⏳ RHODE ISLAND · DEBT STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Debt statutes of limitations in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, a creditor or collector generally has 10 years to sue you on credit-card or open-account debt, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13. 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 Rhode Island statute
VERIFIED PRIMARY SOURCE
§ R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13
In Rhode Island, a creditor generally has 10 years to sue on most debt — credit-card, open-account, and written-contract debt alike (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13). Rhode Island has no shorter contract period, so debt defaults to the general 10-year civil-action limit (§ 9-1-13(a)). 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 Rhode Island source text →Rhode Island deadlines at a glance
| Debt type | Time limit in Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Credit card / open account | 10 years |
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Governing statute | R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13 |
| Clock usually starts | Your last payment or account activity |
Rhode Island applies the same 10-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 Rhode Island
Debt type decides the clock in Rhode IslandRhode Island applies one 10-year period to credit-card, open-account and written-contract debt alike (R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13) — so the debt type matters less here than it does in states that split the two.
Time-barred does not mean gonePassing Rhode Island’s 10-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 Rhode Island, 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 Rhode IslandCollectors do sue on time-barred debt, betting you won’t respond. Rhode Island’s expired 10-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 Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island, credit-card and open-account debt runs 10 years under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13.
- If more than 10 years have passed since that date, the debt is likely time-barred in Rhode Island — 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 Rhode Island
How long can a debt collector sue me in Rhode Island?
10 years for credit-card and open-account debt, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13. 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 Rhode Island?
No. After 10 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 Rhode Island court won’t apply it automatically.
Can a collector still sue me after Rhode Island’s deadline expires?
They can file, and some do. But if the debt is time-barred under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13, 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 Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, 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 10-year window. Confirm the rule before paying anything on an old account.
Don’t guess what your document says.
Upload your agreement and get every risky clause quoted back with the statute that governs it — including the one above.
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.