Law library / Debt statute of limitations
⏳ 50-STATE GUIDE · DEBT STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

Debt statute of limitations by state

Every state sets a deadline for creditors and debt collectors to sue over unpaid debt — from 3 years in the shortest states to 10 in the longest, and it differs by debt type. Once the deadline passes, the debt is time-barred: still real, but a lawsuit over it can be defeated. Pick your state for the exact periods, the verified statute citation, and what to do if a collector contacts you.

Pick your state

AlabamaCredit card 3 yrs · written 6 yrs
AlaskaCredit card 3 yrs · written 3 yrs
ArizonaCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
ArkansasCredit card 3 yrs · written 5 yrs
CaliforniaCredit card 4 yrs · written 4 yrs
ColoradoCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
ConnecticutCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
DelawareCredit card 3 yrs · written 3 yrs
FloridaCredit card 4 yrs · written 5 yrs
GeorgiaCredit card 4 yrs · written 6 yrs
HawaiiCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
IdahoCredit card 4 yrs · written 5 yrs
IllinoisCredit card 5 yrs · written 10 yrs
IndianaCredit card 6 yrs · written 10 yrs
IowaCredit card 5 yrs · written 10 yrs
KansasCredit card 3 yrs · written 5 yrs
KentuckyCredit card 5 yrs · written 10 yrs
LouisianaCredit card 3 yrs · written 10 yrs
MaineCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
MarylandCredit card 3 yrs · written 3 yrs
MassachusettsCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
MichiganCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
MinnesotaCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
MississippiCredit card 3 yrs · written 3 yrs
MissouriCredit card 5 yrs · written 10 yrs
MontanaCredit card 5 yrs · written 8 yrs
NebraskaCredit card 4 yrs · written 5 yrs
NevadaCredit card 4 yrs · written 6 yrs
New HampshireCredit card 3 yrs · written 3 yrs
New JerseyCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
New MexicoCredit card 4 yrs · written 6 yrs
New YorkCredit card 3 yrs · written 6 yrs
North CarolinaCredit card 3 yrs · written 3 yrs
North DakotaCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
OhioCredit card 6 yrs · written 8 yrs
OklahomaCredit card 3 yrs · written 5 yrs
OregonCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
PennsylvaniaCredit card 4 yrs · written 4 yrs
Rhode IslandCredit card 10 yrs · written 10 yrs
South CarolinaCredit card 3 yrs · written 3 yrs
South DakotaCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
TennesseeCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
TexasCredit card 4 yrs · written 4 yrs
UtahCredit card 4 yrs · written 6 yrs
VermontCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
VirginiaCredit card 3 yrs · written 5 yrs
WashingtonCredit card 3 yrs · written 6 yrs
West VirginiaCredit card 5 yrs · written 10 yrs
WisconsinCredit card 6 yrs · written 6 yrs
WyomingCredit card 8 yrs · written 10 yrs

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This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Statutes change and have exceptions; verify against the primary source for your state, and consult a licensed attorney for advice on your situation.

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