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Washington, DC debt: three years for every consumer debt, then it is over
The District of Columbia rewrote its debt collection law in 2022, and the result is one of the clearest in the country. Every consumer debt lawsuit must start within three years, nothing you pay or say afterwards revives it, and the rules apply to hospitals and other original creditors too.
Free check first. If a dispute letter makes sense, it costs $29 ($19 for military, veterans, seniors and people with disabilities) with three follow-ups.
Who is asking you to pay?
Look at the company name at the top of the letter or in the caller ID.
District of Columbia at a glance
- Every consumer debt
- 3 years (28-3814(o))
- Even contracts under seal
- 3 years
- After the limit
- No revival
- Law covers
- Creditors, hospitals, collectors
- Known time-barred suits
- Banned
- Jail for consumer debt
- Prohibited
General information about District of Columbia law, with sources below. Not legal advice.
Three years for every consumer debt
Any action to collect a consumer debt may only be started within three years of accrual, whether the claim is based on contract, account stated, open account or anything else, overriding any longer time limit, and even for contracts under seal (D.C. Code 28-3814(o)). Once the time limit has expired, no later payment or written or spoken affirmation extends it. A debt collector may not start a lawsuit on a consumer debt when it knows or reasonably should know the time limit has expired, or try to collect money it knows is exempt from garnishment.
The 2022 law and who it covers
These rules come from the Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Amendment Act of 2022, which extended the District's collection law to all consumer debt other than loans directly secured on real estate and direct motor vehicle installment loans. The District's collection law covers original creditors, including hospitals, as well as collectors and debt buyers. "Consumer debt" includes money more than 30 days past due from a purchase, lease or loan for personal, family, medical or household purposes.
The Act also prohibits jailing anyone for failing to pay consumer debt and ended civil arrest for failing to appear in debt collection cases.
Our guide to time-barred and zombie debt explains what collectors may and may not do once the 3-year limit in District of Columbia has passed.
Limits vary a lot between states: by comparison, Iowa sets 5 years and Nebraska sets 4 years for similar debts.
National collectors active in District of Columbia include National Collegiate Student Loan Trusts and National Credit Systems; our guides list their official dispute addresses.
For the court side of a District of Columbia debt, from the summons to a possible judgment, see how to defend a debt collection lawsuit.
If a collector writes to you in DC
A written dispute inside the validation period makes the collector stop until it mails verification. The check on this page starts with the District of Columbia already selected.
Not sure a District of Columbia collector is genuine? Check our guide to fake debt collectors, then ask for validation in writing.
Questions people ask about debt in District of Columbia
What is the statute of limitations on debt in DC?
Three years for any consumer debt collection action under D.C. Code 28-3814(o), however the claim is framed and even for contracts under seal.
Can a payment revive an old debt in DC?
No. After the three years expire, a payment or a written or spoken affirmation does not extend the time limit.
Does DC's debt collection law cover hospitals and original lenders?
Yes. Since the 2022 amendments, it covers original creditors as well as collectors and debt buyers.
Can a collector sue me on a time-barred debt in DC?
No. A collector may not start a lawsuit when it knows or reasonably should know the time limit has expired.
Can I be jailed for consumer debt in DC?
No. The 2022 Act prohibits jailing anyone for failing to pay consumer debt.