Ukraine restores statutes of limitation suspended during martial law
On 14 May 2025, the Ukrainian parliament passed the law #4434-IX “On amendments to Final and Transitional Provisions of the Civil Code of Ukraine regarding the renewal of the limitation period” (https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/4434-IX#Text), which restores the Ukrainian Civil Code’s limitation period for filing claims to the courts.
Generally, the limitation period for filing a court claim is three years from when a person became aware or should have become aware of the rights’ infringement. Failure to comply with the limitation period can result in the court rejecting the claim on merits.
Due to pandemic, and then at the beginning of russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Civil Code of Ukraine was supplemented, suspending limitation periods for the duration of martial law.
The new law now restores the general regulation for limitation periods under the Civil Code. From 4 September 2025, the date on which the Law enters into effect, the general limitation periods established by the Civil Code of Ukraine apply.
From a practical standpoint, the restoration of the limitation periods means the following:
- claims for which the limitations period started prior to its suspension will continue running from 4 September 2025; and
- claims arising during the suspension of the limitation period officially begin on 4 September 2025.
For existing claims not yet submitted to court, therefore, appropriate actions are to be taken with a view to the restored rules on limitation periods under the Civil Code.
For more information on Ukraine’s Civil Code and statutes of limitations, contact your CMS client partner or these CMS experts: Olga Shenk, Oleksandr Protsiuk.
