Every state runs its own workers' compensation system, with different deadlines for reporting an injury to your employer and for filing a formal claim. Missing either deadline can permanently end your right to benefits.

Two deadlines matter:

Reporting deadline — how long you have to notify your employer after a workplace injury or illness. In some states this is as short as a few days.
Statute of limitations — the maximum time to formally file a workers' compensation claim, typically 1 to 3 years.

Click any state name for a detailed guide, or the source link to go straight to that state's official agency.

State	Reporting Deadline	Statute of Limitations	Official Source	Notes
Alabama	5 days	2 years	alabama.gov	Must report injury to employer within 5 days. Statute of limitations is 2 years from date of injury to file a claim.
Alaska	30 days	2 years	labor.alaska.gov	Must report injury as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Arizona	Day of injury or immediately after	1 year	azica.gov	Must report injury to employer immediately or no later than the day of injury. Statute of limitations is 1 year.
Arkansas	Day of injury	2 years	arcourts.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
California	30 days	1 year	dir.ca.gov/dwc	Must report injury to employer within 30 days. Statute of limitations is 1 year from date of injury.
Colorado	4 days (for lost time) or immediate (for fatality)	2 years	colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/dwc	For injuries resulting in lost work time, must report within 4 days. For fatality cases, must report immediately. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Connecticut	Immediate	1 year	wcc.state.ct.us	Must report injury to employer immediately. Statute of limitations is 1 year.
Delaware	90 days	2 years	odi.delaware.gov	Must report injury to employer within 90 days. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Florida	30 days	2 years	myfloridacfo.com/division/wc	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident or when aware of occupational disease. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Georgia	30 days	1 year	sbwc.georgia.gov	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 1 year.
Hawaii	7 days	2 years	labor.hawaii.gov/wcd	Must report injury to employer within 7 days (excluding Sundays and holidays) after accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Idaho	60 days	2 years	iic.idaho.gov	Must report injury to employer within 60 days of accident or when aware of occupational disease. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Illinois	45 days	3 years	www2.illinois.gov/iwcc	Must report injury to employer within 45 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 3 years from date of injury or last payment of compensation.
Indiana	30 days	2 years	in.gov/wcb	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Iowa	90 days	2 years	wcd.iowa.gov	Must report injury to employer within 90 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Kansas	20 days	3 years	dol.ks.gov	Must report injury to employer within 20 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 3 years.
Kentucky	Day of injury	2 years	labor.ky.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Louisiana	30 days	2 years	lawork.net/wc	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Maine	7 days	2 years	maine.gov/wcb	Must report injury to employer within 7 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Maryland	10 days	2 years	wcc.state.md.us	Must report injury to employer within 10 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Massachusetts	Day of injury or immediately after	4 years	mass.gov/orgs/department-of-industrial-accidents	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs or immediately after. Statute of limitations is 4 years.
Michigan	90 days	2 years	michigan.gov/wca	Must report injury to employer within 90 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Minnesota	14 days	3 years	dli.mn.gov	Must report injury to employer within 14 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 3 years.
Mississippi	30 days	2 years	mwcc.ms.gov	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Missouri	30 days	2 years	labor.mo.gov	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Montana	30 days	2 years	dli.montana.gov	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Nebraska	Day of injury	2 years	nebraska.gov/workcomp	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Nevada	7 days	1 year	dir.nv.gov/wcs	Must report injury to employer within 7 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 1 year.
New Hampshire	2 years	3 years	nh.gov/labor	Must report injury to employer within 2 years of accident. Statute of limitations is 3 years.
New Jersey	14 days	2 years	nj.gov/labor	Must report injury to employer within 14 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
New Mexico	15 days	3 years	workerscomp.state.nm.us	Must report injury to employer within 15 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 3 years.
New York	30 days	2 years	wcb.ny.gov	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
North Carolina	30 days	2 years	ic.nc.gov	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident or when aware of occupational disease. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
North Dakota	Day of injury	2 years	nd.gov/workforce-safety	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Ohio	Day of injury	2 years	ohiobwc.com	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Oklahoma	30 days	2 years	ok.gov/wcc	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Oregon	90 days	2 years	oregon.gov/dcbs	Must report injury to employer within 90 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Pennsylvania	Day of injury	3 years	dli.pa.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 3 years.
Rhode Island	Day of injury	2 years	dlt.ri.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
South Carolina	90 days	2 years	wcc.sc.gov	Must report injury to employer within 90 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
South Dakota	3 days	3 years	dlr.sd.gov	Must report injury to employer within 3 working days of accident. Statute of limitations is 3 years.
Tennessee	Day of injury	1 year	tn.gov/workforce	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 1 year.
Texas	30 days	1 year	tdi.texas.gov/wc	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 1 year.
Utah	Day of injury	2 years	laborcommission.utah.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Vermont	Day of injury	6 years	labor.vermont.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 6 years.
Virginia	30 days	2 years	vwc.virginia.gov	Must report injury to employer within 30 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Washington	Day of injury	2 years	lni.wa.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
West Virginia	3 days	2 years	workforcewv.org	Must report injury to employer within 3 days of accident. Statute of limitations is 2 years.
Wisconsin	Day of injury	6 years	dwd.wisconsin.gov	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 6 years.
Wyoming	Day of injury	2 years	wyoworkforce.org	Must report injury to employer the same day it occurs. Statute of limitations is 2 years.

Deadlines summarized for general information as of July 2026. Special rules may apply to occupational diseases, death claims, minors, and uninsured employers. Always confirm with the official state agency or a licensed attorney.

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Workers' Compensation Deadlines by State

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