Indiana Criminal Statute of Limitations Laws

• A case for murder may be started at any time.
• Cases for a Class A felony (if committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 1 or Level 2 felony (if committed after June 30, 2014) may be started at any time unless the victim was a minor at the time of the crime.
• Generally, cases for a Class B or C felony (if committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 3, 4, 5, or 6 felony (if committed after June 30, 2014) must be started within 5 years.
• Cases for forgery must be started within 5 years after the forged document takes effect.
• Cases for misuse of certain funeral trust or escrow account funds must be started within 5 years after the death of the person who created or purchased the trust or account.

• For certain sex crimes against children, the case must start before the victim's 31st birthday unless the defendant confesses to the crime or the state discovers either DNA evidence or a recording that provides sufficient evidence to bring a charge against them. In those situations, the case must start within 5 years of the confession or the discovery of that evidence.
• For other sex crimes against children, if the victim is a dependent of the person who committed the crime, the case must start within 10 years after the crime or within 4 years after the victim stops being that person's dependent, whichever is later.

The "clock" for the time limit does not run when the defendant is:

• not a resident of Indiana
• outside the state
• in hiding from the authorities
• concealing evidence of the crime

• If someone confesses to a crime, the prosecution can still bring a case against them even if the time limit for the crime has expired.
• If the time limit for rape as a Class B felony (if committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 3 felony (if committed after June 30, 2014) has expired but the defendant confesses or the state discovers either DNA evidence or a recording that provides sufficient evidence to bring a charge, a case can be started within 5 years of the confession or the discovery of that evidence.
• If the time limit for a Class B or C felony (if committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 3, 4 or 5 felony (if committed after June 30, 2014) has expired but the state has discovered DNA evidence, a case may be brought within 1 year after that discovery.