Tennessee Criminal Statute of Limitations Laws

By Christie Nicholson, J.D. | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff | Last reviewed April 30, 2025

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Every state has laws dictating how long prosecutors must file criminal charges against a would-be defendant. These laws are criminal statutes of limitations. Like every other state, Tennessee has laws that impose specific time limits on prosecutors hoping to pursue a criminal case.

Here, we’ll explain the statute of limitations periods for the most common crimes and misdemeanors in the state of Tennessee and offer links to other FindLaw resources on this and related topics.

Contact an experienced Tennessee criminal defense attorney if you’re facing criminal charges.

Criminal Statute of Limitations in Tennessee: Overview

The Tennessee Code imposes strict filing deadlines on state prosecutors. If the state doesn’t file charges within a certain period of time, it loses the right to do so. Of course, lawmakers deem some crimes so severe that there are no statutes of limitations. Murder is an example of one of these crimes.

Under Tennessee law, the statute of limitations does not apply to crimes punishable by death or life imprisonment. Other felonies have statutes of limitations ranging from two to 15 years. Most misdemeanors in the state have a 12-month time limit.

The following chart details the various time limits for filing criminal charges in Tennessee.

Tennessee code section	Tenn. Code Ann. Sections 40-2-101 to 40-2-106
Felony offenses	Crimes punishable by death or life in prison, aggravated rape, and rape: None Class A felonies: 15 years Class B felonies: Eight years Class C or D felonies: Four years Class E felonies: Two years Revenue law offenses: Three years (generally) Specific revenue offenses have a six-year statute of limitations, including: Defrauding the state or its agencies Tax evasion Preparing a false or fraudulent tax return Arson: Eight years
Misdemeanors	One-year statute of limitations for most misdemeanors
Crimes against children	There is no statute of limitations for the following crimes involving a child in Tennessee (subject to applicable time limits set by law before July 1, 2019): Sex trafficking Aggravated rape Rape Sexual battery Statutory rape of a child Aggravated statutory rape Felonious indecent exposure Prostitution Sexual abuse Solicitation Incest Sexual exploitation
Acts during which statute does not run	When the suspect conceals the crime When the suspect resides out of state

Disclaimer: State laws constantly change. FindLaw does its best to update state laws regularly, but they may not always reflect recent changes. Contact a Tennessee criminal defense attorney or conduct legal research to verify your state laws.

What Is the Purpose of Time Limits for Criminal Charges?

The criminal statute of limitations encourages an efficient criminal justice system and discourages the constant threat of arrest. It seems only fair that the state take action within a reasonable time frame. Otherwise, potential criminal defendants would have the threat of criminal charges over their heads for years or decades.

Statutes of limitations also help judges and juries determine guilt using reliable and credible evidence.

For example, if someone commits a theft but the police don’t arrest them for 20 years, the evidence will likely be stale and unreliable.

Statutory filing deadlines also hold law enforcement and prosecutors to a higher standard of urgency by ensuring suspects have a speedy trial.

Are You a Suspect in a Criminal Investigation? Get Legal Help Now

If you’re facing criminal charges and the prosecutor seems to be dragging their feet, contact an experienced Tennessee criminal defense attorney. They’ll review your case to ensure the police don’t try to pursue charges after the statute of limitations period expires.

The state only has a certain amount of time to pursue a criminal case. While the state must hold people accountable for criminal offenses, the criminal justice system must be fair.