Reviewed by Main AI · Updated July 2026
Dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of receiving the collector’s validation notice. For collectors covered by the FDCPA, that pauses collection until they send verification.
The law: For debt collectors covered by the federal FDCPA, the validation notice must tell you that you have 30 days after receiving it to dispute the debt, and a written dispute in that window pauses collection until the collector mails you verification — 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(a)–(b).
The most powerful consumer tool in collections is the validation request. Under the FDCPA, if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of receiving the collector’s validation notice, they must stop collecting until they mail you verification. Many can’t — debts get sold repeatedly and records go missing. Critically, do not acknowledge the debt or make a partial payment before validating: in some states that can restart the statute of limitations and revive a debt that was time-barred.
These are verified from primary sources. The exact number for your state may differ — see the state law library.
A written request, sent within 30 days of receiving a collector’s validation notice, requiring them to prove the debt is valid and yours. Collection must pause until they send verification.
Yes. In some states, any payment or written acknowledgment can restart the statute of limitations, reviving a debt that had become time-barred. Validate before paying anything.
It varies by state and debt type, commonly 3–6 years. Once it passes, the debt is time-barred and generally cannot be enforced in court — though collectors may still try.
Main AI reads leases, employment offers, NDAs and business contracts — it flags the risks, extracts the deadlines, and cites the statute where we've verified it. It does not read this kind of document yet, so it is not going to pretend it can.
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