Statute of Limitations of Debt Listed by State

[Credit Expert]

Here is a list of the statute of limitation for each state in alphabetical order. The statute is also listed all the way to the right but keep in mind it is the statute for "open ended accounts" only.


You can find more information at http://expert-debt-advice.com/resources ... tions.html



State/Oral Agreement/Written Agreement/Promissory Note/Open-ended Accounts/ Statute
AL 6 6 6 3 §6-2-37

AR 5 5 5 3 §16-56-105

AK 6 6 3 3 §09.10.053

AZ 3 6 6 3 §12-543

CA 2 4 4 4 §337

CO 6 6 6 3 §13-80-101

CT 3 6 6 3 §52-581

DE 3 3 3 4 §2-725

DC 3 3 3 3 §12-301

FL 4 5 5 4 §95.11

GA 4 6 6 6 ** §9-3-25

HI 6 6 6 6 HRS 657-1(4)

IA 5 10 5 5 §614.5

ID 4 5 5 4 §5-222

IL 5 10 10 5 735 ILCS 5/13-205

IN 6 10 10 6 §34-11-2

KS 3 6 5 3 §84-3-118

KY 5 15 15 5 §413.120

LA 10 10 10 3 §3-118

ME 6 6 6 6 §5-511

MD 3 3 6 3 §5-101

MA 6 6 6 6 c.260, §2

MI 6 6 6 6 §600.5807

MN 6 6 6 6 §541.05

MS 3 3 3 3 §15-1-29

MO 5 10 10 5 §516.120

MT 3 8 8 5 27-2-202

NC 3 3 5 3 §1-52(1)

ND 6 6 6 6 28-01-16

NE 4 5 5 4 §25-206

NH 3 3 6 3 382-A:3-118

NJ 6 6 6 3 25:1-5

NM 4 6 6 4 §37-1-4

NV 4 6 3 4 NRS 11.190

NY 6 6 6 6 §2-213

OH 6 15 15 6 §2305.07

OK 3 5 5 3 §12-3-95

OR 6 6 6 6 §12.080

PA 4 4 4 4 §5525

RI 10 5 6 4 §6A-2-725

SC 3 3 3 3 SEC 15-3-530

SD 6 6 6 6 §15-2-13

TN 6 6 6 3 28-3-105

TX 4 4 4 4 §16.004

UT 4 6 6 4 70-09a

VA 3 5 6 3 8.01-246

VT 6 6 5 3 §3-118

WA 3 6 6 3 RCW 4.16.080

WI 6 6 10 6 893.43

WV 5 10 6 5 §55-2-6

WY 8 10 10 8 §1-3-102

** Georgia Court of Appeals came out with a decision on January 24, 2008 in Hill v. American Express that in Georgia the statute of limitations on a credit card is six years after the amount becomes due and payable


Here is a bit more detailed information regarding the statute of limitations (Debt Collection)

Up Alabama Statutes of Limitations

Contracts under seal: 10 years, (A.C. 6-2-33)

Contracts not under seal; actions on account stated and for detention of personal property or conversion: 6 years (A.C. 6-2-34)

Sale of goods under the UCC: 4 years (A.C. 7 -2- 725)

Open accounts: 3 years (A.C. 6-2-37)

Actions to recover charges by a common carrier and negligence actions; 2 years, (A.C. 6-2-38)

Actions based on fraud: 2 years (A.C. 6-2-3)

Up Alaska Statutes of Limitations

Action on a sealed instrument: 10 years (A.S. 09.10.40)

Action to recover real property: 10 years (A.S. 09.10.30)

Action upon written contract: 3 years (A.S. 09.10.55) Note: prior to 8/7/97 -the statute of limitations for written contracts was six years.

Action upon contract for sale: 4 years (A.S. 45.02.725) However, limitations by agreements may be reduced, but not less than one year (A.S. 45.02.725).

Up Arizona Statutes of Limitation

Written contracts: 6 years, runs from date creditor could have sued account.

Oral debts, stated or opens accounts: 3 years.

Actions for fraud or mistake: 3 years from the date of the discovery of the fraud or mistake.

Actions involving fiduciary bonds, out of state instruments and foreign judgments: 4 years. NOTE: Arizona applies its own statute of limitations to foreign judgments rather than that of the state that originally rendered the judgment whether the judgment is being domesticated under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act or pursuant to a separate action on the foreign judgment.

An Arizona judgment must be renewed within five years of the date of the judgment.

Up Arkansas Statutes of Limitations

Written contracts: 5 years, NOTE: Partial payment or written acknowledgement of default stoppeds this statute of limitations. (A.C.A. 16-56-111)

Contracts not in writing: 3 years, (A.C.A. 16- 56-105)

Breach of any contract for the sale of goods covered by the UCC: 4 years, (A.C.A. 4-2- 725)

Medical debts: 2 years from date services were performed or provided or from the date of the most recent partial payment for the services, whichever is later. (A.C.A. §16-56-106)

Negligence actions: 3 years after the cause of action. (A.C.A. § 16-56-105)



Up California Statutes of Limitation

Written agreements: 4 years, calculated from the date of breach.

Oral agreements: 2 years.

The statute of limitation is stopped only if the debtor makes a payment on the account after the expiration of the applicable limitations period.

Up Colorado Statutes of Limitation

Domestic and foreign judgments: 6 years and renewable each six years. Note: If for child support, maintenance or arrears the judgment (lien) stays in effect for the life the judgment without the necessity of renewal every six years.

All contract actions, including personal contracts and actions under the UCC: 3 years (C.R.S. 13-80-101), except as otherwise provided in 13-80-103.5; All claims under the Uniform Consumer Credit Code, except sections 5-5-201(5); All actions to recover, detain or convert goods or chattels, except as otherwise provided in section 13 -80-103.5.

Liquidated debt and unliquidated determinable amount of money due; Enforcement of instrument securing the payment of or evidencing any debt; Action to recover the possession of secured personal property; Arrears of rent: 6 years, (C.R.S. 13-80-103.5)

Up Connecticut Statutes of Limitation

Written contact, or on a simple or implied contract: 6 years, (CGS 52-576)

Oral contract, including any agreement wherein the party being charged has not signed a note or memorandum: 3 years, (CGS § 52- 581)

Up Delaware Statutes of Limitation

General contracts: 3 years;

Sales under the UCC: 4 years

Notes 6 years;

Miscellaneous documents under seal: No limitation.

Up District of Columbia Statutes of Limitation

Contract, open account or credit card account: 3 years from the date of last payment or last charge. NOTE: An oral promise to pay re-starts the three years.

Contracts under seal: 12 years.

UCC Sales of Goods: 4 years.

Up Florida Statutes of Limitation

Contract or written instrument and for mortgage foreclosure: 5 years. F.S. 95.11.

Libel, slander, or unpaid wages: 2 years.

Judgments: 20 years total and to be a lien on any real property, it has to be re-recorded for a second time at 10 years.

The limitations period begins from the date the last element of the cause of action occurred, (95.051). NOTE: The limitation period is tolled (stopped) for any period during which the debtor is absent from the state and each time a voluntary payment is made on a debt arising from a written instrument.

Almost all other actions fall under the 4-year catch-all limitations period, (F.S. 95.11(3)(p)).

Up Georgia Statutes of Limitation

Breach of any contract for sale: 4 years, (OCGA 11-2- 725) NOTE: Parties may reduce limitation to not less than one year, but not extend it. A cause of action accrues when the breach occurs, regardless of the aggrieved party's lack of knowledge of the breach.

Contract, including breach of warranty or indemnity: 4 years, (OCGA 11- 22A-506) NOTE: The parties may reduce the period to one year.

Written contract: 6 years from when it becomes due and payable and the six (6) year period runs from the date of last payment. (OCGA 9-3-24)

Open account; implied promise or undertaking: 4 years, (OCGA 9-3-25). NOTE: Payment, unaccompanied by a writing acknowledging the debt, does not stopped the statute. Therefore, the statutory period runs from the date of default, not the date of last payment.

Bonds or other instruments under seal, 20 years, (OCGA 9-3-23) NOTE: No instrument is considered under seal unless it’s stated in the body of the instrument.

Up Hawaii Statutes of Limitation

Breach of contract for sale under the UCC: 4 years.

Contract, obligation or liability: 6 years.

Judgments: 10 years, renewable if an extension is sought during the 10 years.

NOTE: The time limitation stopped during the time of a person's absence from the state or during the time that an action is stayed by injunction of any court.

Up Idaho Statutes of Limitation

Breach of contract for sale under the UCC: 4 years.

Written contract or liability: 5 years.

Contract or liability that is not written: 4 years. NOTE: The time period begins as of the date of the last item, typically a payment or a charge under a credit card agreement. A written acknowledgement or new promise signed by the debtor is sufficient evidence to cause the relevant statute of limitations to begin running anew. Any payment of principal or interest is equivalent to a new promise in writing to pay the residue of the debt.

Judgments: 5 years but may be renewed for another five-year period. NOTE: An independent action on a judgment of any court of the United States must be brought within 6 years.

The time limitation for the commencement of any action is tolled during the time of a person's absence from the state or during the time that an action is stayed by injunction or by statutory prohibition action.

Up Illinois Statutes of Limitation

Breach of contract for sale under the UCC: 4 years.

Open account or unwritten contract: 5 years. NOTE: Except, as provided in 810 ILCS 5/2- 725 (UCC), actions based on a written contract must be filed within 10 years, but if a payment or new written promise to pay is in made during the 10 year period, then the action may be commenced within 10 years after the date of the payment or promise to pay.

Domestic judgments: 20 years, but can be renewed during that 20-year period.

Foreign judgments are the same time as allowed by the laws of the foreign jurisdiction.

Tolling: A person's absence from the state or during the time that an action is stayed by injunction, court order or by statutory prohibition tolls the time limit.

Non Sufficient Funds (NSF or Payment of Negotiable Instruments) checks: 3 years of the dishonor of the draft or 10 years after the date of the draft, whichever expired first: 810 ILCS 5/3-118

Up Indiana Statutes of Limitation

Breach of contract for sale under UCC: 4 years.

Unwritten accounts or contracts and promissory notes or written contracts for payment of money executed after August 31, 1982: 6 years.

Written contracts unrelated to the payment of money: 10 years.

Written acknowledgement or new promise signed by the debtor, or any voluntary payment on a debt, is sufficient evidence to cause the relevant statute of limitations to begin running anew.

Judgments: 10 years unless renewed.

Up Iowa Statutes of Limitation

Open account: 5 years from last charge, payment, or admission of debt in writing. Unwritten contracts: 5 years from breach.

Written contracts: 10 years from breach.

Demand note: 10 years from date of note.

Judgments: 20 years. However, an action brought on a judgment after nine years but not more than ten years can be brought to renew the judgment.

NOTE: Deficiency judgments on most residential foreclosures, and judgments on mortgage notes become essentially worthless two years from date of judgment.

Up Kansas Statutes of Limitation

Written agreement, contract or promise: 5 years.

Expressed or implied but not written contracts, obligations or liabilities: 3 years.

Relief on the grounds of fraud: 2 years.

Up Kentucky Statutes of Limitation

Recovery of real property: 15 years (KRS 413.0 10).

Judgment, contract or bond: 15 years (KRS 413.110).

Breach of sales contract: 4 years (KRS 355.2- 725).

Contract not in writing: 5 years (KRS413.120). NOTE: Action for liability created by statute when no there is no time fixed by statute: 5 years (KRS413.120).

Action on check, draft or bill of exchange: 5 years (KRS 413.120).

Action for fraud or mistake: 5 years (KRS 413.120).

Actions not provided for by statute: 10 years (KRS 413.160).

Up Louisiana Statutes of Limitation

Contracts: 10 years.

Open accounts: 3 years.

Lawsuits, which are filed but not pursued, become null three years after the last action taken.

Judgment: 10 years, and if not renewed within the ten years become a nullity.

Up Maine Statutes of Limitation

Generally all civil actions must be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues. (14 M.R.S.A. 752)

The primary exception is for liabilities under seal, promissory notes signed in the presence of an attesting witness, or on the bills, notes or other evidences of debt issued by a bank, in which case, the limitation is twenty (20) years after the cause of action accrues. (14 M.R.S.A. 751)

Judgments are presumed paid after twenty (20) years. (14 M.R.S.A. 864)

Up Maryland Statutes of Limitation

Civil action: 3 years from the date it accrues, unless:

Breach of contract under any sale of goods and services under the UCC: 4 years after the cause of action, even if the aggrieved party is unaware of the breach.

Promissory notes or instruments under seal, bonds, judgments, recognizance, contracts under seal, or other specialties: 12 years.

Financing statement: 12 years, unless a continuation statement is filed by a secured party six (6) months prior to end of twelve (12) year period. (Maryland, Commercial Law article Sec. 2-725; Courts & Judicial Proceedings Article Sec. 5-101-02, 9-403).

NOTE: The 3 year statute of limitations begins again if creditors can document that a debtor has reaffirmed a debt by a good faith basis by a written agreement, orally, or by payment.

Up Massachusetts Statutes of Limitation

Debt instruments issued by banks, Contract under seal: 20 years.

Judgments: 20 Years.

Oral or Written Contracts: 6 Years.

Consumer Protection Actions: 4 Years.

Recovery of Property: 3 Years.

Probate Claims: 1 Year from date of death.

Claims on mortgage notes following foreclosure or on claims junior to a foreclosed mortgage: 2 Years.

Up Michigan Statutes of Limitation

Breach of Contract: 6 years, (MCL 600.5807(8).

Breach of Contract for Sale of goods under the UCC: 4 years: including deficiency actions following repossession and sale of goods subject to a security interest, (MCL 440.2725(1).

Judgments: 10 years, but are renewable by action for another 10 years, MCL.600.5809(3).

NOTE: Another state's limitation period may apply check statutes carefully.

Up Minnesota Statutes of Limitation

Breach of contract for sale under the UCC: 4 years, (MSA 336.2.).

NOTE: Except where the Uniform Commercial Code otherwise prescribes, actions based on a contract or other obligation, express or implied, must be brought within 6 years after the cause of action occurred (Chapter 541).

Tolling: New written acknowledgement or payment tolls the statute of limitations for the debt.

Judgments: 10 years.

Up Mississippi Statutes of Limitation

Contracts and Promissory Notes: 3 years (MCA 75-3-118, 75-2-725, and 15-1-49).

Open Accounts: 3 years from the date at which time the items on the account became due and payable,(MCA 15-1-29 & MCA 15-1-31).

Judgment liens on real estate: 7 years, but can be renewed by filing suit to renew judgment prior to expiration of 7th year, (MCA 15-1-47).

Deficiency claims: 1 year from sale of collateral, (MCA 15-1-23)

Enforcement of construction liens: 1 year from date lien is filed, (MCA 85- 7-141)

Up Missouri Statutes of Limitation

Written agreement that contemplates the payment of money or property: 10 Years, (Mo.Rev. Stat. §5l6.ll 0). NOTE: Under certain circumstances, the contractual statute of limitations may be reduced to five years.

Open accounts: 5 years, (Mo. Rev. Stat. §5l6.l20).

Sale of goods under the UCC: 4 years. NOTE: The statute begins to run from the date when the breach occurred for contracts and from the time of the last item in the account on the debtor's side for actions on accounts.

Up Montana Statutes of Limitation (MCA Title 27, Chapter 2)

Written contract, obligation or liability: 8 years.

Contract, account or promise that is not based on a written instrument: 5 years.

Montana obligation on to provide a certain level of support for a spouse, child or indigent parent: 2 years.

Obligation or liability, other than a contract, account or promise not based on a written instrument: 3 years.

Relief on the grounds of fraud or mistake: 2 years.

NOTE: A written acknowledgement signed by the debtor or any payment on a debt is sufficient evidence to cause the relevant statute of limitations to begin running anew.

Judgment or decree of any U.S. court: 10 years. NOTE: Judgments rendered in a court not of record: 6 years.

Up Nebraska Statutes of Limitation

Real estate or foreclosure mortgage actions; product liability; 10 years.

Foreign judgments, contract or promise in writing, express or implied: 5 Years.

Unwritten contract, express or implied; Recovery of personal property; Relief on grounds of fraud; breach of contract for sale of goods; and open account: 4 years.

Liability created by federal statute with no other limitation: 3 years. Malpractice: 2 Years.

NOTE: SoL can be interrupted by partial payment or written acknowledgement of debt. The statute starts to run anew from the date of the partial payment or written acknowledgement, (Neb. Rev. Stat. §25-216)

NOTE: Actions on breach of contract for sale may be reduced to not less than one year.

Up Nevada Statutes of limitation

Written contract: 6 years.

Verbal contract: 4 years.

Property damage: 3 years.

Personal injury: 2 years.

Up New Hampshire Statutes of Limitation

Contracts and open accounts: 3 years, (RSA 508:4).

Contracts for the sale of goods under UCC: 4 years, (RSA 382-A: 2- 725).

Notes, defined as negotiable instruments: 6 years (RSA 382-A: 3-118)

Judgments, recognizance, and contracts under seal: 20 years (RSA 508:5)

Notes secured by a mortgage: 20 years and applies even if the mortgage has been foreclosed, (RSA 508:6).

Tolling: Payment on an account tolls the statute.

NOTE: Installment loans allow for separate measurement of the statutory period as each separate payment comes due, unless the loan has been accelerated.

Up New Jersey Statutes of Limitation

Conversion of an instrument for money: 3 years, (N.J.S.A.12A: 3-118(g)).

Sale of goods under the UCC: 4-years, (N.J.S.A. 12A; 2-725).

Real or personal property damage, recovery and contracts not under seal: 6 years (N.J.S.A. 2A: 14-1).

Demand Notes when no demand is made: 10 years. If demand made: 6 years from date of demand, (12A: 3-118(b)).

Obligations under seal for the payment of money only, except bank, merchant, finance company or other financial institution: 16 years, (N.J.S.A. 2A: 14-4) actions for unpaid rent if lease agreement is under seal, (N.J.S.A. 2A: 14-4).

Real estate: 20 years, (N.J.S.A. 2A: 14-7); Judgments: 20 years, renewable, (2A: 14-5); Foreign judgments: 20 years (unless period in originating jurisdiction is less), (2A: 14- 5).

Unaccepted drafts: 3 years from date of dishonor or 10 years from date of draft, whichever expires first, (12A: 3- 118(c)).

Up New Mexico Statutes of Limitation

Contract in writing: 6 years (except any contract for the sale of personal property is 4 years or the last payment, whichever is later).

All other creditor-debtor transactions are 4 years after accrual of the right to sue.

NOTE 1: An action accrues on the first date on which the creditor can sue for a breach or for relief, generally from the last purchase or the last payment.

NOTE 2: If the limitations period has expired, an acknowledgment or payment starts the period running again.

Judgments: 14 years.

Up New York Statutes of Limitation

N. Y. Civil Practice Law and Rules: Chapter Eight of the Consolidated Laws, Article 2 - Limitations of Time:

211. Actions to be commenced within twenty years. (a) On a bond. (b) On a money judgment. (c) By state for real property. (d) By grantee of state for real property. (e) For support, alimony or maintenance.

212. Actions to be commenced within ten years. (a) Possession necessary to recover real property. (b) Annulment of letters patent. (c) To redeem from a mortgage.

213. Actions to be commenced within six years: where not otherwise provided for; on contract; on sealed instrument; on bond or note, and mortgage upon real property; by state based on misappropriation of public property; based on mistake; by corporation against director, officer or stockholder; based on fraud.

213-a. Actions to be commenced within four years; residential rent overcharge.

213-b. Action by a victim of a criminal offense.

214. Actions to be commenced within three years: for non- payment of money collected on execution; for penalty created by statute; to recover chattel; for injury to property; for personal injury; for malpractice other than medical or dental malpractice; to annul a marriage on the ground of fraud.

UCC, Section 2--725. Statute of Limitations in Contracts for Sale. (1) An action for breach of any contract for sale must be commenced within four years after the cause of action has accrued. By the original agreement the parties may reduce the period of limitation to not less than one year but may not extend it. (2) A cause of action accrues when the breach occurs, regardless of the aggrieved party`s lack of knowledge of the breach. Contract for lease of goods: 4 years (N. Y. U.C.C. 2-A-506(1).

S 203. Method of computing periods of limitation generally. (a) Accrual of cause of action and interposition of claim. The time within which an action must be commenced, except as otherwise expressly prescribed, shall be computed from the time the cause of action accrued to the time the claim is interposed.

Uniform Commercial Code - Index

New York State Consolidated Laws

Up North Carolina Statute of Limitation

Express or implied contract, not under seal: 3 years.

Contract and sale of personal property under seal: 10 years.

Open account: 3 years, NOTE: Each payment renews the SoL on all items purchased within the 3 years prior that payment. If no payment is made, the SoL runs from date of each individual charge. Contracts: From date of breach or default, unless waived or performance under the contract is continued.

Judgments: 10 years

Partial payment BEFORE the SoL expires renews the SoL from date of payment.

Payment AFTER SoL expires renews SoL ONLY if, at time of payment, circumstances infer the debtor recognized obligation to pay. Partial payment on open account restarts SoL on purchases made within 3 years of payment date, if acknowledgment can be inferred, starts the statute anew as to the full obligation acknowledged, even if all of the charges were not made within the last three years.NC Continued...

Partial payment by one debtor does not renew the statute of limitations as against any a co-debtor unless that co-debtor agreed to, authorized or ratified the partial payment.

Partial payments DO NOT affect the ten-year limitation on enforcing or renewing judgments.

Bankruptcy, Death or Disability: Filing of a bankruptcy tolls the statute of limitations for the enforcement of contracts and judgments.

The death, minority, disability or incompetence of a debtor also tolls the limitation period until such time as a personal representative of the estate or a guardian of the incompetent or minor is appointed.

Up North Dakota Statutes of Limitation

Breach of contract for sale under the UCC: 4 years.

All other actions based on a contract, obligation or liability, express or implied: 6 years.

NOTE: A new written acknowledgement or promise or voluntary payment on a debt revives the statute of limitations for the debt.

Judgments: 10 years.

Up Ohio Statutes of Limitation

Written or oral account: 6 years, (O.R.C. §2305.07).

Written contract: 15 years, (O.R.C. §2305.06).

Oral contract: 6 years (O.R.C. §2305.07).

Note payable at a definite time: 6 years, (O.R.C. § 1303 .16(A)); (2)).

Demand note: 6 years after the date on which demand is made or 10 years if no demand is made and neither principal nor interest has been paid over that time (O.R.C. §1303.16(B)).

Dishonored check or draft: 3 years after dishonor, (O.R.C. §1303.16 (C)).

Up Oklahoma Statutes of Limitation

Written Contract: 5 Years, (O.S. § 95(1)).

Oral Contract: 3 Years, (O.S. § 95(2))

Attachments: 5 Years, (O.S. § 95(5))

Domestic Judgment: 5 Years, (O.S. § 95(5))

Foreign Judgment: 3 Years, (O.S. § 95(2)

Up Oregon Statutes of Limitation

Unlawful trade practices: 1 year, (ORS 646.638(5).

NOTE: There is no statute of limitations for a cause of action brought as a counterclaim to an action by the seller. (ORS 646.638(6)).

Contract or liability: 6 years, (ORS 12.080)

Judgment: 10 years, (ORS 12.070).

Up Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations

Contracts: 4 years, (used to be six).

Contracts under seal: 20 years.

Sale of goods under UCC: 4 years.

Negotiable instruments: 6 years (13 PA C.S.A. .§3118).

Up Rhode Island Statutes of Limitation

Contracts and open accounts: 10 years (9-1-13(a)).

Breach of a sales agreement under the UCC: 4 years, (6A-2- 725(1 )).

Contracts or liabilities under seal and judgments: 20 years, (9-1-17).

Hospital liens: 1 year from payment, (9-3-6).

Against insurer to enforce repairer's lien: 1 year from payment to insured, (9-3-11).

Support obligations of common law father: 6 years, (15-8-4).

Mechanic's lien: notice given is one year and one hundred twenty days, (34-28-10. 10).

Up South Carolina Statutes of Limitation

Breach of Contract: 3 years, (SCCLA 15-3-530).

NOTE: A partial payment or acknowledgment in writing tolls the SoL, (SCCLA 15-3-30).

Foreign or Domestic Judgments: 10 years, (SCCLA 15-3-600).

Up South Dakota Statutes of Limitation

Contract: 6 years, (SDCL 15-2-13).

Domestic Judgments: 20 Years, (SDCL 15-2-6).

Foreign Judgments: 10 Years, (SDCL 15-2-8).

Claims of Fraud: 6 Years, (SDCL 15-2-13).

Sealed Instrument: (except real estate): 20 Years, (SDCL 15-2-6).

Actions not otherwise provided for: 10 Years, (SDCL 15-2-8).

Open Accounts: 6 Years, (SDCL 15-2-13).

Sale of Goods: 4 Years, (SDCL57A-2-725).

Up Tennessee Statute of Limitation

Breach of contract: 6 years, (T. C.A. 28-3-109).

Open accounts: 6 Years, (T. C.A. 28-3-109).

Domestic or foreign judgments: 10 years, (T .C.A. 28-3-110).

Up Texas Statutes of Limitation

The Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code provides a 4-year limitations period for types of debt. The SoL begins after the day the cause of action accrues, (Section 16.004 (a) (3)).

Up Utah Statutes of Limitation

Any signed, written contract, obligation or liability: 6 years.

Unwritten contract, obligation or liability: 4 years.

Open account for goods, wares, merchandise, and services rendered or for the price of any article charged on a store account: 4 years.

NOTE: A written acknowledgement signed by the debtor revives the SoL.

Judgment or decree of any court or State of the United States: 8 years.

Up Virginia Statutes of Limitation

Open account: 3 years from the last payment or last charge for goods or services rendered on the account.

Written contracts (non-UCC): 5 years.

Sale of goods under the UCC: 4 years.

Virginia Judgments: 10 years, and renewable (extended) to 20 years.

Foreign judgments: 10 years.

Up Vermont Statutes of Limitation

Contracts and goods on account: 6 years.

Witnessed promissory notes: 14 years

Up Washington Statutes of Limitation

Written contracts and accounts receivable: 6 years, (RCW 4.16.040).

Oral contract: 3 years (RCW 4.16.080).

Recovery of property and judgments: 10 years, (RCW 4.16.020).

Up West Virginia Statutes of Limitation

Unwritten and implied contracts: 5 years, (W. Va. Code 55-2-6 (1923)).

NOTE: If a debtor makes an acknowledgment by a new promise, or voluntarily makes a partial payment on a debt, under circumstances that warrant a clear inference that the debtor recognizes the whole debt, the statute of limitations is revived and begins to run from the date of the new promise, (W. Va. Code §55 -2-8 )

Breach of a sale of goods, lease of goods, negotiable instruments and secured transactions under the UCC, is found Article 46 of the West Virginia Code.

Up Wisconsin Statutes of Limitation

Contracts, professional services, or an open account based on a contract: 6 years.

NOTE: Payments made toward the obligation toll the statute and the time period will then run from the date of last payment or last charge by the debtor, whichever occurs later.

Up Wyoming Statutes of Limitation

Any contract, agreement or promise in writing: 10 years, (WS 1-3-105(a)(i)).

Unwritten contract, express or implied: 8 years, (WS 1-3-105(a)(ii)).

Recovery of personal property: 4 years, (WS 1-3-1 05 (a) (iv)).

Dishonor of draft (check): 3 years, (WS 34.1-3-118( c)).

Judgment: 21 years.

NOTE 1: Judgments cannot be revived after twenty-one years unless the party entitled to bring the action was a minor or subject to any other legal disability at the time the judgment became dormant, in this case action may be brought within 15 years after disability ceases, (WS 1-16-503).

NOTE 2: If no execution is issued within 5 years from date of judgment or last execution is issued, the judgment becomes dormant and ceases to operate as a lien on the estate of the debtor, (WS 1-17-307).

NOTE 3: A dormant judgment may be revived in the same manner as prescribed for reviving actions before judgment or by action, (WS 1-16-502).

Up Ontario Statutes of Limitation

Since most debt actions are based in contract: 6 years from the date the cause of action arose (date of last payment or written acknowledgment of the debt).

NOTE: If the contract provides that the law of another jurisdiction governs it, the limitation period of that jurisdiction will apply.

The post-judgment enforcement remedy of filing a writ of seizure and sale provides that the writ is valid for 6 years from the date it is issued, subject to renewal, which is the responsibility of the creditor. A discretionary procedure exists to renew an expired writ.

Actions on foreign judgments, including those from the United States, must be commenced within 20 years from the date of the foreign judgment. The merits of the defenses, if any, which were raised in the foreign debt action, are generally not available as defenses to the action on the judgment.

Up Virgin Islands Statutes of Limitation

Civil action under a contract or liability, express or implied: 3 years.

Instruments under seal, judgments or decree of any court of the United States or of any state, commonwealth or territory within the United States: 20 Years, (Title 5, Section 31, Virgin Islands Code).





Why should you care about the Statute of Limitations (SOL)?
Every day, consumers pay off collection accounts and charge-offs which they do not have to pay off because the Statute of Limitations has already expired for the open account. Consumers pay off these accounts because the accounts still appear on their credit reports.

This information can be a powerful weapon in unburdening yourself of old debts, as creditors have a limited time in which to sue you. Remember: the Statute of Limitations begins to run from the day the debt - or payment on an open-ended account - was due. Also, this has nothing to do with how long an negative credit item can remain on your credit report.

Consumers also pay off these accounts when they are not on their credit reports. Even though an account was removed from their credit file, a collector watched their credit report for any activity (actually the computer was watching any credit activity). When the collector spotted the activity, he called the consumer for payment. All the consumer needed to say to the collector was, "I have an absolute defense--the Statute of Limitations has expired."
The Statute of Limitations does not cause your debt to go away after it expires. If the creditor files suit, the consumer has an absolute defense. The consumer must offer the new evidence to avoid a judgment. The evidence will consist of papers the consumer files to support his claim. If the creditor sues you, and you do not prove to the court that the Statute of Limitations expired, you will have a lost lawsuit and a judgment against you.

When does the Statute of Limitations start?

You might be asking yourself, "It has been such a long time since my "open account" has had any activity. When does the Statute of Limitations started ticking." The statute of limitations (SOL) is calculated by:

1. Take the date you last made a payment and add 6 months to this date.
2. Add the number of years of the statute of limitations in your state.

Example:

You last stopped paying on a credit card on Jan 15, 2001. The statute of limitations for credit cards (usually regarded as open accounts) in your state is 6 years.

The date at which you are "safe" from having a creditor sue you over this debt is:

Jan 15, 2001 + 6 months = July 15, 2001.

6 Years + July 15, 2001 = July 15, 2007

Therefore, a creditor cannot sue you for this debt after July 15, 2007.

Depending on what state you live in, if you make a partial payment, you could be postponing the Statute of Limitations' taking effect on your collection account or charge-off. A collector might call you one day and say you waived your rights when you made a deal with the collection agency. Do not take anything a collector tells you for granted. Make them prove it to you, in or out of court. For about half the population, the Statute of Limitations started ticking the day they made the last payment for their account.






Do you have a junk debt buyer attempting to collect on a time barred expired debt?

There are many collection agencies that may never give up regardless of the date of last activity. Here is an article on one of my websites that talks about Junk Debt Buyers: http://expert-debt-advice.com/resources ... uyers.html