A statute of limitations is a state law that defines when creditors can sue you for a debt, and when they cannot. The idea is that creditors are not allowed to “sit on their hands” for eternity. They must either enforce their rights, or give up their rights. Each state has applicable deadlines for creditors to file a lawsuit from the date they realize a debt is delinquent. Typically each state has separate statute of limitations for certain categories of debts:
- Oral – where there is no written contract for the purchase / sale
- Written – where there is a written contract
- Promissory – any type of loan or promise to repay
- Open Ended – revolving credit lines, such as an open account or a credit card account
This list is an initial guide. Laws constantly change and there are many technicalities to each law. Be sure to check the current law in your state and get an opinion from an attorney.
| STATE | STATUTE CITATIONS | ORAL | WRITTEN | PROMISSORY | OPEN-ENDED ACCOUNTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALABAMA | Ala. Code § 6-2-2 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| ALASKA | Alaska Stat. § 09.10.010 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| ARIZONA | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 12-541 et. seq. | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| ARKANSAS | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-101 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| CALIFORNIA | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 312 et. seq. | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| COLORADO | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| CONNECTICUT | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52-576 et. seq. | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| DELAWARE | Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 8101 et. seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | D.C. Code § 12-301 et. seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| FLORIDA | Fla. Stat. Ann. § 95.011 et. seq. | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| GEORGIA | Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-20 et. seq. | 4 | 6 | 6** | 4 |
| HAWAII | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| IDAHO | Idaho Code § 5-201 et. seq. | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| ILLINOIS | 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/13-201 et. seq. | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| INDIANA | Ind. Code Ann. § 34-11-2-1 et. seq. | 6 | 10 | 10 | 6 |
| IOWA | Iowa Code Ann. § 614.1 et. seq. | 5 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| KANSAS | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-501 et. seq. | 3 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| KENTUCKY | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.080 et. seq. | 5 | 15 | 15 | 5 |
| LOUISIANA | La. Civil Code § 3492 et. seq. | 10 | 10 | 10 | 3 |
| MAINE | Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, § 751 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| MARYLAND | Md. Courts & Jud. Proc. Code Ann. § 5-101 et. seq. | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| MASSACHUSETTS | Mass. Ann. Laws ch. 260, § 1 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| MICHIGAN | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5801 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| MINNESOTA | Minn. Stat. Ann. § 541.01 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| MISSISSIPPI | Miss. Code. Ann. § 15-1-1 et. seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| MISSOURI | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.097 et. seq. | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| MONTANA | Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-2021 et. seq. | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| NEBRASKA | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-201 et. seq. | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| NEVADA | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11.010 et. seq. | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:1 et. seq. | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| NEW JERSEY | N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2a:14-1 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| NEW MEXICO | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-1 et. seq. | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| NEW YORK | N.Y. Civ. Prac. Laws & Rules § 201 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| NORTH CAROLINA | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-46 et. seq. | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| NORTH DAKOTA | N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-01 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| OHIO | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.03 et. seq. | 6 | 15 | 15 | 6 |
| OKLAHOMA | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 93 et. seq. | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| OREGON | Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.010 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| PENNSYLVANIA | 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5501 et. seq. | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| RHODE ISLAND | R. I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-12 et. seq. | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA | S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-510 et. seq. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 15-2-1 et. seq. | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| TENNESSEE | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-101 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| TEXAS | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001 et. seq. | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| UTAH | Utah Code Ann. § 78-12-22 et. seq. | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| VERMONT | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 506 et. seq. | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| VIRGINIA | Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-228 et. seq. | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| WASHINGTON | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 4.16.005 et. seq. | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| WEST VIRGINIA | W. Va. Code § 55-2-6 et. seq. | 10 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| WISCONSIN | Wis. Stat. Ann. § 893.01 et. seq. | 5 | 10 | 6 | 5 |
| WYOMING | Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-102 et. seq. | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 |