to Eliminate Criminal Statutes of Limitations (July 2026)
18 U.S.C. § 3299
Last reviewed: October 7, 2026. This page is educational and is not legal advice.
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