Statute of limitations on debt by state
Every state limits how long a creditor or collector has to sue over a debt, usually 3 to 6 years and sometimes longer. After that, the debt is "time-barred": they generally can't win a lawsuit, though in many states they can still ask you to pay.
Updated October 11, 2026 · General information, not legal advice.
Time limits by state
| State | Years to sue | Can a payment or promise restart it? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3–6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Alaska | 3 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Arizona | 6 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Arkansas | 5 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| California | 4 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Colorado | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Connecticut | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Delaware | 3 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Florida | 4–5 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Georgia | 4–6 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Hawaii | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Idaho | 5 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Illinois | 5–10 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Indiana | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Iowa | 10 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Kansas | 5 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Kentucky | 5–10 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Louisiana | 3–10 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Maine | 6 | No |
| Maryland | 3 | No |
| Massachusetts | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Michigan | 6 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Minnesota | 6 | No |
| Mississippi | 3 | No |
| Missouri | 5–10 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Montana | 5–6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Nebraska | 4–5 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Nevada | 4–6 | No |
| New Hampshire | 3 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| New Jersey | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| New Mexico | 4–6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| New York | 3 | No |
| North Carolina | 3 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| North Dakota | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Ohio | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Oklahoma | 3–5 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Oregon | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Rhode Island | 10 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| South Carolina | 3 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| South Dakota | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Tennessee | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Texas | 4 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Utah | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Vermont | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| Virginia | 3–5 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Washington | 6 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| West Virginia | 5–10 | Yes, a signed promise |
| Wisconsin | 6 | No |
| Wyoming | 8–10 | Yes, a payment or written promise |
| District of Columbia | 3 | No |
Written contracts and credit cards; some debts, like medical debt, differ. Compiled from state statutes and 50-state surveys, checked October 2026. Laws change; check your state's statute or ask legal aid before relying on a date.
The trap: restarting the clock
In many states, a payment, even a small one, or a written promise to pay can restart the time limit. That can turn a debt they could no longer sue on into one they can. Collectors sometimes ask for a small "good faith" payment for this reason.
Before you pay, agree to a plan or sign anything about an old debt, find the date of your last payment and check it against your state below.
If the debt is too old
- Don't pay or promise to pay until you've checked the dates.
- Send a letter saying the debt appears to be past the time limit, that you don't acknowledge it, and asking them to stop. Federal rules bar collectors from suing, or threatening to sue, on a time-barred debt.
- If they sue anyway, respond to the court papers by the deadline and raise the time limit as a defense. It usually isn't applied unless you raise it.
- Old debts generally drop off credit reports 7 years after the first missed payment, whatever the state's time limit.
Questions
When does the clock start?
Usually from the date of your last payment or the date you first missed a payment, depending on the state and the type of debt.
Does a time-barred debt disappear?
Usually not. In most states the debt still exists and a collector can ask you to pay, but they can't win a lawsuit. A few states go further and stop collection altogether.
Can a collector sue me on an old debt?
Under federal rules, debt collectors may not sue or threaten to sue on a time-barred debt. If you're sued, respond and raise the time limit, or contact legal aid.