California Government Code § 911.2

Under California Government Code § 911.2, a claim for injury or death against a California government entity must be filed within six months of the incident — a far shorter deadline than the two-year limit for private defendants. Missing it usually bars the claim.

Reviewed against the current statutory text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. This page is legal information, not legal advice.

Exact Statute Text

Read the full, current section at the official source: Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2 (leginfo).

In Plain English

• Six-month deadline to file a government claim for personal injury, death, or personal-property damage.
• One year for most other claims against a public entity.
• File the claim first: you generally cannot sue a public entity until you have presented (and it has acted on) the claim.
• Strict: missing the deadline usually bars the case, though a late-claim application is sometimes possible.

Key Terms Defined

Government claim

A formal claim that must be presented to a public entity before you can sue it.

Accrual

When the cause of action arises — usually the date of injury — starting the six-month clock.

Public entity

A state, county, city, or district against which the claim requirement applies.

Purpose & Context

Section 911.2 gives public entities early notice of claims so they can investigate. For injured people it is a critical trap: the six-month window is far shorter than the ordinary two-year deadline and is easy to miss.

Real-World Example

A driver is injured by a city vehicle. Even though private injury claims have two years, § 911.2 requires a government claim within six months of the crash — miss it, and the claim against the city is usually barred.

Government Code § 911.2 deadlines

Related California Statutes

• Gov. Code § 835 — dangerous public property
• CCP § 335.1 — the 2-year private deadline
• California car accident lawyer

Why 911.2 Matters

For injured people & families

If a government vehicle, road, or agency was involved, the six-month deadline — not two years — controls, so getting advice immediately is critical. See our California injury lawyer page.

For defendants

Failure to timely present a government claim is a complete defense for a public entity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to sue a government entity in California?

You must present a government claim within six months of the injury under Gov. Code § 911.2 before you can file suit.

Is the deadline really only six months?

Yes, for injury, death, and personal-property claims. Most other claims have a one-year deadline.

What if I missed the six-month deadline?

You may be able to file a late-claim application, but options are limited — act immediately.

Does this apply to city and county claims too?

Yes. It applies to state, county, city, and district public entities.