Debt Collector LookupStatute of limitations on debt: look up your state
A collector sued you, or said it would, on a debt you think is too old.
Call now, free review(844) 393-5856We answer 24/7, and a consumer lawyer goes over your debt with you for free, starting right away.
Your debt is old, and a collector still wants you to pay it. The statute of limitations on debt gives a collector three to six years to sue you in most states. Pick a state to see the years by debt type, or call us if a collector sued you on it.
Look up your state
Choose your state to see its time limits.
A collector that sues on a debt past the time limit breaks federal law, but you have to raise the limit yourself. Call us before the answer date on your summons. A consumer lawyer in your state reviews it for free, right away.
Call (844) 393-5856
Sued on an old debt?
A collector sued you, or said it would, on a debt you think is too old. Suing on a debt past the time limit breaks federal law, but the time limit only protects you if it is raised in court. Call now. A consumer lawyer in your state reviews your case for free and gets you help right away.
Talk to a consumer lawyer about this debt
Call (844) 393-5856Call now, and a consumer lawyer who knows your state debt rules will review this collector's calls and letters with you for free.
4 years
Texas time limit to sue.
So in Texas, count 4 years forward from your last payment to find the cutoff.
Find the date you last paid and count forward 4 years.
three years
New York limit since 2022.
So since April 7, 2022, a New York collector cannot sue or threaten to sue on a debt older than three years.
Find the date of your first missed payment. Then call our line before you answer any collector.
15 years
Illinois judgments from 2026.
So a new Illinois consumer debt judgment can be enforced for 15 years and cannot be revived after that.
If an Illinois court entered a judgment against you, find the date on it.
How long can a collector sue in my state?
This table comes from a nonprofit's state comparison. Its credit card column is a summary, not a ruling for every card. Your own dates and contract set the real limit. Call us, and a consumer lawyer checks them for free.
| State | Credit cards | Written contract | Promissory note | Spoken agreement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Alaska | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| Arizona | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Arkansas | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| California | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Colorado | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Connecticut | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Delaware | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| D.C. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Florida | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Georgia | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Hawaii | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Idaho | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Illinois | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Indiana | 6 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Iowa | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Kansas | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Kentucky | 10 | 10 | 15 | 5 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Maine | 6 | 6 | 20 | 6 |
| Maryland | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Michigan | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Minnesota | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Missouri | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Montana | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| Nebraska | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Nevada | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| New Jersey | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| New Mexico | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| New York | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| North Dakota | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Ohio | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Oregon | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Rhode Island | 10 | 4 | 10 | 10 |
| South Carolina | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| South Dakota | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Texas | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Utah | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Vermont | 6 | 6 | 14 | 6 |
| Virginia | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Washington | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| West Virginia | 5 | 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Wyoming | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
New York cut its limit to three years from April 7, 2022, and a later payment cannot revive it, says the New York Attorney General. Texas uses four years, per the Texas State Law Library.
Can a payment restart the clock?
In some states the clock starts when you miss a payment. In others it starts from your last payment. A partial payment, or saying you owe an old debt, can restart the clock.
The FTC adds that in some states even admitting the debt in writing resets the clock. Ask questions in writing, and call us before you agree to pay anything.
Can collectors still contact me about an old debt?
An old debt does not disappear. Collectors can still write and call. They cannot sue or threaten to sue once the time limit has passed, and doing so breaks federal law.
If they sue anyway, you must show up and raise the time limit yourself, so call us first for a free review by a consumer lawyer. Federal student loans have no time limit. Read what to do if you are sued, or send a validation letter to learn the dates.
What changed in Illinois in 2026?
Illinois SB 1738 took effect January 1, 2026. New consumer debt judgments in Illinois are enforceable for 15 years, with no revival after that. BillTrack50: Illinois SB 1738 summary.
What to do now
Did a collector sue you in your state on an old debt? Call our line before the answer date on your summons. Not sued yet? Call our line, or send the form with the collector's name and the date you last paid. Send it, and we call you right away to go through it for free.