ACTIn ForceAct
Limitation Act 1985
17Arbitral award
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 17
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Limitation Act 1985.
17 Arbitral award
(1) An action on a cause of action to enforce an award of an arbitrator is
not maintainable if brought after the end of the limitation period fixed
by subsection (2) running from the date when the cause of action first
accrues to the plaintiff or to a person through whom he or she claims.
(2) The limitation period for subsection (1) is—
(a) if the award is made under an arbitration agreement and the
arbitration agreement is made by deed—12 years; and
(b) in any other case—6 years.
(3) For this section, a cause of action to enforce an award of an arbitrator
accrues on the date when default first happens in observance of the
award, being the default in relation to which the action is brought.
Periods of limitation and related matters Part 2
General Division 2.2
Section 18
R28
26/11/25
Limitation Act 1985
Effective: 26/11/25
page 9
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
(4) In this section:
arbitration agreement means an agreement to submit present or
future differences to arbitration, whether an arbitrator is named in the
agreement or not.
(5) This section applies to an award of an arbitrator under any law, order
or scheme in force in the ACT, but applies to such an award subject
to the provisions of the relevant law, order or scheme.