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The Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

1989/1339 · Made 2 August 1989 · Extends to Northern Ireland

Not fully up to date. 2 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 6 April 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
art. 51AcontinuedNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 Sch. 10 para. 2(11)(a)
OrderappliedDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 s. 234(5)

2nd August 1989 C4

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Order applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2008/1277, reg. 27K(6) (as inserted (1.10.2014 with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/870), regs. 1(3), 3)

C2

Order applied (1.10.2015) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), ss. 46(8), 100(5); S.I. 2015/1630, art. 3(a) (with art. 6(1))

C3

Order applied (with modifications) by 1998 c. 41, s. 47E(2)(c) (as inserted (1.10.2015) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 8 para. 8(1) (with Sch. 8 para. 8(2)); S.I. 2015/1630, art. 3(j))

C4

Order applied (1.4.2007) by Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3336 (N.I. 21)), arts. 1(2), 298(4) (with arts. 8(8), 121(3), 307); S.R. 2007/194, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 Pt. II (subject to art. 3, Sch. 2)

Contents

  1. Part I: INTRODUCTORY
  2. 1Title and commencement
  3. 2Interpretation
  4. Part II: ACTIONS OF CONTRACT AND TORT AND CERTAIN OTHER ACTIONS
  5. 3Part II subject to Part IV
  6. 4Time limit: actions founded on contract, etc.
  7. 5Time limit: actions on certain loans
  8. 6Time limit: certain actions founded on tort
  9. 7Time limit: actions for personal injuries
  10. 8Time limit: actions in respect of defective products
  11. 8ATime limit: actions in respect of defective premises, etc.
  12. 9Time limit: actions under Fatal Accidents (NI) Order 1977
  13. 10Dependants subject to different time limits
  14. 11Special time limit for negligence actions where facts relevant to cause of action are not known at date of accrual
  15. 12Overriding time limit for negligence actions not involving personal injuries
  16. 13Time limit for recovering contribution
  17. 14Time limit: actions for an account
  18. 15Time limit: actions founded on instruments under seal etc.
  19. 16Time limit: actions upon judgments and for arrears of interest on judgment debts
  20. 17Time limit: successive conversions and extinction of title of owner of converted goods
  21. 18Time limit: theft
  22. 19Savings (Part II)
  23. Part III: ACTIONS TO RECOVER LAND, ACTIONS IN RESPECT OF MORTGAGES OR CHARGES AND CERTAIN OTHER ACTIONS
  24. Actions to recover land
  25. 20Part III subject to Part IV
  26. 21Time limit: actions to recover present interests in land
  27. 22Time limit: actions to recover future interests in land
  28. 23Cure of defective disentailing assurance
  29. 24Possession of one co‐parcener, etc., not to be possession of others
  30. 25Administration relates back to death
  31. 26Extinction of title to land at expiration of time limit
  32. 27Equitable estates in land and land held on trust
  33. Actions to recover settled chattels
  34. 28Actions to recover settled chattels
  35. Actions to recover arrears of rentcharges, conventional rents and annuities charged on personal property
  36. 29Time limit: rentcharges
  37. 30Time limit: conventional rent
  38. 31Time limit: annuity charged on personal property
  39. Actions in respect of mortgages and charges
  40. 32Time limit: incumbrancers claiming sale of land
  41. 33Extinction of title of mortgagee to mortgaged land at expiration of time limit
  42. 34Time limit: redemption of land
  43. 35Extinction of mortgagor's title at expiration of time limit
  44. 36Time limit: principal money secured by a charge on land or personal property
  45. 37Time limit: interest on mortgage etc.
  46. 38Extinction of right of mortgagee etc. to debt at expiration of time limit for action to recover land etc.
  47. 39Extinction of right of mortgagee etc. to debt secured by mortgage or charge on personal property at expiration of time limit
  48. 40Time limit: certain personal rights in or over land
  49. 41Extinction of personal right in or over land at expiration of time limit
  50. Actions in respect of trust property
  51. 42Time limit: trustees etc.
  52. 43Exclusion of actions against trustees in cases of fraud or retention of trust property
  53. Actions in respect of the estates of deceased persons
  54. 44Time limit: personal estate of deceased persons
  55. 45Actions against personal representatives
  56. Part IV: EXTENSION AND EXCLUSION OF TIME LIMITS
  57. Interpretation
  58. 46Interpretation (Part IV)
  59. Disability
  60. 47Persons under a disability
  61. 48Extension of time limit: disability
  62. 49Extension of time limit (disability): cases under Article 11(3)(b)
  63. Discretionary Power of Court to Override certain Time Limits
  64. 50Court's power to override certain time limits
  65. 51Court's power to override time limit: actions for defamation or malicious falsehood.
  66. Mediation
  67. 51AExtension of time limits: mediation Repealed
  68. 51BExtension of time limits because of alternative dispute resolution in certain consumer contract disputes
  69. Acknowledgment
  70. 52Fresh accrual of acknowledged right: actions to recover land
  71. 53Fresh accrual of acknowledged right: action by mortgagee to recover land
  72. 54Fresh accrual of acknowledged right: action by incumbrancer claiming sale of land
  73. 55Effect of acknowledgment: action to redeem mortgaged land in mortgagee's possession
  74. 56Fresh accrual of acknowledged right: action in respect of personal right of support etc. in or over land
  75. 57Fresh accrual of acknowledged right: action to recover debt
  76. 58Fresh accrual of acknowledged right: action claiming personal estate of deceased person
  77. 59Acknowledgments: formalities
  78. 60Acknowledgment: effect on persons other than maker or recipient
  79. 61Exemption of acknowledgment from stamp duty
  80. Part payment
  81. 62Fresh accrual of right on payment: action by mortgagee to recover land
  82. 63Fresh accrual of right on payment: action by incumbrancer claiming sale of land
  83. 64Effect of payment: action to redeem mortgaged land in mortgagee's possession
  84. 65Fresh accrual of right on payment: action to recover debt
  85. 66Fresh accrual of right on payment: action claiming personal estate of deceased person
  86. 67Payment: formalities
  87. 68Payment: effect on persons other than maker or recipient
  88. 69Appropriation of payment in respect of debts
  89. 70Effect of endorsement of bill of exchange
  90. Fraud, concealment and mistake
  91. 71Postponement of time limit: fraud, concealment or mistake
  92. VMISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL
  93. 72AActions for recovery of property obtained through unlawful conduct etc.
  94. 72ABActions to prohibit dealing with property subject to an external request
  95. 72BActions for recovery of property for purposes of an external order
  96. 72CActions for exploitation proceeds orders
  97. 73New claims in pending actions
  98. 73AActions relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles
  99. 74Application to the Crown, etc.
  100. 75Savings (general)
  101. 76Transitional provisions, amendments and repeals
  102. Schedule 1: ACCRUAL OF RIGHTS OF ACTION TO RECOVER LAND
  103. Part: Accrual of right of action: present interests in land
  104. 1Paragraph 1
  105. 2Paragraph 2
  106. 3Paragraph 3
  107. Part: Accrual of right of action: future interests in land
  108. 4Paragraph 4
  109. Part: Accrual of right of action: certain tenancies
  110. 5Paragraph 5
  111. 6Paragraph 6
  112. Part: Accrual of right of action: forfeiture or breach of condition
  113. 7Paragraph 7
  114. Part: Right of action not to accrue without adverse possession
  115. 8Paragraph 8
  116. Part: Settled land and land held on trust for sale: effect of beneficiary's possession
  117. 9Paragraph 9
  118. Schedule 2: TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
  119. 1Paragraph 1
  120. 2Paragraph 2
  121. 3Paragraph 3
  122. 4Paragraph 4
  123. 5Paragraph 5
  124. 6Paragraph 6
  125. 7Paragraph 7
  126. Schedule Schedule
  127. Schedule Schedule