Freight Claim Deadlines: What Runs Out, and When
Whether a freight claim is still alive depends on the kind of claim it is. Cargo claims carry a nine-month period, found in 13 of the 25 documents we read, and overcharge claims 180 days, found in 12. Concealed damage has no single rule: seven set five days or five business days, four set fifteen days.
- Freight claim deadlines are not one rule: the period depends on the kind of claim and on the carrier's own tariff.
- Nine months for a cargo claim was the most consistent period in the 25 tariffs we read, and 49 U.S.C. 14706(e)(1) bars a carrier from setting less.
- Overcharge and undercharge claims run 180 days in most tariffs that set a period, but the clock starts from different events, such as receipt of the freight bill or the shipment date.
- Concealed damage has no single deadline: some carriers set five days or five business days, others fifteen, and some vary it by coverage purchased.
- Suit after a declined claim is two years and one day, and it runs from the decline, not from delivery.
How long do you have to file a cargo claim?
The nine-month claim period is the most consistent deadline in the corpus, found in 13 of the 25 documents we read. It traces to the standard bill of lading terms and to the Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. 14706. Treat nine months as the outer limit to file, not a period to plan around.
Which deadline applies to each kind of claim, and how many documents set it?
Five deadlines recur across the 25 documents, and each row below shows how many of them set it. Concealed damage appears twice because seven documents and four documents set different periods.
| Claim type | Deadline | Documents setting it (of 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo claim | Nine months | 13 |
| Overcharge or undercharge claim | 180 days | 12 |
| Concealed damage | Five days or five business days | 7 |
| Concealed damage | Fifteen days | 4 |
| Suit after a claim is declined | Two years and one day | 5 |
How long do you have to dispute an overcharge?
Overcharge and undercharge claims carry a 180-day period, found in 12 of the 25 documents, and the two tariffs we quote start that clock from different events. TForce Freight’s tariff UPGF 102-T reads: “A claim for overcharge, unidentified, over collection, or duplicate payment shall not be paid unless filed in writing with Carrier within 180 days of receipt of Carrier’s freight bill.” ABF Freight’s tariff ABF 111-AU reads: “all overcharge and undercharge claims on shipments moved pursuant to this Tariff shall be filed within 180 days of the initial shipment date”. Read which event the carrier’s own tariff names before counting.
Is there one deadline for concealed damage?
Concealed damage has no single deadline: seven documents set five days or five business days, and four set fifteen days. Old Dominion’s tariff ODFL 100-Q defines the term this way: ““Concealed Damage” - damage to commodities that cannot be determined until packaging is removed.” The definition sorts a loss into this category, so check the carrier’s own definition before choosing which period applies. The documents do not show one industry rule for it.
Does the coverage level change the concealed-damage deadline?
Yes, for some carriers: three carriers appear in both concealed-damage counts because they set a different deadline depending on the coverage level purchased. The split is therefore not only a matter of which carrier you ship with. Confirm the coverage you bought and the deadline that goes with it before a loss, not after.
How long do you have to sue after a claim is declined?
The suit period after a claim is declined is two years and one day, found in 5 of the 25 documents. It comes from the same standard bill of lading terms and the Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. 14706, as the nine-month claim period. Count from the day the claim is declined, and do not round it to two years.
What should you do the day a damaged shipment arrives?
On the day a damaged shipment arrives, record what you can see, then start the clock on the deadline it triggers. Whether the damage could be seen at delivery is the question that sorts the claim, so the record you make that day matters.
- Write the damage on the delivery receipt before you sign it.
- Photograph the damaged goods and the packaging before anything is moved.
- Decide whether the damage was visible or concealed, using the definition above.
- Open the carrier’s tariff and find the deadline for that type of damage.
- File the written claim with the carrier and keep proof of the date it was sent.
By Deivy Stiven Hernandez, founder at catuh. Published . Last revised . Filed under Freight claims.
Concealed damage is not one deadline: seven of the 25 documents set five days or five business days and four set fifteen days, so the applicable period depends on the carrier and sometimes on the coverage purchased.
We read 25 published accessorial and rules tariffs from 19 distinct US carriers and shippers on 15 October 2026, and counted which deadlines each one sets.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you have to file a freight claim?
For cargo loss or damage, the most consistent period in the 25 published carrier tariffs we read on 15 October 2026 is nine months, found in 13 of 25, and it traces to 49 U.S.C. 14706. Concealed damage can carry a shorter period of five days or five business days, or fifteen days, depending on the carrier, so check the tariff before the claim is filed.
What is the deadline for an overcharge dispute?
Overcharge and undercharge claims are set at 180 days in 12 of the 25 documents we read. The clock starts at different events: TForce counts from receipt of the carrier's freight bill, while ABF counts from the initial shipment date.
Is the two-year suit period the same as the claim deadline?
No. The claim is filed within the claim period, and the two years and one day for suit runs after a claim is declined. We found that suit period in 5 of the 25 documents, and both periods trace to standard bill of lading terms and the Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. 14706.
- ABF Freight tariff ABF 111-AU arcb.com
- TForce Freight tariff UPGF 102-T tforcefreight.com
- Old Dominion tariff ODFL 100-Q odfl.com
- Saia tariff 170-D assets.ctfassets.net
- 49 U.S.C. 14706, Carmack Amendment law.cornell.edu