Civil Deadlines for Sexual Assault in New York: The Adult Survivors Act and the Laws That Followed

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.⁠^[7] The New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline is 800-942-6906 (text 844-997-2121); the State's Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence says conversations are confidential, secure and available 24/7 in most languages.⁠^[8] The national hotline of the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is 800-656-HOPE (800-656-4673).⁠^[9]

The Adult Survivors Act window is closed.⁠^[1] The civil time limit that applies now depends on the claim: one year for an ordinary New York assault or battery action, twenty years for civil claims based on certain listed serious sex offenses, seven years under New York City's gender-motivated violence law, and three years for a sexual harassment claim under the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL).⁠^[2][3][4][6] In addition, a New York City law adopted in January 2026 opened a new, time-limited claim for older gender-motivated violence.⁠^[5]

This page covers civil deadlines only. A single event can support more than one kind of claim, each with its own clock, so the table below is the place to start.

What are the civil time limits now?

Claim	Layer	Time limit
Civil action for assault or battery (CPLR § 215(3))	New York State	One year.⁠[2]
The same, where a criminal action was commenced against the same defendant over the same event (CPLR § 215(8))	New York State	At least one year from the end of the criminal action; at least five years where the criminal action is for certain first-degree sex offenses.⁠[10]
Civil claim for injury from conduct that would constitute listed serious sex offenses (CPLR § 213-c)	New York State	Twenty years.⁠[3]
Gender-motivated violence law (N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 10-1104)	New York City	Seven years after the alleged crime of violence motivated by gender; nine years after an inability to sue caused by the resulting injury or disability, or by infancy, ends.⁠[4]
Gender-motivated violence that occurred before January 9, 2022 (N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 10-1104.1)	New York City	Not later than 18 months after Local Law 50 of 2026 took effect.⁠[5]
Sexual harassment under the NYSHRL, filed with the Division of Human Rights or in court	New York State	Three years.⁠[6]
Gender-based harassment under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), filed with the NYC Commission on Human Rights	New York City	Three years after the alleged harassing conduct.⁠[11]
Court action under the NYCHRL	New York City	Three years after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice.⁠[12]
Charge under Title VII filed with the EEOC	Federal	180 days, extended to 300 days where the person has first instituted proceedings with a state or local agency that has authority to grant relief.⁠[13]
Civil claim for non-consensual intimate images (Civil Rights Law § 52-b)	New York State	The later of three years after dissemination or one year after discovery.⁠[14]

What was the Adult Survivors Act, and is it still open?

The Adult Survivors Act is a New York State law, CPLR § 214-j, that revived civil claims for sexual offenses under article 130 of the Penal Law, and certain incest offenses, committed against a person aged 18 or older, where the claim would otherwise have been too late.⁠^[1] A revival or "lookback" law temporarily lifts an expired time limit so that an old claim can be filed.

The revival was temporary. The statute says a revived action "may be commenced not earlier than six months after, and not later than one year and six months after the effective date of this section."⁠^[1] The Act was signed on May 24, 2022, and took effect immediately, and the one-year filing window it created is closed.⁠^[1][15]

A common mistake. The Adult Survivors Act does not let a person sue now for an old assault: the State window is closed.⁠^[1] As shown on the State Senate's statute page in October 2026, CPLR § 214-j was last revised in May 2022 and provides only that one window.⁠^[15]

The Child Victims Act worked the same way for people who were under 18 at the time of the offense. Under the current text of CPLR § 214-g, revived suits could be commenced not earlier than six months and not later than two years and six months after that section's effective date, and that State window is also closed.⁠^[16]

What are the ordinary New York State time limits?

One year for assault and battery

Under CPLR § 215(3), an action to recover damages for assault or battery has to be commenced within one year.⁠^[2] It is not the only time limit that can apply.

More time when there was a criminal case

CPLR § 215(8) extends that period when a criminal action was commenced against the same defendant over the same event. The plaintiff then has at least one year from the termination of the criminal action to commence the civil action, even if the original time has already expired or has less than a year remaining.⁠^[10] Where the criminal action is for certain first-degree offenses, including first-degree rape and first-degree aggravated sexual abuse, the plaintiff has at least five years from the termination of the criminal action.⁠^[10]

Twenty years for listed serious sex offenses

CPLR § 213-c sets a much longer period for civil claims for injury suffered as a result of conduct that would constitute certain listed sex offenses, including first-degree rape and first-degree aggravated sexual abuse. Those claims may be brought within twenty years.⁠^[3] Two features of the section are easy to miss:

• The State statute allows the claim "against any party whose intentional or negligent acts or omissions are alleged to have resulted in the commission of the said conduct."⁠^[3]
• The State statute says nothing in it requires that a criminal charge be brought or a criminal conviction be obtained before a civil claim.⁠^[3]

The twenty-year period comes from a State law signed on September 18, 2019, which replaced a five-year period. That law applies to acts or omissions on or after its effective date, and to earlier acts or omissions where the statute of limitations in effect on the date of the act had not yet expired.⁠^[17] The section applies only to the offenses it lists.⁠^[3]

What does New York City's gender-motivated violence law add?

New York City has its own civil claim, separate from State law, for a person injured by a party who "commits, directs, enables, participates in, or conspires in the commission of a crime of violence motivated by gender."⁠^[18] The regular time limit is seven years after the alleged crime of violence motivated by gender occurred.⁠^[4] If the person was unable to sue because of injury or disability resulting from the acts, or because of infancy, the period is extended to nine years after that inability ends.⁠^[4]

The first City lookback window (closed)

Local Law 21 of 2022 revived time-barred claims under the City law and allowed them to be commenced "not earlier than six months after, and not later than two years and six months after, September 1, 2022", that is, from March 1, 2023, to March 1, 2025.⁠^[19] That City window has closed.⁠^[19]

The second City window (open as of October 2026)

Local Law 50 of 2026 added a new section, N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 10-1104.1. It gives a civil claim for a crime of violence motivated by gender that occurred before January 9, 2022, against any party who "commits, directs, enables, participates in, or conspires in" it.⁠^[5]

• When it opened. The local law "takes effect immediately," and it was adopted when the City Council repassed it over the Mayor's veto on January 29, 2026.⁠^[5]
• How long it lasts. Claims under the new City section "must be commenced not later than 18 months after the local law that added this section takes effect."⁠^[5]
• Earlier filers. A person who brought a claim on or after March 1, 2023, and on or before March 1, 2025, that would satisfy the new City section may amend or refile it to add a claim under that section.⁠^[20]

The local law states the length of the window, 18 months, and does not print a calendar end date.⁠^[5] Anyone relying on it should have the last day confirmed well in advance rather than counting it informally.

Two points that are easy to get wrong. The first City window closed on March 1, 2025, but Local Law 50 of 2026 then created a new claim for conduct before January 9, 2022.⁠^[19][5] And the new claim has no later opening date: the local law says it takes effect immediately.⁠^[5]

This guide does not cover court challenges to either City window. The guide to New York City's gender-motivated violence law explains what has to be shown and who can be sued.

What if the assault happened at work?

Then there may also be a claim against the employer under the anti-discrimination laws, on a different clock. The State's model sexual harassment policy lists rape, sexual battery and molestation among its examples of sexual harassment.⁠^[21]

Under New York State law, a sexual harassment complaint may be filed with the Division of Human Rights within three years, and a lawsuit under the NYSHRL may be brought in State court within three years.⁠^[6] The New York City and federal periods for a claim against an employer are in the table above.⁠^[11][12][13]

Complaining to the employer does not stop these clocks. The State's model policy says an internal complaint does not extend the time to file with the Division of Human Rights or in court.⁠^[22] See the guides to New York employment claim deadlines and to what counts as sexual harassment in New York.

Several related subjects sit outside this page. Rules that can pause or extend a civil time limit are covered in the guide to tolling and exceptions for late claims. Claims against a school district, county or other public body can involve extra written-notice steps, covered in the guide to notice of claim rules for public employers. Criminal time limits are a separate subject; the guide on when workplace sexual misconduct is also a crime explains how the criminal and civil tracks relate. For help finding a lawyer, see free and low-cost legal help for New York workers.