Limitless Culture Group

Statutes of Limitations
A state-by-state table

The statute of limitations on debt is the amount of time that a creditor has to file a lawsuit to collect a debt. The time period varies by state and by the type of debt.

In general, the statute of limitations for a debt begins to run from the time of the last payment or the time that the borrower defaulted on the debt. After the time period specified by the statute of limitations has passed, the creditor can no longer file a lawsuit to collect the debt..


However, this does not mean that the borrower is no longer responsible for paying the debt. The borrower may still be required to pay the debt even if the creditor is barred from filing a lawsuit to collect it.

It's important to note that these are just general guidelines and the specific time period can depend on the circumstances of each case. If you have questions about the statute of limitations on a particular debt, it's a good idea to consult with an attorney or a legal aid organization. This is Not Legal Advice.

Here are the general statute of limitations for various types of debt in some states:

StateOral AgreementsWritten ContractsPromissory NotesOpen-Ended Accounts
Alabama6 years6 years6 years3 years
Alaska3 years3 years3 years3 years
Arizona3 years6 years6 years3 years
Arkansas3 years5 years5 years5 years
California2 years4 years4 years4 years
Colorado3 years6 years3 years3 years
Connecticut3 years6 years6 years3 years
Delaware3 years3 years3 years3 years
Florida4 years5 years4 years4 years
Georgia4 years6 years4 years4 years
Hawaii6 years6 years6 years6 years
Idaho4 years5 years5 years4 years
Illinois5 years10 years10 years5 years
Indiana6 years10 years6 years6 years
Iowa5 years10 years10 years5 years
Kansas3 years5 years5 years5 years
Kentucky5 years10 years10 years5 years
Louisiana10 years10 years10 years3 years
Maine6 years6 years20 years6 years
Maryland3 years3 years12 years3 years
Massachusetts6 years6 years6 years6 years
Michigan6 years6 years6 years6 years
Minnesota6 years6 years6 years6 years
Mississippi3 years6 years3 years3 years
Missouri5 years10 years3 years5 years
Montana5 years8 years5 years5 years
Nebraska4 years5 years5 years4 years
Nevada4 years6 years3 years4 years
New Hampshire3 years3 years6 years3 years
New Jersey6 years6 years6 years6 years
New Mexico4 years6 years4 years4 years
New York6 years6 years6 years6 years
North Carolina3 years3 years3 years3 years
North Dakota6 years6 years6 years6 years
Ohio6 years8 years6 years6 years
Oklahoma3 years5 years6 years5 years
Oregon6 years6 years6 years6 years
Pennsylvania4 years4 years4 years4 years
Rhode Island10 years10 years10 years10 years
South Carolina3 years3 years3 years3 years
South Dakota6 years6 years6 years6 years
Tennessee6 years6 years6 years6 years
Texas4 years4 years4 years4 years
Utah4 years6 years4 years4 years
Vermont6 years6 years14 years6 years
Virginia3 years5 years6 years3 years
Washington3 years6 years6 years6 years
West Virginia5 years10 years6 years5 years
Wisconsin6 years6 years10 years6 years
Wyoming8 years10 years10 years6 years