All actions at law brought for any forfeiture upon any penal statute made or to be made, shall be commenced within the periods of time herein prescribed:
a. Within 2 years next after the offense committed or to be committed against the statute, when the forfeiture is or shall be limited by the statute to the state of New Jersey only;
b. Within 2 years next after the offense committed or to be committed against the statute, or cause of action accrued, when the benefit of the forfeiture and the action therefor is or shall be limited or given to the party aggrieved;
c. Within 1 year next after the offense committed or to be committed against the statute, when the benefit of the forfeiture and the action therefor is or shall be limited or given by the statute to any person who shall prosecute for the same, or to the state of New Jersey, and to any other who shall prosecute in that behalf, except that, in default of such action, the same shall be brought for the state of New Jersey, at any time within 1 year after the termination of the aforesaid year;
d. Within 1 year next after the offense committed or to be committed against the statute, when the forfeiture is or shall be limited by the statute to any county or municipality, or to any officer of such county or municipality, or to any person for the use of such county or municipality, or to the use of the poor of such municipality, either in whole or together with any other person who may lawfully sue for the same.
Where, however, by any statute made or to be made it is provided that any such action is to be brought within a shorter time than that prescribed by this section, such action shall be commenced within the time so provided by that statute.