About the Debt Statute of Limitations Calculator
Every US state limits how long a creditor or debt collector has to sue you over an unpaid debt. Once that statute of limitations runs out, the debt is "time-barred": under the CFPB’s Regulation F a debt collector must not sue or threaten to sue you to collect it. This debt statute of limitations calculator works out the date your debt becomes time-barred and, separately, the date it must come off your credit report.
Limitation periods are set by state law and depend on the type of debt — written contracts, oral agreements, promissory notes and open-ended accounts such as credit cards often have different periods, commonly between 3 and 6 years and longer in some states. Enter the period that applies under your state’s statute (or the state named in your card agreement’s choice-of-law clause) and the date the clock started, usually your last payment or the date of default.
The credit report date follows the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act: collection accounts and charge-offs can be reported for seven years, starting 180 days after the delinquency began. That date does not change when a debt is sold or when you make a payment, unlike the lawsuit clock in many states.
How to use the debt statute of limitations calculator
- 1Find the date of your last payment or default — the date the clock started.
- 2Look up your state’s limitation period for the debt type and enter it in years.
- 3Tick the restart option if a later payment or signed acknowledgment may have restarted the clock.
- 4Enter the date the account first went delinquent for the credit report date.
- 5Read the time-barred date and credit report removal date, and keep records of both.
Formula and method
The lawsuit deadline adds your state’s limitation period for the debt type to the date the clock started — normally the last payment or the default date. If you tick the restart option, the later payment or written acknowledgment date is used instead, because many states restart the period when that happens (rules vary, and some states do not).
The credit reporting limit comes from 15 U.S.C. § 1681c: accounts placed for collection or charged off cannot be reported once they are more than seven years old, with the seven years starting when the 180-day period after the delinquency began expires. Days remaining are counted from the check date you enter.
- Clock start
- Last payment, default or other trigger date under your state’s law
- Limitation period
- Years allowed to sue under your state’s statute for that debt type
- Delinquency date
- Date the account first became delinquent and was never brought current
Worked examples
Credit card, last payment March 2021, 6-year state
Six years after a 15 March 2021 last payment is 15 March 2027, 165 days after the 1 October 2026 check date. The account first went delinquent on 1 February 2021, so it can be reported until 180 days later plus seven years: 31 July 2028.
3-year state, debt already time-barred
A 3-year limitation from 10 May 2022 expired on 10 May 2025, so collectors can no longer sue. The account can still appear on credit reports until 28 September 2029 (delinquency date + 180 days + 7 years).
Payment restarted the clock
Without the 2023 payment the 4-year period would have ended in January 2024. Counting from the 1 June 2023 payment instead, it runs to 1 June 2027. The credit report date is unaffected: 180 days after the November 2019 delinquency plus seven years is 29 April 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is a time-barred debt?+
It is a debt whose statute of limitations has expired. Under the CFPB’s Regulation F (12 CFR 1006.26), a debt collector must not sue or threaten to sue you to collect a time-barred debt, although the debt itself is not erased.
How long is the statute of limitations on debt?+
It depends on your state and the type of debt. Periods of 3 to 6 years are common for credit cards and written contracts, but some states allow 10 years or more. Check your state’s statute or ask a consumer attorney or legal aid office.
Does making a payment restart the statute of limitations?+
In many states, yes — a partial payment or a written acknowledgment of the debt can restart the clock. Some states have changed this rule for consumer debt. Get advice before paying on an old debt.
How long does a collection stay on my credit report?+
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, collections and charge-offs can be reported for seven years starting 180 days after the delinquency began. That date does not reset if the debt is sold or you make a payment.
What should I do if I am sued on a time-barred debt?+
Respond to the lawsuit — do not ignore it. The statute of limitations is usually a defense you must raise yourself; if you do not respond, the collector can win a default judgment even on an old debt.
Results are general estimates and not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction — consult a qualified attorney.