⏳ CALIFORNIA · DEBT STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Debt statutes of limitations in California
In California, a creditor or collector generally has 4 years to sue you on credit-card or open-account debt, under Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339. A debt’s statute of limitations is the window to SUE — once it passes the debt is “time-barred”: you can still be asked to pay, but a court can no longer force you to, if you raise the limitation as a defense. The clock usually runs from your last payment or activity on the account.
The California statute
VERIFIED PRIMARY SOURCE
§ Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339
In California, a creditor generally has 4 years to sue on credit-card/open-account debt and 4 years on a written contract (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339). Written contracts and book accounts are 4 years (§ 337); purely oral contracts are 2 years (§ 339). The clock usually runs from your last payment, and a new payment or written acknowledgment can restart it. Verified against the primary statute 2026-07-23.
Read the California source text →California deadlines at a glance
| Debt type | Time limit in California |
|---|---|
| Credit card / open account | 4 years |
| Written contract | 4 years |
| Governing statute | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339 |
| Clock usually starts | Your last payment or account activity |
California applies the same 4-year period whether the debt is an open account or a written contract. Verified against the primary source →
What debt statutes of limitations law covers in California
Debt type decides the clock in CaliforniaCalifornia applies one 4-year period to credit-card, open-account and written-contract debt alike (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339) — so the debt type matters less here than it does in states that split the two.
Time-barred does not mean gonePassing California’s 4-year mark doesn’t erase the debt or remove it from your credit report on its own — it bars the lawsuit. A collector can still ask you to pay; you have to assert the limitation.
Restarting the clockIn California, as in most states, making a payment, promising to pay, or acknowledging the debt in writing can RESET the limitations period — which is why you check the date before you say or pay anything.
Being sued on old debt in CaliforniaCollectors do sue on time-barred debt, betting you won’t respond. California’s expired 4-year period is a complete defense, but only if you show up and raise it — a default judgment is how these cases are usually won.
What to do in California, in order
- Before you pay or acknowledge anything, find the date of your last payment or activity — that’s usually when the clock started.
- Identify the debt type. In California, credit-card and open-account debt runs 4 years under Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339.
- If more than 4 years have passed since that date, the debt is likely time-barred in California — do not make a payment or a written acknowledgment, either of which can restart it.
- If you’re sued, do not ignore it: respond by the deadline on the summons and raise the statute of limitations as an affirmative defense.
Common questions about debt statutes of limitations in California
How long can a debt collector sue me in California?
4 years for credit-card and open-account debt, under Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339. The period generally runs from your last payment or activity on the account, not from when the debt was opened.
Does the statute of limitations erase my debt in California?
No. After 4 years it bars a creditor from winning a lawsuit to collect — it doesn’t cancel the debt or, by itself, remove it from your credit report. You generally must raise the expired limitation as a defense; a California court won’t apply it automatically.
Can a collector still sue me after California’s deadline expires?
They can file, and some do. But if the debt is time-barred under Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337; § 339, the expired limitations period is a complete defense — you have to show up and raise it. Ignoring the suit is how a time-barred debt turns into an enforceable judgment.
Does making a payment restart the clock in California?
In California, as in most states, a payment, a written promise, or an acknowledgment of the debt can reset the limitations period and give the collector a fresh 4-year window. Confirm the rule before paying anything on an old account.
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Run the Debt SOL Checker — free →This page is general legal information, not legal advice, and doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship. Statutes change and have exceptions; the linked primary source controls. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.