Rhode Island debt: ten years to sue, and registered collectors only
Rhode Island gives creditors one of the longest windows in the country: ten years for almost any debt. On the other side, it requires every debt collector to register with the state and post a $50,000 bond, and wages can be attached only after a court motion.
The check is free. If a dispute letter will help, 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.
Rhode Island at a glance
- Most debts
- 10 years (9-1-13)
- Credit cards, medical bills
- 10 years
- Judgments
- 20 years (9-1-17)
- Collector registration
- DBR via NMLS, $50,000 bond
- Wage attachment
- Court motion on a set form
- Wages untouchable below
- 30 × minimum wage
General information about Rhode Island law, with sources below. Not legal advice.
Ten years in Rhode Island
Except as otherwise provided, all civil actions must be brought within ten years (R.I. Gen. Laws 9-1-13(a)), which covers written and oral contracts, credit cards and medical bills. Making a payment, agreeing to pay or acknowledging the debt can extend the ten years, and with ten years already on the clock, that matters.
Judgments can be enforced for twenty years (R.I. Gen. Laws 9-1-17).
Registered collectors only
Rhode Island passed its own Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in 2007 (R.I. Gen. Laws 19-14.9). Anyone collecting debts must register as a debt collector with the Department of Business Regulation through NMLS and post a $50,000 surety bond; attorneys are among the few exceptions. Ask any collector for its Rhode Island registration before paying.
A written dispute inside the validation period makes a collector stop until it mails verification.
After the 10-year limit runs out, a collector must not sue or threaten to; read what to do about an old debt before paying anything.
Limits vary a lot between states: by comparison, Virginia sets 3 years and Delaware sets 3 years for similar debts.
To make a collector prove a debt in Rhode Island, send a debt validation letter within the dispute window.
Rhode Island residents often hear from national agencies like Transworld Systems and TrueAccord; see our guides to each.
For the court side of a Rhode Island debt, from the summons to a possible judgment, see how to defend a debt collection lawsuit.
Wage attachment in Rhode Island
To attach wages, a creditor must file a motion on a specified court form and have it granted. A debtor must earn more than 30 times the minimum wage before any wages can be garnished.
Questions people ask about debt in Rhode Island
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Rhode Island?
Ten years under R.I. Gen. Laws 9-1-13, the same as other civil actions.
Do debt collectors need to register in Rhode Island?
Yes. Under the state's Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, collectors must register with the Department of Business Regulation through NMLS and post a $50,000 bond.
Can a payment extend the time limit in Rhode Island?
Yes. Paying, agreeing to pay or acknowledging the debt can extend the ten years.
How long does a judgment last in Rhode Island?
Twenty years under R.I. Gen. Laws 9-1-17.
Can my wages be attached in Rhode Island?
Only after the creditor files a motion on a set court form and it is granted, and not if you earn 30 times the minimum wage or less.