⏳ TENNESSEE · DEBT STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Debt statutes of limitations in Tennessee
In Tennessee, a creditor or collector generally has 6 years to sue you on credit-card debt, under Tenn. Code § 28-3-109. 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 Tennessee statute
VERIFIED PRIMARY SOURCE
§ Tenn. Code § 28-3-109
In Tennessee, a creditor generally has 6 years to sue on most debt — credit-card, open-account, and written-contract debt alike (Tenn. Code § 28-3-109). Tennessee applies a 6-year catch-all to contract debt (§ 28-3-109(a)(3)); demand promissory notes are 10 years. In many states a payment or a written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so check before paying anything on an old debt. We could not retrieve an official copy of the Tennessee statute to check these figures against, so confirm them with the statute itself or a legal-aid office.
Read the Tennessee source text →Tennessee deadlines at a glance
| Debt type | Time limit in Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Credit-card debt | 6 years |
| Written contract | 6 years |
| How the periods divide | Tennessee applies a 6-year catch-all to contract debt (§ 28-3-109(a)(3)); demand promissory notes are 10 years |
| Governing statute | Tenn. Code § 28-3-109 |
| Clock usually starts | Your last payment or account activity |
Tennessee applies the same 6-year period to credit-card and written-contract debt. We could not check these figures against an official copy of the statute. Verified against the primary source →
What debt statutes of limitations law covers in Tennessee
Debt type decides the clock in TennesseeTennessee applies one 6-year period to credit-card, open-account and written-contract debt alike (Tenn. Code § 28-3-109) — so the debt type matters less here than it does in states that split the two.
Time-barred does not mean gonePassing Tennessee’s 6-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 many states a payment, a written promise, or an acknowledgment of the debt can restart the limitations period. We have not confirmed Tennessee’s rule from the statute text, so check it before you pay or sign anything on an old account.
Being sued on old debt in TennesseeCollectors do sue on time-barred debt, betting you won’t respond. Tennessee’s expired 6-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 Tennessee, 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 Tennessee, credit-card debt runs 6 years under Tenn. Code § 28-3-109.
- If more than 6 years have passed since that date, the debt is likely time-barred in Tennessee — don’t pay or sign anything until you know what that would do under Tennessee law (see “Restarting the clock”).
- If a collector contacted you in the last 30 days, you can dispute the debt in writing and make it verify the debt first — the free validation letter generator writes the letter without admitting the debt.
- 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.
- More on dealing with a collector — who the federal rules cover, stopping contact, and every state’s deadline: debt collection help.
Common questions about debt statutes of limitations in Tennessee
How long can a debt collector sue me in Tennessee?
6 years for credit-card debt, under Tenn. Code § 28-3-109. 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 Tennessee?
No. After 6 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 Tennessee court won’t apply it automatically.
Can a collector still sue me after Tennessee’s deadline expires?
They can file, and some do. But if the debt is time-barred under Tenn. Code § 28-3-109, 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 Tennessee?
In many states a payment, a written promise, or an acknowledgment of the debt can restart the limitations period. We have not confirmed Tennessee’s rule from the statute text, so check it before you pay or sign 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.