Utah debt: six years or four, and no state license for collectors since 2023
Utah gives creditors six years on written contracts and four on store accounts and spoken agreements. In 2023 it also stopped requiring collection agencies to register or post a bond, so in Utah the federal rules carry more of the load.
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.
Utah at a glance
- Written contracts
- 6 years (78B-2-309)
- Oral contracts, store accounts
- 4 years (78B-2-307)
- General credit cards
- Often 6; store-only cards often 4
- Collector registration
- Repealed May 2023
- Wage garnishment
- Federal limit (Rule 64D)
- Judgments
- 8 years, renewable
General information about Utah law, with sources below. Not legal advice.
Six years or four in Utah
Six years for a contract, obligation or liability founded on a written instrument (Utah Code 78B-2-309), and four years for oral contracts and open store accounts (78B-2-307). Utah's appellate courts have not squarely decided which period applies to general credit cards; several district courts have applied six years, while a card that can only be used at one store usually falls under four.
Utah's borrowing statute (78B-2-103) can apply the time limit of the state where the claim arose.
No state license for collectors
Since May 3, 2023, Utah no longer requires a collection agency registration or a $10,000 surety bond. That means there is no state register to check a collector against, so the federal rules matter more: a written dispute inside the validation period makes the collector stop until it mails verification.
Our guide to time-barred and zombie debt explains what collectors may and may not do once the 4-year limit in Utah has passed.
Limits vary a lot between states: by comparison, Alabama sets 3 years and Idaho sets 4 years for similar debts.
Before paying anything in Utah, read whether to pay a collection agency and how to request debt validation.
National collectors active in Utah include Cavalry SPV and ConServe; our guides list their official dispute addresses.
Sued in Utah? Do not miss the deadline: read how to get a debt lawsuit dismissed before you respond.
Garnishment and judgments in Utah
Utah follows the federal garnishment limit for consumer debt (Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 64D). Wages can be garnished only after you receive notice, and you have a short window to file paperwork protecting exempt money such as Social Security, so act quickly when you receive garnishment papers.
Judgments last eight years and can be renewed.
For the federal floor beneath Utah's rule, and what to do if your pay is already being garnished, see how much of your wages can be garnished.
Questions people ask about debt in Utah
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Utah?
Often six years under Utah Code 78B-2-309, though a card usable at only one store usually falls under the four-year open store account rule.
Do debt collectors need a license in Utah?
Not since May 3, 2023, when Utah dropped its collection agency registration and $10,000 bond requirement.
Can another state's time limit apply in Utah?
Yes. Utah's borrowing statute, 78B-2-103, can apply the time limit of the state where the claim arose.
How much of my wages can be garnished in Utah?
Utah follows the federal limit, and you get notice and a short window to protect exempt money.
How long does a judgment last in Utah?
Eight years, and it can be renewed.