The federal Fair Housing Act generally allows one year to file a HUD administrative complaint and two years to file a private civil action. Those are different procedures with different timing rules. Do not assume filing with a landlord, an HOA, or another agency automatically satisfies either deadline.
The HUD complaint deadline
Section 3610 permits an aggrieved person to file within one year after an alleged discriminatory housing practice occurred or terminated. Identify the actual challenged act and date. A continuing practice and the continuing effects of a completed decision are not necessarily the same thing. [1]
For example, an ongoing discriminatory rule can present a different accrual question from a single refusal to rent followed by months of financial consequences. Do not wait merely because the consequences remain painful.
The civil-action deadline
Section 3613 generally provides two years after the occurrence or termination of the alleged discriminatory housing practice, or a covered conciliation-agreement breach. The statute excludes specified time during which an administrative proceeding under the Act was pending when computing that period. [2]
That exclusion should be calculated from the actual administrative record. Informal negotiations, a maintenance complaint, or an unrelated grievance may not qualify. A HUD dismissal also does not necessarily mean a private claim is impossible, but the remaining time and procedural restrictions need review.
Other dates can matter
State fair housing laws, local ordinances, contract claims, eviction cases, and administrative elections can create separate deadlines. A strong discrimination claim does not excuse missing an eviction response date. An agency charge can also trigger its own election procedure under the statute.
- Record each discriminatory act and notice date.
- Keep proof of where and when a complaint was filed.
- Retain agency opening, closure, charge, and election notices.
- Calculate each legal route separately and conservatively.
Compare lawful and unlawful voucher screening and rental-property accessibility duties to identify a possible substantive claim. A statute-of-limitations analysis does not establish that discrimination occurred. If dates are close or a continuing-violation argument is necessary, obtain a prompt case-specific review instead of relying on the latest incident as an automatic reset.
Primary sources
Sources checked: October 31, 2026.