How to use the criminal statute of limitations calculator
United States law has no category of complaint crimes and no complaint period. In Korea and Japan certain offenses can only be prosecuted if the victim files a complaint within six months of learning who the offender is. Here the decision to charge belongs entirely to the prosecutor, a victim's complaint is not a condition of prosecution, and there is no six month window to miss. What does run against the case is the statute of limitations.
Pick the date of the offense and a category, and the tool shows the date by which an indictment or information generally has to be brought, along with the days already used. The period stays editable because state limitation periods differ from the federal ones and from each other.
Authority: 18 U.S.C. 3282(a) sets the general five year federal period, 26 U.S.C. 6531 six years for listed tax offenses, 18 U.S.C. 3293 ten years for bank fraud and arson affecting interstate commerce, and 18 U.S.C. 3281 and 3299 remove any limitation for capital offenses and certain terrorism and child sex offenses. Victims have separate participation rights under the Crime Victims' Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. 3771. Stated as of September 2026.
This calculator is for reference only and is not legal advice. Tolling, continuing offenses and state rules can move these dates, so consult a licensed attorney or the prosecuting office about your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
No. Reporting the offense to police or to a prosecutor's office starts an investigation, but charging decisions rest with the prosecutor, and courts have held that a private citizen has no judicially enforceable interest in the prosecution of another person.
Yes. Fleeing from justice tolls the period under 18 U.S.C. 3290, some offenses are treated as continuing until the last act, and DNA or wartime provisions extend others. Because these turn on the facts, treat the calculated date as a starting point for a conversation with counsel.