Law & Life: Quick Reference for All Time Limits

Compiled on: May 31, 2026 ---

I. Age Thresholds for Civil Capacity

Age	Capacity Type
<8 years old	No civil capacity
8 ≤ X < 18 years old	Limited civil capacity
≥18 years old	Full civil capacity
16 ≤ X < 18 with main source of living from own labor	Deemed to have full civil capacity

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II. Statute of Limitations

• General statute of limitations: 3 years
  • Starts from the day the right holder knows or should have known of the infringement and the obligor
  • ⚠️ Both conditions must be met for the clock to start!
• Maximum protection period: 20 years
  • Starts from the day the right is infringed (even if unknown)
  • After 20 years, the court will not grant protection
• Interruption of statute of limitations (resets the 3-year clock):
  • The right holder makes a claim to the obligor
  • The obligor consents to perform the obligation
  • The right holder files a lawsuit or applies for arbitration ⚠️ Exam trap: "If the statute of limitations has expired, you can't sue" ❌ → You can still sue, but the other party gains the right of defense, and the court cannot apply the statute of limitations on its own --- ## III. Arbitration Time Limits ### General Commercial Arbitration
• Final and binding, the award takes effect immediately, and cannot be appealed ### Labor Dispute Arbitration
• Arbitration statute of limitations: 1 year (from the day the right is known to be infringed)
• Dissatisfied with the arbitration award: file a lawsuit with the court within 15 days of receiving the award
• Arbitration rejected: file a lawsuit with the court within 15 days of receiving the notice of rejection ⚠️ High-frequency exam point: Commercial arbitration ≠ Labor arbitration! Commercial arbitration is final and binding and cannot be appealed; labor arbitration can be appealed within 15 days --- ## IV. Intellectual Property Protection Periods ### Patent Rights | Type | Protection Period | Start Date | |------|--------|------| | Invention patent | 20 years | From the filing date | | Utility model | 10 years | From the filing date | | Design | 15 years | From the filing date | ### Copyright | Type | Protection Period | |------|--------| | Works by natural persons | Author's lifetime + 50 years after death | | Works by legal persons/unincorporated organizations | 50 years after first publication (if unpublished, 50 years after creation) | | Right of authorship, right of revision, right of integrity | Perpetual protection | | Right of publication | Same as economic rights: 50 years |
• After the protection period expires → enters the public domain, anyone can use it for free ### Trademark Rights
• Registration validity: 10 years (from the date of approval of registration)
• Apply for renewal within 12 months before expiry
• If not applied, a 6-month grace period is granted
• Each renewal is valid for 10 years, with no limit on the number of renewals --- ## V. Marriage and Family Time Limits | Item | Time Limit/Age | |------|----------| | Legal marriage age | Male 22 years old / Female 20 years old | | Divorce cooling-off period | 30 days (from the date the marriage registration authority receives the application) | | Before estate settlement | An heir must renounce inheritance before the estate is settled in writing | | Legacy acceptance | A legatee must indicate acceptance or renunciation within 60 days of learning of the legacy | --- ## VI. Labor Contract Time Limits | Item | Time Limit | |------|-----| | Probation period (contract period ≥ 3 years) | Not exceeding 6 months | | Probation period (1 year ≤ contract period < 3 years) | Not exceeding 2 months | | Probation period (3 months ≤ contract period < 1 year) | Not exceeding 1 month | | Labor arbitration statute of limitations | 1 year | | Lawsuit for dissatisfaction with arbitration | Within 15 days of receiving the award | | Wage arrears dispute | Not subject to the 1-year arbitration statute of limitations (no limit during employment) | --- ## VII. Summary of Common Exam Traps | Common Mistake | Correct Understanding | |--------|---------| | Can you appeal an arbitration award? | ❌ Commercial arbitration is final and binding; only labor arbitration can be appealed within 15 days | | Can't sue after the statute of limitations expires? | ❌ You can sue; the other party gains the right of defense, and the court does not apply it on its own | | After 50 years, no one cares about the work? | ❌ The right of authorship, etc., is perpetually protected; only economic rights enter the public domain | | Does the trademark expire and disappear? | ❌ It can be renewed, 10 years each time, with no limit on the number of renewals | | Does the patent protection period start from the date of invention completion? | ❌ It starts from the filing date, not the completion date | | After the 30-day divorce cooling-off period, is the divorce automatic? | ❌ Within 30 days after the cooling-off period, both parties must appear in person to receive the certificate; otherwise, it is considered withdrawn |