(a) General rule.--If, when a cause of action accrues against a person, he is without this Commonwealth, the time within which the action or proceeding must be commenced shall be computed from the time he comes into or returns to this Commonwealth. If, after a cause of action has accrued against a person, he departs from this Commonwealth and remains continuously absent therefrom for four months or more, or he resides within this Commonwealth under a false name which is unknown to the person entitled to commence the action or proceeding, the time of his absence or residence within this Commonwealth under such a false name is not a part of the time within which the action or proceeding must be commenced.
(b) Exception.--Subsection (a) does not apply in any of the following cases:
(1) While there is in force a designation, voluntary or involuntary, made pursuant to law, of a person to whom process may be delivered within this Commonwealth with the same effect as if served personally within this Commonwealth.
(2) While a foreign corporation has one or more officers or other persons in this Commonwealth on whom process against such corporation may be served.
(3) While jurisdiction over the person of the defendant can be obtained without personal delivery of process to him within this Commonwealth.
(c) Fraudulent concealment.--In the case of a civil action or proceeding against the trustee of an express or implied trust, the time within which such an action or proceeding by or on behalf of a beneficiary on account of fraud must be commenced shall be computed from the discovery of the fraud, or when, by reasonable diligence, the person defrauded might have discovered the fraud. This subsection shall not prevent a bona fide purchaser for value from pleading the applicable statute of limitations.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
Chapter 55 - Limitation of Time
Section 5501 - Scope of chapter
Section 5502 - Method of computing periods of limitation generally
Section 5503 - Commencement of matters
Section 5504 - Judicial extension of time
Section 5505 - Modification of orders
Section 5521 - Limitations on foreign claims
Section 5522 - Six months limitation
Section 5523 - One year limitation
Section 5524 - Two year limitation
Section 5524.1 - Limitation and application for asbestos claims (Unconstitutional)
Section 5525 - Four year limitation
Section 5526 - Five year limitation
Section 5527 - Six year limitation
Section 5527.1 - Ten year limitation
Section 5527.2 - Mesne profits
Section 5527.3 - Reimbursement
Section 5528 - Fifteen year limitation
Section 5529 - Twenty year limitation
Section 5530 - Twenty-one year limitation
Section 5532 - Absence or concealment
Section 5533 - Infancy, insanity or imprisonment
Section 5535 - Effect of other actions and proceedings
Section 5536 - Construction projects
Section 5538 - Landscape architecture
Section 5539 - Real estate appraisals
Section 5551 - No limitation applicable
Section 5553 - Summary offenses involving vehicles
Section 5554 - Tolling of statute
Section 5571 - Appeals generally
Section 5571.1 - Appeals from ordinances, resolutions, maps, etc
Section 5572 - Time of entry of order
Section 5573 - Effect of application for rehearing
Section 5574 - Effect of application for amendment to qualify for interlocutory appeal