Quick Answer: Under section 12(1) the day the period runs from is excluded, so three years from a cause of action on 1 January 2023 expires on 1 January 2026. A written acknowledgement (s.18) or part payment (s.19) starts a fresh period — but only if it happened before the original period ran out.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Section 12(1) excludes the day from which the period is reckoned. Three years from a cause of action on 1 January 2023 therefore expires on 1 January 2026 — the anniversary itself is the last day you can file, not the day before.
Yes, but only if it was made before the original period expired. Section 18 gives a fresh period from the date of a written, signed acknowledgement of liability; section 19 does the same for part payment of principal or payment of interest. Neither can revive a claim that is already time-barred — a promise to pay after expiry does not restore the remedy.
Section 4 allows the matter to be instituted on the day the court reopens. The calculator shows the statutory expiry date; check it against the court calendar before relying on it.
Section 5 allows condonation of delay for appeals and applications on sufficient cause. It does not apply to suits — a suit filed out of time must be dismissed under section 3, however good the reason. Some statutes also set an absolute outer limit: section 34(3) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act allows a further 30 days "but not thereafter", which cannot be extended at all.
Section 12(2) excludes the time requisite for obtaining a copy of the decree or order when computing limitation for an appeal, revision or review. Enter the date the copy was applied for and the date it was ready, and those days are added to the expiry.
No. It covers the Articles of the Schedule most often used, plus three periods that live in their own statutes — cheque dishonour, consumer complaints and setting aside an arbitral award. Special statutes frequently override the Limitation Act, and the date a cause of action actually accrued is a question of fact and judgment. This is a planning aid, not advice on your matter.