| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to consolidate the Limitation Acts 1939 to 1980. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1980 c. 58 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 13 November 1980 |
| Commencement | 1 May 1981 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repeals/revokes | |
Status: Amended | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
The Limitation Act 1980 (c. 58)[1] is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom applicable only to England and Wales. It is a statute of limitations which provides timescales within which action may be taken (by issuing a claim form) for breaches of the law. For example, it provides that breaches of an ordinary contract are actionable for six years after the event[2] whereas breaches of a deed are actionable for twelve years after the event.[3] In most cases, after the expiry of the time periods specified in the act the remedies available for breaches are extinguished and no action may be taken in the courts in respect of those breaches.
- ^ Limitation Act 1980 (c. 58) Archived 2008-04-08 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Limitation Act 1980, s. 5 Archived 2008-04-08 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Limitation Act 1980, s. 8 Archived 2008-04-08 at the Wayback Machine.