Western Australian Current Acts

LIMITATION ACT 2005

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   PART 1 -- Preliminary  

   1.      Short title
            
   2.      Commencement
            
   3.      Interpretation
            
   4.      Application of limitation periods under this Act
            
   5.      Actions other than personal injury actions do not revive
            
   6.      Personal injury actions -- accrual, limitation periods
            
   6A.     Special provisions for child sexual abuse actions: no limitation period
            
   7.      Special provisions for certain personal injury actions relating to childbirth
            
   8.      Special provisions for certain defamation actions
            
   9.      Limitation periods under other written laws
            
   10.     Application to Crown

   PART 2 -- Limitation periods

           Division 1 -- Preliminary  

   11.     Limitation periods under this Part are extendable etc. under Part
            
   12.     When actions commence

           Division 2 -- General limitation period  

   13.     General limitation period -- 6 years

           Division 3 -- Limitation periods for particular causes of action  

   14.     Personal injury, Fatal Accidents Act 1959 actions -- 3 years
            
   15.     Defamation -- one year from publication
            
   16.     Trespass to the person etc. -- 3 years
            
   17.     Contribution between tortfeasors -- 2 years
            
   18.     Deeds -- 12 years
            
   19.     Recovery of land -- 12 years
            
   20.     Money secured on real property or on real and personal property -- 12 years
            
   21.     Interest secured on real property or on real and personal property
            
   22.     Interest secured on personal property
            
   23.     Possession -- 12 years
            
   24.     Foreclosure -- 12 years
            
   25.     Redemption -- 12 years
            
   26.     Accounts -- limitation period for the basis of the duty to account applies
            
   27.     Equitable actions (not analogous to other actions)
            
   28.     Tax mistakenly paid -- 12 months or as provided under other Act
            
   29.     Arbitration -- limitation period for corresponding civil proceeding applies

   PART 3 -- Extension or shortening of limitation periods

           Division 1 -- Extension for persons under 18 years when cause of action accrues  

   30.     Limitation periods applicable to persons under 15 when cause of action accrues
            
   31.     Limitation periods applicable to persons between 15 and 18 when cause of action accrues
            
   32.     Suspension of time while person under 18 is without guardian
            
   33.     Defendant in close relationship with person under 18 when cause of action accrues
            
   34.     Defamation

           Division 2 -- Extension for persons with mental disability  

   35.     Suspension of time while person with mental disability is without guardian
            
   36.     Defendant in close relationship with person with mental disability
            
   37.     Defamation

           Division 3 -- Extension by courts  

   38.     Court may extend time to commence actions in cases of fraud or improper conduct
            
   39.     Court may extend time to commence actions for personal injury or under Fatal Accidents Act 1959
            
   40.     Court may extend time to commence defamation actions
            
   41.     Court may extend time to commence action by person under 18 when cause of action accrues, with guardian
            
   42.     Court may extend time to commence action by person with a mental disability, with guardian
            
   43.     Jurisdiction and procedure
            
   44.     Further matters for court’s consideration on extension applications

           Division 4 -- Extension or shortening by agreement  

   45.     Agreement to extend or shorten limitation period

           Division 5 -- Extension by confirmation  

   46.     Meaning of confirmation
            
   47.     Limitation period extended by confirmation
            
   48.     Formal requirements for acknowledgments
            
   49.     Who has benefit of confirmation
            
   50.     Who is bound by confirmation
            
   51.     Effects of certain kinds of confirmation

           Division 6 -- Extension of limitation periods -- other matters  

   52.     Persons with mental disability under 18 when cause of action accrues -- most beneficial limitation period applies
            
   53.     Limitation period in case of death of certain persons if cause of action accrues to certain other persons
            
   54.     Arbitration -- extension of limitation period

   PART 4 -- Accrual of particular causes of action

           Division 1 -- Accrual of certain causes of action other than to recover land  

   55.     Personal injury -- general
            
   56.     Personal injury -- asbestos related diseases
            
   57.     Survival of certain actions
            
   58.     Contributions between tortfeasors
            
   59.     Debts repayable on demand
            
   60.     Successive wrongs to goods
            
   61.     Equitable interests
            
   62.     Future interests of beneficiaries under trusts
            
   63.     Matters referable to arbitration
            
   64.     Arbitral awards

           Division 2 -- Accrual of certain causes of action to recover land  

   65.     Adverse possession
            
   66.     Dispossession or discontinuance
            
   67.     Deceased in possession
            
   68.     Grantor in possession
            
   69.     Future interests in land
            
   70.     Forfeiture
            
   71.     Rent wrongly paid
            
   72.     Tenancies
            
   73.     Beneficial co-owners of land

   PART 5 -- Effect of expiration of limitation period  

   74.     Time to commence actions may be extended despite extinguishment of rights
            
   75.     Extinguishment of right and title to land
            
   76.     No title by adverse possession against Crown
            
   77.     Future interests in land
            
   78.     Provisions in case of land held on trust

   PART 6 -- Miscellaneous  

   79.     Burden of proof
            
   80.     Grounds in equity upon which to refuse relief preserved
            
   81.     Counterclaims -- commencement
            
   82.     Joint causes of action
            
   83.     Joint liability
            
   84.     Formal entry and claim
            
   85.     Other beneficiaries
            
   86.     Limited right to recover tax
            
   87.     Limited operation of certain court orders as to refund of tax
            
   88.     Arbitrations -- commencement

   PART 7 -- Transitional provisions

           Division 1 -- Provisions for Civil Liability Legislation Amendment (Child Sexual Abuse Actions) Act 2018  

   89.     Terms used
            
   90.     Application of section 6A
            
   91.     Previously barred causes of action
            
   92.     Previously settled causes of action
            
           Uncommenced provisions table
           Defined terms