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How long can a debt collector come after you?
Every state limits how long a collector has to sue you over a debt, usually three to six years from your last payment. Pick your state, the type of debt and when you last paid, and we'll show when that time likely runs out.
What the time limit means
A collector must not sue or threaten to sue you to collect a time-barred debt. Once the time limit has passed, the debt is called time-barred.
Time-barred does not usually mean the debt is gone. A collector can still ask you to pay it, and in most states it still exists. If a collector sues anyway, the court will usually not apply the time limit for you: you have to raise it in your answer.
What can restart the clock
In many states, a payment, even a small one, or a written promise to pay can restart the time limit, giving the collector a new window to sue. A few states, such as Maryland, Minnesota, Maine and the District of Columbia, do not allow that once the time has run out. The result above shows your state's rule.
So before paying anything on an old debt, check the dates. If you are unsure, our free check asks the same questions and tells you whether disputing is likely to help.
Does debt disappear after 7 years?
That is a different rule, about your credit report, not about lawsuits. A collection or charged-off account can stay on your credit report for seven years. The seven years start 180 days after the missed payment that led to collection or charge-off, so a later payment, or the debt being sold to a new collector, does not restart them.
So a debt can drop off your credit report while a collector can still sue, in states with longer time limits, or stay on your report after the time to sue has passed, in states with shorter ones.
Why we sometimes show a range
Some debts fit more than one category. A credit card can be treated as a written contract or as an open account, and states and courts disagree about which applies. Where our sources disagree, we show the earliest and latest likely dates instead of picking one. The state guide linked with your result explains the details and lists our sources.
Common questions
How long can a debt collector come after you?
They can keep asking for payment for as long as the debt exists, but they can only sue within your state's time limit, usually three to six years from your last payment, and up to ten or more for some written contracts.
Does debt disappear after 7 years?
No. Seven years is the credit reporting limit for most collection accounts. The time limit for lawsuits is a separate rule set by each state.
Can a payday loan sue you after 7 years?
It depends on your state. In many states the time limit for a written loan is shorter than seven years, but a payment or written promise can restart it. Check your state and dates above.
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt?
It depends on your state, and sometimes on whether the card is treated as a written contract or an open account. Most states fall between three and six years.
Can a collector still contact me about a time-barred debt?
Usually yes. They may ask you to pay, but they must not sue you or threaten to sue over a time-barred debt.