Resources

Statute of Limitations on Debt by State

Important disclaimers before you read any specific numbers

The information on this page is general guidance, not legal advice. Statutes of limitations are complicated. The actual SoL for your specific debt depends on the state whose law applies, the specific type of debt, whether anything has happened that could revive the SoL (payments, written acknowledgments), tolling events, and court interpretations specific to your state. For any specific situation, consult a consumer protection attorney - especially if you are being sued or considering paying a debt that may be time-barred.

How to read these numbers

Each state listing shows multiple categories of debt. The categories most commonly applicable to consumer debt:

Written Contract: A debt where you signed a written agreement. Most credit card accounts (because of the cardmember agreement), most auto loans, most personal loans, mortgages.
Oral Contract: A debt based on a spoken agreement with no written contract. Less common in consumer debt.
Open Account / Account Stated: An account where charges accumulate over time, like a store credit account. Some states classify credit card debt as open account, others as written contract.
Promissory Note: A specific type of written promise to pay. Often longer SoL than other debt types.

When categories overlap or there is dispute about which applies, courts in each state have ruled on these issues. The general numbers below are starting points.

SoL revival warning

In most states, certain actions can revive the SoL: making any payment (even partial), acknowledging the debt in writing, promising to pay, or entering a new payment plan or settlement agreement. Never make a payment, written acknowledgment, or new agreement on a debt that may be past the SoL without consulting an attorney first.

The 50 states plus DC

State	Written	Oral	Open Account	Promissory Note
Alabama	6 years	6 years	3 years	6 years
Alaska	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years (10 if under seal)
Arizona	6 years	3 years	3 years	6 years
Arkansas	5 years	3 years	3 years	5 years
California	4 years	2 years	4 years	4 years
Colorado	6 years	3 years	6 years	6 years
Connecticut	6 years	3 years	6 years	6 years
Delaware	3 years	3 years	3 years	6 years
District of Columbia	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years
Florida	5 years	4 years	4 years	5 years
Georgia	6 years	4 years	4 years	6 years
Hawaii	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Idaho	5 years	4 years	4 years	5 years
Illinois	10 years	5 years	5 years (some courts say 10 for credit cards)	10 years
Indiana	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Iowa	10 years	5 years	5 years	10 years
Kansas	5 years	3 years	3 years	5 years
Kentucky	15 years (10 for contracts after July 14, 2014)	5 years	5 years	15 years (10 for newer)
Louisiana	10 years	10 years	3 years	5 years
Maine	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years (20 if under seal)
Maryland	3 years	3 years	3 years	6 years
Massachusetts	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years (20 if under seal)
Michigan	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Minnesota	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Mississippi	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years
Missouri	10 years	5 years	5 years	10 years
Montana	8 years	5 years	5 years	8 years
Nebraska	5 years	4 years	4 years	5 years
Nevada	6 years	4 years	4 years	6 years
New Hampshire	3 years	3 years	3 years	6 years
New Jersey	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
New Mexico	6 years	4 years	4 years	6 years
New York	6 years (3 for consumer credit since April 2022)	6 years	3 years for consumer credit	6 years
North Carolina	3 years	3 years	3 years	5 years
North Dakota	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Ohio	8 years (6 since June 16, 2021)	6 years (4 since June 16, 2021)	6 years (or 4 for newer)	6 years
Oklahoma	5 years	3 years	3 years (5 if documented)	5 years
Oregon	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Pennsylvania	4 years	4 years	4 years	4 years (6 for sealed)
Rhode Island	10 years	10 years	10 years	10 years
South Carolina	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years
South Dakota	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Tennessee	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years
Texas	4 years	4 years	4 years	4 years
Utah	6 years	4 years	4 years	6 years
Vermont	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years (14 if under seal)
Virginia	5 years	3 years	3 years	6 years
Washington	6 years	3 years	3 years (some say 6 for credit cards)	6 years
West Virginia	10 years	5 years	5 years	10 years
Wisconsin	6 years	6 years	6 years	6 years (10 for sealed)
Wyoming	10 years	8 years	8 years	10 years

State-specific notes

Alabama: Varying interpretations on credit card debt.
Alaska: Generally shorter SoL than most states.
Arizona: Credit card debt typically treated as written contract.
Arkansas: Treats credit card debt as open account (3 years).
California: Fair Debt Buying Practices Act gives strong protections. SoL generally cannot be revived by partial payment alone.
Colorado: Significant debt collection reform passed in 2023.
Connecticut: Requires debt buyer licensing and specific documentation.
Delaware: Unusually short SoL for written contracts.
District of Columbia: Shorter than most states.
Florida: Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA) extends FDCPA-like protections to original creditors. Partial payment can revive SoL.
Georgia: Credit card debt generally treated as open account (4 years).
Hawaii: Uniform 6-year SoL for most debt types.
Illinois: One of the longest written contract SoLs.
Iowa: Long SoL for written contracts.
Kansas: Treats credit card debt as open account.
Kentucky: Recent legislation reduced SoL for newer contracts. Check the date of the original agreement.
Louisiana: Civil law tradition produces unique results. Credit cards classified as open account.
Maryland: Relatively short 3-year SoL for most consumer debt.
Massachusetts: Requires debt collector licensing; strong consumer protection.
Mississippi: Relatively short SoL.
Missouri: Long SoL for written contracts.
Montana: Relatively long SoL for written contracts.
New Hampshire: Unusually short SoL for most debt types.
New York: Consumer Credit Fairness Act (2022) shortened consumer debt SoL to 3 years. Acknowledgment in writing does not revive SoL.
North Carolina: Short SoL for most consumer debt.
Ohio: Reduced SoL in 2021. Older contracts may still be subject to longer SoL.
Oklahoma: Classification of credit card debt has been disputed in courts.
Oregon: Strong consumer protection framework.
Pennsylvania: Shorter SoL than most states.
Rhode Island: Very long uniform SoL.
South Carolina: Short uniform SoL.
Texas: Does not allow wage garnishment for most consumer debts. Requires debt collectors to be licensed.
Virginia: Classification of credit card debt has varied in courts.
Washington: Requires debt collectors to be licensed; strong Consumer Protection Act remedies.
West Virginia: Long SoL for written contracts.
Wyoming: Long SoL for most debt types.

Special considerations

Choice of law

Some credit card agreements include choice-of-law clauses specifying that a particular state's law applies regardless of where the consumer lives. Common choices include Delaware (3 years) and South Dakota (6 years) because of state laws favorable to lenders.

When you are sued, the court will determine which state's law applies. This can be a complex legal question. If a creditor is using a state with a shorter SoL than your state of residence, that may benefit you.

Tolling

The SoL can be paused ("tolled") in certain circumstances:

The debtor is in active military service (Servicemembers Civil Relief Act)
The debtor leaves the state and is unavailable for service
Other specific circumstances defined by state law

Tolling provisions vary by state and circumstance. Generally, if you have been continuously available in the state since the original delinquency, tolling does not apply.

Bankruptcy

If you have filed for bankruptcy, the SoL on debts included in the bankruptcy is largely irrelevant. Discharged debts cannot be collected regardless of SoL. If a debt was not discharged for some reason, the SoL still applies.

Federal student loans

Federal student loans do not have a statute of limitations. The federal government can pursue collection indefinitely, including through tax refund offsets and Social Security garnishment. Private student loans are subject to the SoL of the applicable state.

Tax debts

Federal tax debts have specific time limits (generally 10 years for collection) but follow different rules than the SoL on commercial debt. State tax debts vary.

How to use this information

If a debt may be near or past SoL

Determine the original Date of First Delinquency
Identify the type of debt (written contract, open account, etc.)
Identify which state's law applies
Determine whether anything has happened that could revive SoL
Consult a consumer protection attorney before taking any action

If you are sued on what may be a time-barred debt

Do not ignore the lawsuit (default judgment is the worst outcome)
Respond before the deadline
Assert SoL as a defense in your answer
Get a lawyer immediately

If a collector is calling about a possibly time-barred debt

Do not acknowledge the debt
Do not make any payment, even partial
Do not enter any new agreements
Document the contacts (date, time, what was said)
If they threaten to sue on a time-barred debt, that may be an FDCPA violation
Consider a debt validation request or cease and desist letter

Why you should not rely solely on this page

State law changes. Court decisions clarify or change interpretations. The categorization of specific debt types varies by court ruling. The general numbers above are starting points for understanding, not definitive answers for your specific case.

Before relying on SoL for any specific debt:

Verify the current law in your state
Verify how courts in your state have applied the SoL to your specific type of debt
Verify whether anything has happened that could revive or toll the SoL
Consult a consumer protection attorney for any case involving real money or potential lawsuit

The SoL is a powerful defense when applied correctly. It is also easy to lose by accident if you do not understand exactly how it works.