Yukon Small Claims, Eviction & Civil Help

Civil Law in Yukon — what to do right now

In Yukon, almost every civil problem has a deadline, but unlike most provinces and territories Yukon does not run everything on a flat two-year clock. Under section 2 of the Limitation of Actions Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 139, the general limitation period for a debt, a contract, or most money and property claims is six years from when the cause of action arose — while a claim for injury to the person (assault, battery, or a personal-injury accident) must be started within two years. If you were served with a Small Claims Court claim, do not ignore it — filing a reply on time protects your right to be heard. If your landlord serves a notice to end your tenancy, the notice alone does not remove you; most disputes go to the Residential Tenancies Office, not a court. Do not assume your deadline has passed, and do not assume you have six years when your claim is really a two-year injury claim. Call the free hotline to help you work out exactly which clock and which forum apply to you.

The law in Yukon: Civil Law

Civil law in Yukon runs through two courts and one housing office, and the first thing to get right is which one your problem belongs in. Money disputes worth $25,000 or less — unpaid invoices, unreturned deposits, consumer problems, minor property damage, small debt claims — go to the Small Claims Court, a court served by the judges of the Territorial Court of Yukon, built so ordinary people can use it without a lawyer. The Small Claims Court does not handle everything: it cannot deal with claims about land, claims against the estate of a deceased person, or claims for libel or slander. Larger and more complex civil cases — bigger contract and debt fights, serious personal-injury claims, defamation, and disputes over land — proceed in the Supreme Court of Yukon under the Rules of Court. Residential rent and tenancy disputes generally do not go to either court; they go to the Residential Tenancies Office, an administrative body that resolves disputes under Yukon's tenancy legislation.

The deadline most people get wrong is the limitation period — and Yukon's is distinctive. Yukon has kept an older-style Limitation of Actions Act rather than adopting the modern two-year discoverability model used in Ontario, Alberta or British Columbia. Under section 2(1) of that Act, the periods differ by the kind of claim. The general period — for the recovery of money "whether recoverable as a debt or damages or otherwise", on a contract, specialty, covenant or simple contract, and for accounts (paragraph (f)) — is six years from when the cause of action arose. Trespass or injury to real property or chattels, and conversion or detention of goods (paragraph (e)), is also six years. And the catch-all in paragraph (j) — "any other action not in this Act or any other Act specially provided for" — is six years too. So in Yukon, the everyday assumption should be six years, not two.

But there are sharp exceptions, and the most important one catches injured people. Under paragraph (d), an action for trespass to the person, assault, battery, wounding or other injury to the person — "whether arising from an unlawful act or from negligence" — or for false imprisonment, malicious prosecution or seduction, must be started within two years of the cause of action arising. That means a personal-injury accident claim in Yukon is a two-year claim, even though the debt next to it on your kitchen table may be a six-year claim. Defamation (libel or slander, paragraph (c)) is also two years, a judgment for money (paragraph (i)) is ten years, and certain penalty actions are one or two years. Claims based on misconduct of a sexual nature, including sexual assault, are treated separately and are not shut out by these ordinary periods.

For debts and contracts, the six-year clock comes with a trap that works the same way it does elsewhere: section 6 of the Limitation of Actions Act says that if you make a written promise to pay, give a written acknowledgement of the debt signed by you, or make a part payment toward it, a fresh six-year period runs from the date of that promise, acknowledgement or payment — even if the original claim would otherwise have been barred. So a single "good faith" payment on an old debt, or an email admitting you owe it, can revive a debt that was about to die. Housing has moved onto a new footing: the Residential Tenancies Act, S.Y. 2025, c. 7, came into force on September 1, 2025, replacing the older Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Under it, a security deposit is capped at one month's rent, rent increases are tied to the Consumer Price Index, "without cause" evictions are gone (a landlord now needs a valid reason to end a tenancy), and disputes — including over a withheld deposit — are decided by the Residential Tenancies Office. A real Yukon factor sits underneath all of this: outside Whitehorse, many people live in small and remote communities, far from the court registry or the tenancies office, so doing things by phone, mail or online, and within the deadline, matters even more. Reading a section number is not the same as knowing how it applies to your facts — the free hotline exists to point you at the right clock and the right forum before a deadline runs.

Key Statutes & Rules

Limitation of Actions Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 139, s. 2(1)(f) — six years to sue for a debt, contract or most money claims
Limitation of Actions Act, s. 2(1)(j) — six-year residual period for any claim not otherwise specially provided for
Limitation of Actions Act, s. 2(1)(d) — only two years for assault, battery, or other injury to the person
Limitation of Actions Act, s. 6 — a written acknowledgement or part payment restarts the debt clock for a fresh six years
Residential Tenancies Act, S.Y. 2025, c. 7 — Yukon's residential tenancy rules, in force 1 September 2025
Rules of Court — civil procedure in the Supreme Court of Yukon for claims above $25,000

Courts & Tribunals

Small Claims Court — civil money and property claims up to $25,000 (judges of the Territorial Court of Yukon)
Supreme Court of Yukon — larger contract, debt, personal-injury, defamation and land claims under the Rules of Court
Residential Tenancies Office — rent, deposit and most tenancy disputes (an administrative body, not a court)
Court of Appeal of Yukon — appeals from the Supreme Court of Yukon

Deadlines & Outcomes

6 years to sue on most debt, contract, money and property claims (Limitation of Actions Act, s. 2(1)(f), (e), (j))
2 years to sue for injury to the person — assault, battery, or a personal-injury accident (s. 2(1)(d))
2 years for defamation (libel or slander); 10 years to enforce a money judgment
A part payment or signed written acknowledgement restarts a debt's six-year clock (s. 6)
Small Claims Court limit is $25,000; it cannot hear claims about land, estates, or libel/slander

In Yukon the Clock Is Six Years for Most Claims — but Only Two Years if You Were Injured

Yukon's limitation rules are different from most of Canada, and the difference cuts both ways. Most civil claims here — unpaid debts, broken contracts, unreturned deposits, damage to property — carry a six-year limitation period under section 2 of the Limitation of Actions Act, far longer than the two-year clock people often assume from Ontario, Alberta or B.C. But that comfort is exactly what trips up injured people: a claim for assault, battery, or an injury from an accident runs out in just two years under section 2(1)(d). People treat their injury claim like a six-year debt, wait, and then find the two-year door has quietly closed. There's a second trap on the long side too — making even a small payment on an old debt can restart its six-year clock under section 6. Before you assume your deadline is comfortable, the free hotline can help you pin down which period actually applies to your claim and when it runs out.

Likely outcomes & penalties

Real Yukon civil outcomes depend heavily on the facts, the forum, and whether you act inside the limitation period. These are realistic ranges under Yukon and Canadian law, not promises — and we are not a law firm.

Tenancy dispute (Residential Tenancies Office)

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, S.Y. 2025, c. 7, most rent, deposit and tenancy disputes are decided by the Residential Tenancies Office, not a court. A landlord can no longer evict "without cause" — there must be a valid reason — and a security deposit is capped at one month's rent. If a landlord won't return your deposit, either side can apply to the Office for dispute resolution rather than going to court.

Small Claims Court money claim

For disputes up to $25,000, you can sue (or defend) yourself in a faster, less formal court served by the Territorial Court judges. A successful claimant can recover the amount owed plus interest and limited costs; if you're sued and do nothing, the other side can ask for judgment in your absence and then enforce it against wages or a bank account. Land, estate, and libel/slander claims can't be brought here.

Debt or collection-agency claim

In Yukon a creditor or collection agency generally has six years from the cause of action — not two — to sue you on a debt under the Limitation of Actions Act. That is a longer window than in much of Canada. But section 6 is a trap: making a part payment, or signing a written acknowledgement of the debt, starts a fresh six-year clock and can revive a debt that was about to expire — so what you pay or put in writing matters.

Personal-injury / accident claim

Here the clock is short. A claim for injury to the person — assault, battery, or an injury caused by negligence in an accident — must be started within two years under section 2(1)(d) of the Limitation of Actions Act, not the six years that applies to debts. People who treat an injury claim like a debt claim can lose it to the deadline. Two years passes quickly while you focus on recovering.

Mistakes to avoid

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Assuming a two-year deadline applies to everything in Yukon — for most claims, like debt and contract, you actually have six years under section 2(1)(f) of the Limitation of Actions Act, so people sometimes give up on a perfectly live claim too early.

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Assuming a six-year deadline applies to an injury claim — a claim for assault, battery or an accident injury runs out in just two years under section 2(1)(d), and the court can dismiss even a strong case filed after that as out of time.

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Making a small "good faith" payment on an old debt — under section 6 of the Limitation of Actions Act, a part payment or a signed written acknowledgement starts a fresh six-year clock and can revive a debt that was about to become unenforceable.

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Treating a landlord's notice to end your tenancy as the eviction itself and moving out — under the Residential Tenancies Act, S.Y. 2025, c. 7 a landlord now needs a valid reason and the correct process, and tenancy disputes are decided by the Residential Tenancies Office, not a court.

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Trying to sue for more than $25,000, or over land, an estate, or libel/slander, in the Small Claims Court — those claims belong in the Supreme Court of Yukon, and filing in the wrong forum wastes time and money.

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Letting distance and remoteness become an excuse to wait — outside Whitehorse the registry or Residential Tenancies Office may be far away, but the limitation clock keeps running, so phone, mail or online steps still need to happen before the deadline.

How it works

Call the free Yukon hotline. You can reach our free legal-information line any hour, from anywhere in Yukon — including the smaller and remote communities. No income test, no web form, no waiting room — just call and ask.

Talk to an AI assistant trained on Yukon + Canadian law. Explain your debt, deposit, tenancy, contract, Small Claims or injury question in plain words, and ask as many questions as you like. The assistant gives you clear legal information — your deadlines, your forum, your next move under Yukon law — not legal advice. We are not a law firm, and the call creates no lawyer-client relationship.

A paid lawyer consultation is coming soon. For now the line gives you free general legal information; a paid consultation with a Yukon lawyer is a service we're building and will offer soon. There's no online checkout and no obligation.

Free & low-cost Civil Law help in Yukon

If you can't afford a lawyer, Yukon has free and low-cost legal help — legal aid, public legal education, a lawyer referral service, and plain-language guides. These are independent resources, not part of our service; the free hotline can help you figure out which one fits and what to ask them.

Yukon Public Legal Education Association (YPLEA)

Yukon's public legal education charity. Its Law Line gives free legal information (not advice or representation) by phone or email, and YPLEA publishes plain-language guides on civil litigation, Small Claims Court and Supreme Court procedures, and enforcing a judgment. Reach the Law Line at (867) 668-5297, Monday to Friday.

Yukon Legal Services Society (Legal Aid)

Yukon's legal aid provider. Any Yukon resident can apply; coverage is means-tested, based on household income and the number of people in the household, and is focused mainly on serious matters. If you're slightly over the guidelines you may be asked to contribute under an agreement.

Law Society of Yukon — Lawyer Referral Service

The Law Society of Yukon runs a Lawyer Referral Service that connects you with a Yukon lawyer for a short initial consultation so you can find out whether you have a legal problem that needs a lawyer. Call (867) 668-4231.

Small Claims Court — Yukon Courts

The official Yukon Courts page for the Small Claims Court, including who can use it, the $25,000 limit, what it cannot hear (land, estates, libel/slander), and free booklets on how to start a claim, respond, and collect on a judgment.

Residential Tenancies Office — Government of Yukon

The Residential Tenancies Office handles rent, deposit and tenancy disputes under the Residential Tenancies Act, S.Y. 2025, c. 7. The Government of Yukon renting pages explain security deposits, rent increases, notice periods, the standard forms, and how to apply for dispute resolution.

The new Residential Tenancies Act — Government of Yukon

A plain-language Government of Yukon guide to the Residential Tenancies Act that came into force on September 1, 2025: the end of "without cause" evictions, deposit and rent-increase rules, and how the Residential Tenancies Office resolves disputes.

FAQ — Civil Law in Yukon

How long do I have to sue someone in Yukon?

It depends on the kind of claim, because Yukon does not use a single flat clock. Under section 2 of the Limitation of Actions Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 139, most claims — a debt, a contract, most money and property disputes — have a six-year limitation period from when the cause of action arose, and there's a six-year catch-all for anything not otherwise covered. But a claim for injury to the person, such as assault, battery, or an accident injury, must be started within just two years, and defamation is also two years. Because the right period turns on the type of claim, it's easy to get wrong. The free Yukon hotline can help you pin down which period applies to you.

Is the limitation period in Yukon really six years?

For most claims, yes. Yukon kept an older-style Limitation of Actions Act instead of switching to the modern two-year "discoverability" model used in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Section 2(1)(f) gives six years to recover money on a debt, contract or specialty, section 2(1)(e) gives six years for damage to property or conversion of goods, and section 2(1)(j) gives a six-year catch-all for anything not specially provided for. The big exception is injury to the person, which is two years. So in Yukon the everyday assumption is six years — except for personal injury. The free hotline can confirm your specific deadline.

How long do I have to sue after a car accident or injury in Yukon?

Generally two years. A claim for injury to the person — including an injury caused by negligence in a motor-vehicle or other accident, as well as assault or battery — must be started within two years under section 2(1)(d) of the Limitation of Actions Act. This is the trap that catches people: the debts and contracts around them have a six-year clock, so they assume their injury claim does too, and then the two-year deadline passes. If you've been injured in Yukon, don't measure your deadline by your other claims. The hotline can help you confirm the date your two years runs out.

How much can I sue for in Yukon Small Claims Court?

Up to $25,000. The Small Claims Court is served by the judges of the Territorial Court of Yukon and is built so people can use it without a lawyer. It cannot, however, deal with claims about land, claims against the estate of a deceased person, or claims for libel or slander — those go to the Supreme Court of Yukon. Claims worth more than $25,000 also go to the Supreme Court, under the Rules of Court. The free hotline can help you work out which forum your claim belongs in.

What's the difference between the Small Claims Court and the Supreme Court of Yukon?

The Small Claims Court handles civil money and property claims up to $25,000 in a faster, less formal way that self-represented people can manage; it is served by the Territorial Court judges. The Supreme Court of Yukon handles larger or more complex civil cases — bigger contract and debt disputes, serious personal-injury claims, defamation, and anything to do with land — under the more detailed Rules of Court. Suing in the wrong court wastes time and money, so getting the forum right at the start matters. The free hotline can help you tell which is which.

Can a debt collector still sue me for an old debt in Yukon?

Possibly for longer than you'd expect. In Yukon a creditor or collection agency generally has six years — not two — from the cause of action to sue on a debt, under the Limitation of Actions Act. After that, a claim can be challenged as out of time. But be careful: under section 6, making a part payment, or giving a signed written acknowledgement of the debt, starts a fresh six-year clock and can revive a debt that was about to expire. So what you pay, or admit in writing, to a collector really matters. Get clear information first — the hotline can help.

If I make a small payment on an old debt, does that reset the clock in Yukon?

It can. Section 6 of the Limitation of Actions Act says that if you make a part payment toward a debt, give a signed written acknowledgement of it, or promise in writing to pay it, a new six-year limitation period runs from the date of that payment, acknowledgement or promise — even if the debt would otherwise have been barred. That means a single "good faith" payment, or an email admitting you owe the money, can revive an old debt. Before you respond to a collector, it's worth knowing this. The free hotline can explain how it applies to you.

My landlord won't return my deposit — what can I do in Yukon?

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, S.Y. 2025, c. 7, which came into force on September 1, 2025, a security deposit is capped at one month's rent, and disputes over a withheld deposit are decided by the Residential Tenancies Office — not a court. If you and your landlord don't agree, either of you can apply to the Office for dispute resolution. The Government of Yukon renting pages set out the deposit rules and the forms. The free hotline can point you to the right Residential Tenancies Office application.

I got a notice to end my tenancy in Yukon — do I have to move out?

Not automatically. Under the new Residential Tenancies Act, S.Y. 2025, c. 7, "without cause" evictions have been removed — a landlord now needs a valid reason and must follow the correct process to end a tenancy. A notice on its own does not lawfully remove you, and most tenancy disputes are resolved through the Residential Tenancies Office rather than a court. Don't move out just because you received a notice, and check whether the reason and process are proper. The hotline can explain your specific notice.

I live in a small community far from Whitehorse — can I still deal with a civil claim?

Yes, but distance makes deadlines even more important. Many Yukoners live well away from the court registry or the Residential Tenancies Office, and a lot can be done by phone, mail or online — but the limitation clock keeps running whether or not it's easy to get to town. That's exactly why the free hotline serves all of Yukon, not just Whitehorse: you can get legal information from anywhere, around the clock, so you can take the right step before your deadline passes.

Do I need a lawyer for the Small Claims Court or the Residential Tenancies Office in Yukon?

No — both are designed to be used without a lawyer. The Small Claims Court process is deliberately informal, and the Residential Tenancies Office resolves tenancy disputes administratively. You can still get help: the Yukon Public Legal Education Association's Law Line offers free legal information, the Law Society of Yukon runs a Lawyer Referral Service for a short initial consultation, and Yukon Legal Services Society may help if you qualify financially. The free hotline can give you general legal information on how to prepare and what your deadlines are. We are not a law firm and this is legal information, not legal advice.

Is this a law firm, and is it really free?

No — we are not a law firm, and the service is genuinely free, with no income test and no web form. The AI assistant gives you legal information, not legal advice, and using it creates no lawyer-client relationship, and you can ask as many questions as you like. A paid consultation with a Yukon lawyer is a service we're building and will offer soon, but there's no obligation. The Yukon line is live now — just call to get free legal information.

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We're building a network of Yukon lawyers ahead of launching paid consultations, to connect Yukoners facing tenancy and Residential Tenancies Office disputes, Small Claims and Supreme Court money claims, debt and consumer problems, contract fights, and personal-injury claims with lawyers who can help. If you're a Yukon lawyer and want vetted client referrals from people who've already had their issue triaged, we'd like to hear from you. Reach out to ask about joining our referral network — a separate path from the free client hotline above.

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Last updated: 10 June 2026. Reviewed by the Legal Hotline Editorial Team.

General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy against current Canadian federal and provincial law. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at [email protected].

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