LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 3Pt. 4Ch. 5Art. 2§ 13953 Victim Compensation Deadlines

§ 13953 Victim Compensation Deadlines

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 13953 Victim Compensation Deadlines

Key Takeaways

  • •You have 7 years to ask for money if you're hurt by a crime. If you were a kid when it happened, you have until you're 28.
  • •If you didn't know right away that you were hurt by a crime, you have 7 years from when you found out.
  • •The board can give you more time if you're scared or lose money because of the crime, like when the bad guy goes to court or gets out of jail.
  • •If someone else hurt by the same crime already asked for money, the time limit stops for you until they finish.

Example

Someone gets hurt in a robbery but doesn't realize they have bad anxiety from it until years later.

They have 7 years from when they find out their anxiety is from the robbery to ask for money to help pay for therapy.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 13953 Victim Compensation Deadlines

(a) An application for compensation shall be filed within seven years of the date of the crime, seven years after the victim attains 21 years of age, or seven years of the time the victim or derivative victim knew or in the exercise of ordinary diligence could have discovered that an injury or death had been sustained as a direct result of crime, whichever is later. (b) The board may for good cause grant an extension of the time period in subdivision (a). In making this determination, the board shall consider both of the following: (1) Whether the victim or derivative victim incurs emotional harm or a pecuniary loss while testifying during the prosecution or in the punishment of the person accused or convicted of the crime. (2) Whether the victim or derivative victim incurs emotional harm or a pecuniary loss when the person convicted of the crime is scheduled for a parole hearing or released from incarceration. (c) The period prescribed in this section for filing an application by or on behalf of a derivative victim shall be tolled when the board accepts the application filed by a victim of the same qualifying crime. (Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 592, Sec. 1. (SB 375) Effective January 1, 2020.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

compensationderivative victimgood causepecuniary lossqualifying crime

Related Statutes

  • § 13956 Victim Involvement Denial Rules
  • § 13952 Victim Compensation Application
  • § 4411 Contract Termination Compensation Rules
  • § 11520 Default Agency Hearing Rules
  • § 12410 State Fiscal Audit Authority

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 13953.
View Official Source