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UK Act of Parliament
1980
United Kingdom
Limitation Act 1980
At a glance
What's here
2 compliance obligations, 5 practical guides across 3 topics · 10 journeys
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 2
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Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
1 guidesMentioned in related content
4 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — Ordinary Time Limits for Different Classes of Action
Actions for breach of commonhold duty
- Bring legal action for commonhold duty breaches within six years Any Person
Time limit for actions to enforce advowsons and extinction of title to advowsons.
- Bring legal action to enforce a right of patronage within specified limits Any Person
Browse 42 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Time limits under Part I subject to extension or exclusion under Part II.
Time limit for actions founded on tort.
Time limit in case of successive conversions and extinction of title of owner of converted goods.
Special time limit in case of theft.
Time limit for actions for defamation or malicious falsehood.
Special time limit for certain actions in respect of damage or defects in relation to buildings
Time limit for actions founded on simple contract.
Additional time limit for actions for damages for late payment of insurance claims
Special time limit for actions in respect of certain loans.
Time limit for actions to enforce certain awards.
Time limit for actions on a specialty.
Time limit for actions for sums recoverable by statute.
Special time limit for claiming contribution.
Special time limit for actions by insurers etc in respect of automated vehicles.
Special time limit for actions relating to construction products
Special time limit for actions in respect of personal injuries.
Actions in respect of defective products.
Actions against insurers etc of automated vehicles.
Actions in respect of personal injuries attributable to child sexual abuse
Dismissal of actions in respect of personal injuries attributable to child sexual abuse
Special time limit for actions under Fatal Accidents legislation.
Operation of time limit under section 12 in relation to different dependants.
Definition of date of knowledge for purposes of sections 11 to 12.
Special time limit for negligence actions where facts relevant to cause of action are not known at date of accrual.
Overriding time limit for negligence actions not involving personal injuries.
Time limit for actions to recover land.
Time limit for redemption actions.
Extinction of title to land after expiration of time limit.
Settled land and land held on trust.
Time limit for actions to recover rent.
Time limit for actions to recover money secured by a mortgage or charge or to recover proceeds of the sale of land.
Time limit for actions in respect of trust property.
Time limit for actions claiming personal estate of a deceased person.
Time limit in respect of actions for an account.
Time limit for actions to enforce judgments.
Administration to date back to death.
Cure of defective disentailing assurance.
Actions for recovery of property obtained through unlawful conduct etc.
Actions to prohibit dealing with property subject to an external request
Actions for recovery of property for purposes of an external order
Actions for exploitation proceeds orders
Actions relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles
Part II — Extension or Exclusion of Ordinary Time Limits
Browse 10 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Extension of limitation period in case of disability.
Extension for cases where the limitation period is the period under section 14A(4)(b).
Fresh accrual of action on acknowledgment or part payment.
Formal provisions as to acknowledgments and part payments.
Effect of acknowledgment or part payment on persons other than the maker or recipient.
Postponement of limitation period in case of fraud, concealment or mistake.
Discretionary exclusion of time limit for actions for defamation or malicious falsehood.
Discretionary exclusion of time limit for actions in respect of personal injuries or death.
Extension of time limits because of mediation in certain cross-border disputes
Extension of time limits because of alternative dispute resolution in certain cross border or domestic contractual disputes
Part III — Miscellaneous and General
Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
New claims in pending actions: rules of court.
Equitable jurisdiction and remedies.
Application to the Crown and the Duke of Cornwall.
Interpretation.
Saving for other limitation enactments.
Transitional provisions, amendments and repeals.
Short title, commencement and extent.
Schedules
Browse 37 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Provisions with Respect to Actions to Recover Land
Enactments Repealed
Where the person bringing an action to recover land, or...
Subject to paragraph 11 below, section 15(1) of this Act...
(1) An action to recover foreshore may be brought by...
Notwithstanding section 15(1) of this Act, where in the case...
Section 15(2) of this Act shall apply in any case...
Where any person brings an action to recover any land...
Where any person brings an action to recover land, being...
The right of action to recover any land shall, in...
(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, a tenancy from year...
(1) Where— (a) any person is in possession of land...
(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, a right of action...
(1) No right of action to recover land shall be...
Where any settled land or any land subject to a...
Transitional Provisions
Nothing in this Act shall affect the operation of section...
The amendment made by section 14(1) of the Limitation Act...
It is hereby declared that a decision taken at any...
(1) In section 33(6) of this Act the reference to...
Notwithstanding anything in section 29(7) of this Act or in...
Section 28 of the Limitation Act 1939 (provisions as to...
Section 37(2)(c) of this Act shall be treated for the...
In relation to a lease granted before the coming into...
(1) Nothing in any provision of this Act shall—
Consequential Amendments
In section 10 of the Animals Act 1971 (application of...
In section 2(4) of the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act...
In section 88(4) of the Control of Pollution Act 1974...
In section 21A of the Administration of Estates Act 1925...
In section 2(1) of the Limitation (Enemies and War Prisoners)...
In section 3(4) of the Charitable Trusts (Validation) Act 1954...
In section 5(3) of the Carriage by Air Act 1961...
In section 7(2)(a) of the Carriage of Goods by Road...
In paragraph 7(6) of Schedule 3 to the Agriculture Act...
In paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 3 to the Mines and...
In section 25(5) of the Law of Property Act 1969...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Records Retention Schedule - Project Management function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - Policy function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - People Management function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - National Lottery function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - Licensing function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - Legal function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - IT function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - Information Management function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - Governance function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- Records Retention Schedule - Finance function (opens in a new tab) from Gambling Commission Detailed Guidance
- ... and 6 more
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