Investor Tools

1031 Exchange Timeline Calculator

Enter the date you sold (or plan to sell) your relinquished property. We'll calculate your exact 45-day identification and 180-day closing deadlines — with live day-by-day countdowns, a visual timeline of where you stand today, and a milestone checklist to keep your exchange on track.

Date You Sold (or Will Sell) the Relinquished Property

The 45-day and 180-day clocks both start on the day your sale closes (Day 0). Enter a past date if you're mid-exchange, or a future date to plan ahead.

Identification Period — Day 0 of 45

45 days

left to identify replacement properties in writing. Identification deadline: Monday, October 19, 2026

Day 45On Track

Identification Deadline

Monday, October 19, 2026

45 days

remaining

You must formally identify up to 3 potential replacement properties (or more under the 200% rule) in writing to your qualified intermediary by this date.

Day 180On Track

Closing Deadline

Wednesday, March 3, 2027

180 days

remaining

You must close on one or more of your identified replacement properties by this date. Missing this deadline triggers full capital gains tax recognition.

Your Exchange Timeline

Today: Day 0 of 180

Day 0

Sale Closes

Sep 4

Day 45

Identify

Oct 19

Day 180

Mar 3

How your deadlines are calculated

Day 0 (sale closes): Sep 4, 2026

Day 0 + 45 calendar days → Oct 19, 2026 identification deadline

Day 0 + 180 calendar days → Mar 3, 2027 closing deadline

Both periods count every calendar day — weekends and holidays included — from the same Day 0, and run concurrently rather than back-to-back.

Milestone Checklist

0 of 5 complete

Checklist state is for this session only — it isn't saved or sent anywhere.

3-Property Rule

You may identify up to 3 replacement properties regardless of value.

200% Rule

You may identify more than 3 if the combined FMV doesn't exceed 200% of the relinquished property's value.

95% Rule

You may identify any number of properties if you close on at least 95% of the combined value.

Critical Reminders

• Both deadlines are calendar days, not business days. Weekends and holidays don't extend them.
• You must engage a Qualified Intermediary (QI) before closing the relinquished property sale.
• You cannot take constructive receipt of the sale proceeds at any point.
• Your exchange must finish by the earlier of Day 180 or the due date of your tax return (with extensions) for the year of the sale — if Day 180 falls after your filing deadline, file an extension to use the full 180 days.

Deadline math only — this tool counts calendar days from the closing date you enter. It is not tax or legal advice; confirm your exact deadlines with your Qualified Intermediary and CPA before relying on them.

How the 1031 Timeline Works

Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code allows investors to defer capital gains taxes on the sale of investment real estate — if the proceeds are reinvested into "like-kind" property within strict IRS deadlines. See our Florida 1031 exchange guide for the full process.

Both clocks start on the day your sale closes and run concurrently. The 45-day identification period ends first; the 180-day closing period is the outer bound. Neither can be extended for weekends, holidays, or most emergencies.

The arithmetic itself is simple date addition — the calculator above just does it without the off-by-one errors people make counting on a wall calendar:

Identification Deadline = Closing Date + 45 calendar daysClosing Deadline = Closing Date + 180 calendar days

Three things about that word calendar trip people up. The closing date itself is Day 0, not Day 1, so counting starts the following day. Weekends and holidays are included in the count and a deadline landing on a Sunday does not roll forward to Monday. And the two periods are not sequential — the 180 days do not begin when the 45 days end, which means that once you identify, only 135 days remain to close, not 180.

Worked Example: A March 12 Closing

Suppose your relinquished property sale closes on Thursday, March 12, 2026. That date is Day 0. Counting forward in calendar days:

Day 0 — relinquished sale closes	Thu, Mar 12, 2026
Day 45 — written identification due to your QI	Sun, Apr 26, 2026
Day 180 — replacement property must close	Tue, Sep 8, 2026

What that actually means for your week-to-week plan

Day 45 lands on a Sundayin this example. The deadline does not move to Monday, and your qualified intermediary's office may not be open, so in practice your identification has to be delivered by Friday, April 24 — Day 43. That quietly costs you two days.

The 45-day window contains only 31 weekdays. Subtract time for touring, LOIs, and getting a contract signed and the real search window is a few weeks, not six. Between Day 45 and Day 180 you then have 135 days to complete due diligence, secure financing, and close — comfortable for a single-tenant net lease asset with clean title, tight for anything requiring a new loan on a multi-tenant property.

Ask your CPA and qualified intermediary whether your own tax filing dates affect your outer deadline in your situation. The calculator counts the full 180 calendar days.

45-Day Identification

You must identify up to 3 potential replacement properties in writing to your qualified intermediary within 45 calendar days. Identification must be specific — address, legal description, or other unambiguous description.

Tip: Start identifying potential replacements before you close the relinquished sale. 45 days goes fast.

180-Day Closing

You must close on one or more of your identified replacement properties by the 180th day. The exchange fails if you miss this deadline — full capital gains tax is owed in the current tax year.

Tip:Negotiate long due diligence periods in your replacement property contracts so the seller doesn't back out mid-exchange.

Before the Clock Starts

Set up your exchange properly before closing the relinquished sale:

Engage a Qualified Intermediary (QI) — required by IRS
Amend the sale contract to include 1031 cooperation language
Start identifying replacement properties
Notify your CPA and real estate attorney
Line up financing for the replacement property

1031 Exchange Timeline FAQs

When does the 1031 exchange timeline start?

Both the 45-day and 180-day clocks start on the day your relinquished property sale closes. That closing date is Day 0, and the two periods run concurrently — the 45-day identification period ends first, and the 180-day closing period is the outer bound.

What is the 45-day rule in a 1031 exchange?

Within 45 calendar days of closing your sale, you must identify up to 3 potential replacement properties in writing to your qualified intermediary. The identification must be specific — address, legal description, or other unambiguous description. This deadline cannot be extended for weekends, holidays, or most emergencies.

What is the 180-day rule in a 1031 exchange?

You must close on one or more of your identified replacement properties by the 180th calendar day after your sale closes. If you miss this deadline the exchange fails and full capital gains tax is owed in the current tax year.

Are the 45 and 180 days calendar days or business days?

Calendar days. Weekends and federal holidays are counted, and a deadline that lands on a Saturday or a holiday does not roll to the next business day. This is why the arithmetic matters: 45 calendar days is roughly six and a half weeks, and it typically contains only about 31 or 32 weekdays in which to tour properties, get contracts signed, and deliver a written identification.

Can the 45-day or 180-day deadlines be extended?

No. Neither the 45-day identification period nor the 180-day closing period can be extended for weekends, holidays, or most emergencies. Because the windows are so tight, many investors start identifying replacement properties before the relinquished sale closes. Ask your CPA and qualified intermediary whether your tax filing dates affect your own outer deadline — this calculator counts the full 180 calendar days.

How many replacement properties can I identify?

By default you can identify up to 3 replacement properties of any value. Under the 200% rule you can identify more than 3, as long as their combined fair market value does not exceed 200% of the value of the relinquished property. Under the 95% rule you can identify even more, provided you close on at least 95% of their combined value. Most investors use the 3-property default. Confirm your identification with your qualified intermediary before submitting it.

What happens if I miss the 45-day identification deadline?

The exchange fails. If nothing is validly identified by Day 45 there is no replacement property to acquire, the qualified intermediary returns the proceeds, and the sale is treated as a taxable event — capital gains and depreciation recapture become due for the current tax year. This is the single most common way an exchange collapses, and it is why identification work should begin before the relinquished sale closes rather than after.

Related Tools & Reading

Disclaimer: This calculator provides timeline estimates for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Section 1031 rules are complex and subject to change. Always consult with a qualified CPA, tax attorney, and qualified intermediary before executing a 1031 exchange. MaxLife Commercial is not a qualified intermediary and does not provide tax or legal advice.

Need a Replacement Property?

MaxLife Commercial sources NNN investment properties and commercial real estate across Florida. We've helped dozens of 1031 exchange buyers identify and close replacement properties within the 45-day window — and our NNN property valuation tool helps you vet a replacement before you commit.

Find Replacement Properties 1031 Exchange FAQ

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