Connecticut debt statute of limitations

Connecticut limitation periods by type of debt

Accounts and simple or implied contracts are 6 years (§ 52-576); an express contract not in writing is 3 years (§ 52-581).

What the Connecticut statute says

“(a) No action for an account, or on any simple or implied contract, or on any contract in writing, shall be brought but within six years after the right of action accrues, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576(a)

“(a) No action for an account, or on any simple or implied contract, or on any contract in writing, shall be brought but within six years after the right of action accrues, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576(a)

“(a) No action founded upon any express contract or agreement which is not reduced to writing, or of which some note or memorandum is not made in writing and signed by the party to be charged therewith or his agent, shall be brought but within three years after the right of action accrues.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-581(a)

Does paying restart the clock in Connecticut?

A debt buyer may not sue on a consumer debt it knows or should know is past the limitations period, and a payment or affirmation after that does not extend the period for the buyer (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-814(b)–(c)).

Connecticut’s own debt collection law

Connecticut's creditor collection practices law (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 36a-645 to 36a-648) bars creditors from using abusive, harassing, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading practices to collect consumer debts; consumer collection agencies are separately regulated under §§ 36a-800 et seq.

“No creditor shall use any abusive, harassing, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading representation, device or practice to collect or attempt to collect any debt.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-646

If a creditor wins a judgment in Connecticut

The statute of limitations is a defense to the lawsuit. If the creditor sues within the deadline and wins — or wins by default because nobody answered — different Connecticut rules take over.

How long a judgment lasts

In Connecticut, execution on a money judgment may not issue more than 20 years after entry (10 years for a small claims judgment), and an action on the judgment must be brought within 25 years (15 for small claims); a motion to revive may be filed before the period expires but cannot extend it.

“No execution to enforce a judgment for money damages rendered in any court of this state may be issued after the expiration of twenty years from the date the judgment was entered and no action based upon such a judgment may be instituted after the expiration of twenty-five years from the date the judgment was entered”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-598

Wage garnishment

Connecticut limits a wage execution to the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount by which weekly disposable earnings exceed 40 times the higher of the federal or Connecticut minimum hourly wage.

“The maximum part of the aggregate weekly earnings of an individual which may be subject under this section to levy or other withholding for payment of a judgment is the lesser of (1) twenty-five per cent of his disposable earnings for that week, or (2) the amount by which his disposable earnings for that week exceed forty times the higher of”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-361a(f)

Money in a bank account

When a Connecticut bank account is executed on, the bank must leave identifiable direct-deposited exempt benefits, plus up to $1,000 of identifiable direct-deposited wages from the prior two months; if there are no such wage deposits or they total under $1,000, it must leave the lesser of the balance or $1,000.

“If no such deposits have been made to the judgment debtor's account during the look-back period, or if such readily identifiable funds are less than one thousand dollars, the financial institution shall leave in the judgment debtor's account as exempt pursuant to subdivision (18) of section 52-352b the lesser of the account balance or one thousand dollars in the aggregate.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-367b(c)(2)

Small claims court

Connecticut small claims procedure applies to money-damage claims up to $5,000 (up to $15,000 for certain home improvement and new home construction contract claims; libel and slander excluded).

“The small claims procedure shall only be applicable to (1) all actions claiming money damages not in excess of five thousand dollars, except such procedure shall not be applicable to actions of libel and slander”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-15(d)

Time-barred debt in Connecticut

A creditor or collection agency that bought a consumer debt may not sue on it if it knows or should know the limitations period has expired, and a payment or affirmation after expiry does not extend the period for that debt buyer.

“(b) No creditor or consumer collection agency that purchased debt shall initiate a cause of action to collect the debt owed by a consumer debtor when such creditor or consumer collection agency knows or reasonably should know that the applicable statute of limitations on such cause of action has expired.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-814(b)-(c)

What to do next

1. Find the date of your last payment or account activity — that is usually when the clock started.
2. If a collector contacted you in the last 30 days, dispute in writing first: the validation letter generator asks the collector to verify the debt without admitting it.
3. Do not pay or sign anything on an old debt until you know how Connecticut treats a payment (above).
4. If you are sued, respond by the deadline on the summons and raise the statute of limitations as a defense.

Common questions

How long can a debt collector sue me in Connecticut?

6 years for credit-card debt and 6 years on a written contract, under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576; § 52-581. The period usually runs from your last payment or the date of default.

Does a payment restart the clock in Connecticut?

A debt buyer may not sue on a consumer debt it knows or should know is past the limitations period, and a payment or affirmation after that does not extend the period for the buyer (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-814(b)–(c)).

Does Connecticut have its own debt collection law?

Connecticut's creditor collection practices law (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 36a-645 to 36a-648) bars creditors from using abusive, harassing, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading practices to collect consumer debts; consumer collection agencies are separately regulated under §§ 36a-800 et seq. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-646).

How long does a court judgment last in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, execution on a money judgment may not issue more than 20 years after entry (10 years for a small claims judgment), and an action on the judgment must be brought within 25 years (15 for small claims); a motion to revive may be filed before the period expires but cannot extend it. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-598).

How much of my pay can be garnished in Connecticut?

Connecticut limits a wage execution to the lesser of 25% of weekly disposable earnings or the amount by which weekly disposable earnings exceed 40 times the higher of the federal or Connecticut minimum hourly wage. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-361a(f)).

What if I am sued on an old debt in Connecticut?

Respond by the deadline on the summons. An expired limitations period is a defense you generally have to raise yourself; a court that hears nothing from you can enter a default judgment.