WASHINGTON CHILD SEX ABUSE SOLs
Historical CSA SOL Treatise
CHILD USA has diligently tracked SOL Reform in all 50 states for years! We have the answer to your state-specific SOL questions. Our Legal team has compiled your go-to resource book to get started on your SOL legal research, available in e-book or hard cover versions.
When you add CHILD USA’s CSA SOL History Treatise to our 2025 SOL Tracker, you have robust research to back up your investigation into the SOL for each client.
Current Civil SOL
The civil SOL for CSA, trafficking, and some CSAM claims is age 21 with a 3-year discovery rule against all defendants.
Civil SOL Snapshot |
|
| Age Cap |
CSA: AGE 21 TRAFFICKING: AGE 21 CSAM: AGE 21 |
| Revival Law | NONE |
| Discovery Tolling | 3 YEARS |
Current Criminal SOL
CSA: There is no criminal SOL for many CSA crimes. The SOL is age 30 for other felonies and age 20 for misdemeanors.
Trafficking: The SOL for trafficking is 10 years from the offense, while the SOL for commercial sex abuse is age 30.
CSAM: There is no SOL for some CSAM crimes. Other CSAM offenses have an SOL of 3 years from the offense.
Criminal SOL Snapshot |
|
| CSA | NO SOL |
| Trafficking | AGE 30 |
| CSAM | NO SOL |
Current Washington Civil Law
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 4.16.340 - Actions based on childhood sexual abuse
(1) All claims or causes of action based on intentional conduct brought by any person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be commenced within the later of the following periods:
(a) Within three years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition;
(b) Within three years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by said act; or
(c) Within three years of the time the victim discovered that the act caused the injury for which the claim is brought:
PROVIDED, That the time limit for commencement of an action under this section is tolled for a child until the child reaches the age of eighteen years.
(2) The victim need not establish which act in a series of continuing sexual abuse or exploitation incidents caused the injury complained of, but may compute the date of discovery from the date of discovery of the last act by the same perpetrator which is part of a common scheme or plan of sexual abuse or exploitation.
(3) The knowledge of a custodial parent or guardian shall not be imputed to a person under the age of eighteen years.
(4) For purposes of this section, “child” means a person under the age of eighteen years.
(5) As used in this section, “childhood sexual abuse” means any act committed by the defendant against a complainant who was less than eighteen years of age at the time of the act and which act would have been a violation of chapter 9A.44 RCW or RCW 9.68A.040 or prior laws of similar effect at the time the act was committed.
Case Law
Hollmann v. Corcoran, 89 Wn. App. 323, 949 P.2d 386 (1997): Statute of limitations for actions based on childhood sexual abuse is tolled until victim in fact discovers causal connection between act of abuse and injuries for which claim is brought, rather than only until victim should have discovered causal connection
C.J.C. v. Corp. of the Catholic Bishop of Yakima, 985 P.2d 262 (Wash. 1999): Limitations applicable to intentional acts of sexual abuse by perp extends to negligence claims against non-perps based on their contribution to the harm.
K.C. v. Johnson, 197 Wash. App. 1083 (2017); K.C. v. State, No. 51400-1-II, 2019 WL 4942457, at *9 (Wash. Ct. App. Oct. 8, 2019).