Expiry of a judgment

Last revised February 27, 2025

Local judgment 

Section 7(a) of the Limitation Act specifies that for a local judgment, a person may not bring proceedings for the payment of money or return of personal property more than ten years after the day that the judgment became enforceable. The judgment becomes enforceable when it is pronounced, not when it is entered, rule 13-1(8) Supreme Court Civil Rules. 

Extraprovincial judgment 

Section 7(b) of the Limitation Act specifies that for extraprovincial judgments, actions on a judgment must be brought by the earlier of ten years, or the deadline for such enforcement proceedings in the jurisdiction where the judgment was made. 

Statutory extension of limitation period 

While the Limitation Act does not provide a means to renew or extend a judgment after expiration, the Act spells out circumstances that will have the effect of extending the limitation beyond ten years provided they occur before the ten-year deadline. 

Section 23 protects a claimant’s rights to complete an outstanding enforcement process that was undertaken before the expiration of the limitation period.  

Under section 24 of the Limitation Act, acknowledgment of liability of the claim has the effect of restarting the limitation period. Acknowledgment must occur before the claim has expired and can be through written acknowledgment or conduct, such as receipt of voluntary payment by the judgment debtor. 

Content reviewed February 10, 2025