What you may not realize when you get that court summons in the mail from a collection agency is that there is a lawsuit statute of limitations for debt in every U.S. state. Granted, these time frames differ, but once your debt passes the statute of limitations, you have a rock-solid defense should a debt collector try to sue you and force you to pay the debt involuntary through a wage garnishment, bank levy or property lien.
The following list details the statute of limitations for each type of debt in all 50 states. Keep in mind that while most states consider collection accounts "open" debt rather than "written" debt, not all do. You can check with your attorney general's office to find out how collection accounts are categorized in your state.
Debt Statute of Limitations By State
Alabama: Open – 3 years Written – 6 years
Alaska: Open – 3 years Written – 6 years
Arizona: Open – 3 years Written – 6 years
Arkansas: Open – 3 years Written – 5 years (2 year open exception for medical debt)
California: Open – 4 years Written – 4 years
Colorado: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Connecticut: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Delaware: Open – 3 years Written – 3 years
Florida: Open – 5 years Written – 5 years
Georgia: Open – 4 years Written – 6 years
Hawaii: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Idaho: Open – 5 years Written – 5 years
Illinois: Open – 5 years Written – 10 years
Indiana: Open – 6 years Written – 10 years
Iowa: Open – 5 years Written – 10 years
Kansas: Open – 5 years Written – 6 years
Kentucky: Open – 5 years Written – 15 years
Louisiana: Open – 3 years Written – 10 years
Maine: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Maryland: Open – 3 years Written – 3 years
Massachusetts: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Michigan: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Minnesota: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Mississippi: Open – 3 years Written – 3 years
Missouri: Open – 5 years Written – 10 years
Montana: Open – 5 years Written – 8 years
Nebraska: Open – 4 years Written – 5 years
Nevada: Open – 4 years Written – 6 years
New Hampshire: Open – 3 years Written – 3 years
New Jersey: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
New Mexico: Open – 4 years Written – 6 years
New York: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
North Carolina: Open – 3 years Written – 3 years
North Dakota: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Ohio: Open – 6 years Written – 15 years
Oklahoma: Open – 3 years Written – 5 years
Oregon: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Pennsylvania: Open – 4 years Written – 4 years
Rhode Isand: Open – 6 years Written – 15 years
South Carolina: Open – 3 years Written – 10 years
South Dakota: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Tennessee: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Texas: Open – 4 years Written – 4 years
Utah: Open – 4 years Written – 6 years
Vermont: Open – 3 years Written – 6 years
Virginia: Open – 3 years Written – 5 years
West Virginia: Open – 5 years Written – 10 years
Wisconsin: Open – 6 years Written – 6 years
Wyoming: Open – 8 years Written –10 years
Related Posts:
Can You Reset the Statute of Limitations on a Debt?
Debt Collection Lawsuits: The Statute of Limitations Defense
Debt Collection Lawsuit Statute of Limitations By State
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