Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Personal Finance Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection by State Updated Jun 28, 2024 6-min read Written by Jeff Gitlen, CEPF® Written by Jeff Gitlen, CEPF® Expertise: Student loans, personal loans, home loans, insurance, credit cards Jeff Gitlen, CEPF®, is the director of growth at LendEDU. He graduated from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware. Learn more about Jeff Gitlen, CEPF® If you’re getting calls from debt collectors about old debt, by law, you might not need to pay if the debt is too old. The statute of limitations on debt collection varies by state and type of debt, determining how long creditors have to sue you for unpaid debts. Table of Contents Skip to Section Do debt collectors have a time limit?Types of debtStatute of limitations on debt collections by stateProtect yourself from debt collectorsFAQ Do debt collectors have a time limit? The statute of limitations for debt collection varies by state and type of debt. Typically, state law determines the statute of limitations for your debts, regardless of where you incurred the debt. Some lenders may add clauses to extend your debt obligations. The clock starts with your last activity on the account, not when you take out the loan. Note that debt collectors can still contact you about a time-barred debt unless you ask them to stop. You can send a certified letter requesting no further contact. If they persist, you can contact a lawyer or the local attorney general’s office. Types of debt The main types of debt are: Oral agreements: Verbal, nonwritten contracts to repay money.Written contracts: Debts backed by a signed written contract.Promissory notes: Written agreements to repay a debt with specific payments, such as mortgages.Open-ended debt: Credit types with revolving balances, such as credit cards and lines of credit. Statute of limitations on debt collection by state You can choose your state from the list below to jump to our discussion of its statute of limitations: AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouri MontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming Alabama Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Alaska Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 3 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Arizona Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 3 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Arkansas Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 5 yearsPromissory notes: 3 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years California Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 2 yearsWritten contracts: 4 yearsPromissory notes: 4 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years Colorado Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Connecticut Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Delaware Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 3 yearsPromissory notes: 3 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Florida Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 5 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years Georgia Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years, but 6 years for credit cards Hawaii Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Idaho Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 5 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 5 years Illinois Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 5 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 10 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 5 years Indiana Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Iowa Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 5 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 5 years Kansas Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 5 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Kentucky Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 5 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 15 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 5 years Louisiana Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 10 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 10 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Maine Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Maryland Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 3 yearsPromissory notes: 12 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Massachusetts Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Michigan Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Minnesota Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Mississippi Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 3 yearsPromissory notes: 3 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Missouri Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 3 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 5 years Montana Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 5 yearsWritten contracts: 8 yearsPromissory notes: 8 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 5 years Nebraska Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 5 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years Nevada Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 3 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years New Hampshire Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 3 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years New Jersey Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years New Mexico Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years New York Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years North Carolina Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 3 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years North Dakota Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Ohio Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 years if debt was after 2012; if before, it’s 15 yearsWritten contracts: 8 years if debt was after 2012; if before, it’s 15 yearsPromissory notes: 8 years if debt was after 2012; if before, it’s 15 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 8 years if debt was after 2012; if before, it’s 15 years Oklahoma Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 5 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Oregon Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Pennsylvania Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 4 yearsPromissory notes: 4 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years Rhode Island Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 10 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 10 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 10 years South Carolina Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 3 yearsPromissory notes: 3 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years South Dakota Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Tennessee Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Texas Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 4 yearsPromissory notes: 4 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years Utah Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 4 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 4 years Vermont Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 5 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Virginia Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 5 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years Washington Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 3 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 3 years West Virginia Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 5 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 6 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 5 years Wisconsin Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 6 yearsWritten contracts: 6 yearsPromissory notes: 10 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Wyoming Statute of limitations Oral agreements: 8 yearsWritten contracts: 10 yearsPromissory notes: 10 yearsOpen-ended accounts: 6 years Protect yourself from debt collectors The following are smart actions to take if you’re concerned about debt collectors. Know your rights: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects consumers from abusive practices.Document interactions: Keep records of all communications with debt collectors.Seek legal advice: Consult a lawyer if debt collectors violate your rights. FAQ Can a debt collector still contact me after the statute of limitations expires? Yes, but you can request they stop. Send a certified letter to the debt collector and keep a copy for your records. What happens if I make a payment on a time-barred debt? Making a payment can reset the statute of limitations, allowing debt collectors to sue you for the debt. Avoid making payments or acknowledging the debt without consulting a lawyer. How do I know if my debt is time-barred? Check the date of your last payment or activity on the account. Compare it with your state’s statute of limitations for that type of debt. What should I do if a debt collector sues me for a time-barred debt? Consult a lawyer immediately. You can use the expired statute of limitations as a defense in court.