Federal answer deadline calculator
Answers, responses and amendments in federal civil cases, under Rules 4, 12, 15 and 38. Pick the deadline, enter the date that starts it, and the result quotes the rule, counts under Rule 6(a), and says whether Rule 6(d) adds 3 days.
Your dates
Example: Serve the summons and complaint (Rule 4(m)), from Friday, November 20, 2026
THU
Thursday, February 18, 2027
- 90 daysFRCP 4(m)
- Feb 18, 2027
Notes on this date
- This calculator does not yet apply state holidays. Rule 6(a)(6)(C) also treats as a legal holiday, for periods that are measured after an event, "any other day declared a holiday by the state where the district court is located" (for an appeal, FRAP 26(a)(6)(C) adds the state of the circuit clerk's principal office). Leaving a state holiday out can only move a forward deadline earlier, never later. That is the safe error if you are computing your own deadline. It is the wrong tool for arguing that the other side filed late: check that state's holidays first.
- Rule 6(d) does not apply: this period runs from filing, not from being served.
- If the plaintiff shows good cause, the court must extend the time. No 90-day date applies to service in a foreign country under Rule 4(f), 4(h)(2) or 4(j)(1).
- Rule 6(a)(4) says when the last day ends only for filing. This is a service deadline.
How this was computed
- Trigger → Nov 20, 2026 after the complaint is filed
- Count → Feb 18, 2027
Not yet countersigned. The rule text was transcribed from the official source; no attorney has countersigned this row.
Rule text: FRCP 4(m)
(m) TIME LIMIT FOR SERVICE. If a defendant is not served within 90 days after the complaint is filed, the court—on motion or on its own after notice to the plaintiff—must dismiss the action without prejudice against that defendant or order that service be made within a specified time. But if the plaintiff shows good cause for the failure, the court must extend the time for service for an appropriate period. This subdivision (m) does not apply to service in a foreign country under Rule 4(f), 4(h)(2), or 4(j)(1), or to service of a notice under Rule 71.1(d)(3)(A).
Official source: FRCP 4(m)
Not yet countersigned. The rule text was transcribed from the official source; no attorney has countersigned this row.
Enter your dates and the example above is replaced by your result.
Not legal advice. 68 rule rows transcribed from the official text on 2026-09-30. None has been countersigned yet. Check every date yourself. Read the full disclaimer
The calculators apply the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and the removal statutes in title 28 of the U.S. Code, each quoted from the official text and cited to the subdivision. Every rule row shows its status on the rule verification record. 68 of 68 rule rows and 21 of 21 authority rows are not yet countersigned by an attorney.
Local rules and a judge's standing orders may change these dates. No district's local rules or chambers rules are applied yet.
This calculator does not yet apply state holidays. Rule 6(a)(6)(C) also treats as a legal holiday, for periods that are measured after an event, "any other day declared a holiday by the state where the district court is located" (for an appeal, FRAP 26(a)(6)(C) adds the state of the circuit clerk's principal office). Leaving a state holiday out can only move a forward deadline earlier, never later. That is the safe error if you are computing your own deadline. It is the wrong tool for arguing that the other side filed late: check that state's holidays first.
Check every date against the rule, the local rules and any order in your case before relying on it. Using this site creates no attorney-client relationship. See the terms of use.
How the math works
Step 1: count. Under Rule 6(a)(1), the day of the event that starts the period is left out, every day is counted, weekends and legal holidays included, and the last day is included. A period measured before an event, such as disclosures due 30 days before trial, is counted backward from the event.
Step 2: roll. If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, a period measured after an event runs to the next day that is not one. A period measured before an event moves back to the day before under Rule 6(a)(5). Each result names the days it rolled over.
Step 3: legal holidays. Rule 6(a)(6) lists the days set aside by statute, the days the President or Congress declares, and state holidays. This calculator applies the statutory days, the Friday or Monday on which federal employees observe a weekend holiday, and the days the President closed the executive branch (4 since 2024, listed on the federal legal holidays page). The observed days are treated as legal holidays; no court of appeals has decided that point, so a result that moves only because of one also shows the observed day as the safe date. A day the President closes the executive branch is treated as a day declared a holiday by the President; the Ninth Circuit has not decided this. The Federal Register was read for closure orders through September 30, 2026.
This calculator does not yet apply state holidays. Rule 6(a)(6)(C) also treats as a legal holiday, for periods that are measured after an event, "any other day declared a holiday by the state where the district court is located" (for an appeal, FRAP 26(a)(6)(C) adds the state of the circuit clerk's principal office). Leaving a state holiday out can only move a forward deadline earlier, never later. That is the safe error if you are computing your own deadline. It is the wrong tool for arguing that the other side filed late: check that state's holidays first.
Step 4: the 3 added days. Rule 6(d) adds 3 days when a party may or must act within a time after being served and service was by mail, by leaving the paper with the clerk, or by other means consented to in writing (Rule 5(b)(2)(C), (D) and (F)). Electronic service adds nothing, and neither does handing the paper to the person or leaving it at the person's office or home (Rule 5(b)(2)(A), (B)). The days are added after the period would otherwise expire: count, roll, add 3, roll again, the order the 2005 committee note gives. A period that runs from entry, filing, your own service or service of the summons gets no added days, and each result says why.
Step 5: when the last day ends. Unless a statute, local rule or court order sets a different time, the last day for electronic filing ends at midnight in the court's time zone. The result shows the time only where the court's own document states the zone, which today is the Southern District of California; everywhere else it says the zone is not confirmed. The rule speaks only of filing, so the line appears only on filing deadlines.
An inaccessible clerk's office. This calculator does not know when a clerk's office is inaccessible. Rule 6(a)(6) lists holidays set by statute or declared by the President, Congress or a state; a court's own closure order is not on that list. Courts disagree whether an open e-filing system defeats inaccessibility, so filing on or before a closure day is the safe course.
What is particular to these rows. The time to answer a complaint under Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(i), 12(a)(2) and 12(a)(3) runs from service of the summons and complaint under Rule 4, not from service of a paper under Rule 5(b), so Rule 6(d) adds nothing to it. Under Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(ii) it runs from the date the waiver request was sent. Rule 12(a)(3) needs both service dates and takes the later 60-day period. Rule 15(a)(3) takes the later of the time left to respond to the original pleading and 14 days after service of the amended one, and the calculator adds any 3 days to the 14-day leg only. A removed case gets its answer time from Rule 81(c)(2), on the removal calculator.
Rows this calculator covers
| Deadline | Rule | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Serve the summons and complaint (Rule 4(m)) | FRCP 4(m) | Not yet countersigned |
| Time a waiver request must allow (Rule 4(d)(1)(F)) Informational. | FRCP 4(d)(1)(F) | Not yet countersigned |
| Answer after service (Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(i)) | FRCP 12(a)(1)(A)(i) | Not yet countersigned |
| Answer after waiving service (Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(ii)) | FRCP 12(a)(1)(A)(ii) | Not yet countersigned |
| Answer by the United States, an agency, officer or employee (Rule 12(a)(2)) | FRCP 12(a)(2) | Not yet countersigned |
| Answer by an officer or employee sued individually (Rule 12(a)(3)) | FRCP 12(a)(3) | Not yet countersigned |
| Responsive pleading after a Rule 12 motion is decided (Rule 12(a)(4)(A)) | FRCP 12(a)(4)(A) | Not yet countersigned |
| Responsive pleading after a more definite statement (Rule 12(a)(4)(B)) | FRCP 12(a)(4)(B) | Not yet countersigned |
| Amend once, pleading that needs no response (Rule 15(a)(1)(A)) | FRCP 15(a)(1)(A) | Not yet countersigned |
| Amend once, pleading that requires a response (Rule 15(a)(1)(B)) | FRCP 15(a)(1)(B) | Not yet countersigned |
| Respond to an amended pleading (Rule 15(a)(3)) | FRCP 15(a)(3) | Not yet countersigned |
| Jury demand (Rule 38(b)(1)) | FRCP 38(b)(1) | Not yet countersigned |
The verbatim text, source, edition and page of every row are on the rule verification record.
Common questions
How long does a defendant have to answer a federal complaint?
Under FRCP 12(a)(1)(A)(i), 21 days after being served with the summons and complaint, unless a federal statute sets another time. A defendant that timely waives service under Rule 4(d) has 60 days after the request for a waiver was sent, or 90 days if it was sent outside any judicial district of the United States (Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(ii)). The United States and its agencies, officers and employees sued in an official capacity have 60 days after service on the United States attorney (Rule 12(a)(2)).
Does Rule 6(d) add 3 days to the time to answer a complaint?
No. The 21 days run from service of the summons and complaint under Rule 4, not from service of a paper under Rule 5(b), so Rule 6(d) adds nothing. The calculator says so on the result. The calculator does add the 3 days to the 14-day response after a more definite statement is served (Rule 12(a)(4)(B)) and to the 14-day leg of the response to an amended pleading (Rule 15(a)(3)), when the paper was served by mail, by leaving it with the clerk, or by other means consented to in writing.
When does the right to amend once as a matter of course end?
For a pleading that needs no response, 21 days after serving it (Rule 15(a)(1)(A)). For a pleading that requires a response, 21 days after service of the responsive pleading or of a Rule 12(b), (e) or (f) motion, whichever is earlier (Rule 15(a)(1)(B)). Until one of those is served the right stays open. A scheduling order can cut it off, and after that amendment needs consent or leave under Rule 15(a)(2).
How long is there to serve the summons and complaint?
Rule 4(m) gives 90 days after the complaint is filed. If a defendant is not served in that time the court must dismiss without prejudice or order service within a specified time, and it must extend the time if the plaintiff shows good cause. The 90 days do not apply to service in a foreign country under Rule 4(f), 4(h)(2) or 4(j)(1).