Guides

Deadlines and Limitations Periods

Time limits for records requests, reprisal complaints, claims against the government, enforcement, filings and publishing, with the governing provisions.

Version 1.10, October 2026. Cases were checked in Westlaw, including KeyCite history and pin cites, and statutes and regulations against official sources, in October 2026. Legal information, not legal advice; check every citation before relying on it. How citations are checked · Changelog.

These are the time limits that come up most often in the matters the site covers, gathered from the analyses and forms. Each row names the issue where the rule is discussed. Periods are stated as of October 2026; many have tolling rules, exceptions, or agency-specific variations, so read the cited provision before relying on a date.

Records requests

Matter Period Authority Issue
FOIA determination 20 working days after receipt (10 more in unusual circumstances) 5 U.S.C. §552(a)(6)(A)(i), (B)(i) Issue B1
FOIA expedited processing decision 10 calendar days §552(a)(6)(E)(ii)(I) Issue B1
FOIA administrative appeal At least 90 days after the adverse determination (agency rules set the exact period) §552(a)(6)(A)(i)(III)(aa) Issue B1
FOIA appeal decision 20 working days §552(a)(6)(A)(ii) Issue B1
Mandatory declassification review Final determination within one year; appeal within 60 days of a denial; appeal decision normally within 60 working days 32 C.F.R. §2001.33 Issue A2
State public records Varies; see the table in Form A4-2 State statutes Issue B1
UK freedom of information 20 working days Freedom of Information Act 2000 s. 10 Issue F6

Whistleblower reprisal

Matter Period Authority Issue
IC clearance reprisal, agency appeal 90 days after notice of the adverse decision 50 U.S.C. §3341(j) Issue C1
IC clearance reprisal, appeal to the DNI 60 days after the final agency decision §3341(j) Issue C1
Service member reprisal complaint IG need not investigate after one year from awareness of the action 10 U.S.C. §1034(c)(5) Issue C1
Federal civilian, MSPB appeal after OSC 65 days after OSC’s closure letter, or any time after 120 days with no OSC decision 5 U.S.C. §1214(a)(3); 5 C.F.R. §1209.5 Issue C1
DoD, NASA, Coast Guard contractor employee Complaint within 3 years; suit after 210 days without relief, within 2 years after exhaustion 10 U.S.C. §4701 Issue C1
Civilian-agency contractor employee Same structure 41 U.S.C. §4712 Issue C1
False Claims Act retaliation 3 years after the retaliation 31 U.S.C. §3730(h)(3) Issue C1
Sarbanes-Oxley retaliation Complaint to the Secretary of Labor within 180 days; court after 180 days without a final decision 18 U.S.C. §1514A(b) Issue C1
Air carrier employees (AIR21) Complaint within 90 days of the violation; objections to OSHA findings within 30 days 49 U.S.C. §42121(b)(1), (b)(2)(A) Issue D7

Security clearances and aviation certificates

Matter Period Authority Issue
Answer to a DOHA Statement of Reasons 20 days from receipt; request the hearing in the answer DoDD 5220.6 ¶E3.1.4 Issue C5
DOHA appeal Notice within 15 days of the decision; brief within 45 days ¶¶E3.1.28, E3.1.30 Issue C5
Documents behind a federal clearance denial Within 30 days of a request Exec. Order 12968 §5.2(a)(2) Issue C5
ASRS report for waiver of FAA sanctions 10 days after the event AC 00-46F ¶12.3.4 Issue D7
Response to an FAA letter of investigation (optional) 30 days after receipt Pilot’s Bill of Rights §2(b)(6) Issue D7

Claims against the government

Matter Period Authority Issue
FTCA administrative claim 2 years after accrual (accrual can run from discovery of the government’s role) 28 U.S.C. §2401(b); United States v. Kubrick, 444 U.S. 111 (1979) Issue D5
FTCA suit 6 months after a written denial; the claimant may treat six months without decision as a denial §§2401(b), 2675(a) Issue D5
Takings and other Tucker Act claims 6 years 28 U.S.C. §2501 Issue E1
APA review 6 years 28 U.S.C. §2401(a) Issue A3
Invention secrecy order compensation From notice of allowability until 6 years after the patent issues 35 U.S.C. §183 Issue E2
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Fund extended to December 31, 2028 Pub. L. 119-21, §§100201-100205 Issue D5

Criminal and civil enforcement

Matter Period Authority Issue
Most federal offenses, including false statements and obstruction 5 years 18 U.S.C. §3282 Issue D3
Major fraud against the United States 7 years 18 U.S.C. §1031(f) Issue D3
False Claims Act 6 years, or 3 years from the responsible official’s knowledge, never more than 10 31 U.S.C. §3731(b) Issue D2
Contractor mandatory disclosure “Timely” disclosure of credible evidence FAR 52.203-13(b)(3)(i) Issue D2

Litigation and corporate filings

Matter Period Authority Issue
Notice of public-authority defense Within the time for pretrial motions; government response within 14 days Fed. R. Crim. P. 12.3 Issue A2
CIPA notice of intent to disclose Within the time the court sets, or 30 days before trial CIPA §5(a) Issue C3
Answer to a complaint 21 days after service, or 60 days if service was waived Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(a) Issue E6
Form 8-K 4 business days after the event Form 8-K, General Instruction B.1 Issue E4
Notice to Attorney General of a congressional immunity request At least 10 days before the order is sought 18 U.S.C. §6005(b)(3), (c) Issue B3

Publishing

Matter Period Authority Issue
California correction demand Demand within 20 days of learning of the publication; correction within three weeks of the demand Cal. Civ. Code §48a Issue G1
California lawyer advertising Keep each advertisement for one year Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §6159.1 Issue G2
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