Statute of limitations on debt, by state

How long a debt collector can sue you for an unpaid debt depends on your state and the type of debt. Find your state below — written-contract and credit-card/open-account limits, in years. General information, not legal advice.

State	Written	Card / open
Alabama	6 yr	3 yr
Alaska	3 yr	3 yr
Arizona	6 yr	6 yr
Arkansas	5 yr	3 yr
California	4 yr	4 yr
Colorado	6 yr	6 yr
Connecticut	6 yr	6 yr
Delaware	3 yr	3 yr
Florida	5 yr	4 yr
Georgia	6 yr	6 yr
Hawaii	6 yr	6 yr
Idaho	5 yr	5 yr
Illinois	10 yr	5 yr
Indiana	6 yr	6 yr
Iowa	10 yr	5 yr
Kansas	5 yr	3 yr
Kentucky	10 yr	10 yr
Louisiana	10 yr	3 yr
Maine	6 yr	6 yr
Maryland	3 yr	3 yr
Massachusetts	6 yr	6 yr
Michigan	6 yr	6 yr
Minnesota	6 yr	6 yr
Mississippi	3 yr	3 yr
Missouri	10 yr	5 yr
Montana	6 yr	5 yr
Nebraska	5 yr	5 yr
Nevada	6 yr	4 yr
New Hampshire	3 yr	3 yr
New Jersey	6 yr	6 yr
New Mexico	6 yr	4 yr
New York	6 yr	3 yr
North Carolina	3 yr	3 yr
North Dakota	6 yr	6 yr
Ohio	6 yr	6 yr
Oklahoma	5 yr	5 yr
Oregon	6 yr	6 yr
Pennsylvania	4 yr	4 yr
Rhode Island	10 yr	10 yr
South Carolina	3 yr	3 yr
South Dakota	6 yr	6 yr
Tennessee	6 yr	6 yr
Texas	4 yr	4 yr
Utah	6 yr	6 yr
Vermont	6 yr	6 yr
Virginia	5 yr	3 yr
Washington	6 yr	6 yr
West Virginia	10 yr	10 yr
Wisconsin	6 yr	6 yr
Wyoming	10 yr	8 yr
Washington DC	3 yr	3 yr

True in every state

• A payment or acknowledgment can RESET the clock: making a partial payment or (often in writing) promising to pay an old debt can restart the limitations period in many states — though a few states (e.g. New York consumer credit, Texas, Nevada, DC) bar reviving an expired debt entirely.
• Time-barred debt can still be collected and reported — just not successfully sued on if you raise the defense. Collectors may call, write, and report it, but cannot lawfully sue or threaten to sue once the limit has run.
• The statute of limitations is an AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE you must RAISE. Courts do not dismiss time-barred suits automatically — if you ignore a lawsuit, a default judgment can turn an expired debt into an enforceable one. Respond in writing and on time.
• The deadline to be SUED (statute of limitations) is separate from how long a debt stays on your credit report (about 7 years under the FCRA). A debt can be too old to sue on yet still appear on your report.
• The clock generally starts at default / last activity / the first missed payment — but the exact trigger varies by state and matters when partial payments are involved.
• Which state's limit applies can depend on choice-of-law clauses and 'borrowing statutes' — it is not automatically your home state's period. Credit agreements often name a governing state (e.g. Delaware). Consult a local attorney.
• Under the FDCPA and Regulation F it is ILLEGAL for a collector to sue or even threaten to sue on time-barred debt — exposing them to damages plus your attorney fees.