Is there a time limit for suing or collecting on medical debt?

Yes: every state sets a time limit for suing over a debt, and once it passes a collector may not sue you or threaten to. The debt does not disappear, a collector can still ask you to pay, and in some states a payment or a promise to pay restarts the clock, so check your state's rule before you pay an old debt.

Last updated November 3, 2026.

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Key facts

New York: time a hospital or licensed health professional has to sue on a medical debt, from treatment
What it says
3 yearsState law; check the effective date and the hospital's own policy. Last checked November 2, 2026.
Applies to
New York
Source
New York CPLR 213-d (Justia)
As of
Nov 2, 2026
Longest a collection may stay on a credit report (a separate clock from the time limit to sue)
What it says
7 years
Source
15 U.S.C. 1681c(a)(4), (c)(1) (Cornell LII)
As of
Nov 2, 2026

Fact	What it says	Applies to	Source	As of
New York: time a hospital or licensed health professional has to sue on a medical debt, from treatment	3 yearsState law; check the effective date and the hospital's own policy. Last checked November 2, 2026.	New York	New York CPLR 213-d (Justia)	Nov 2, 2026
Longest a collection may stay on a credit report (a separate clock from the time limit to sue)	7 years		15 U.S.C. 1681c(a)(4), (c)(1) (Cornell LII)	Nov 2, 2026

What is a statute of limitations on debt?

It is the time limit for suing over a debt. Each state sets its own, and in most states it is 3 years (CFPB, published October 28, 2026) to 6 years (CFPB, published October 28, 2026). Once it passes, the debt is called a time-barred debt: a collector may not sue you or threaten to sue you over it Source 1.

It limits lawsuits, not the debt itself. The debt still exists, and a collector can still ask you to pay it.

How long is it in my state?

It depends on the state and on the kind of agreement behind the bill. Few states set a time limit written for medical debt. Most use their general limits for contracts or accounts, and which one fits your bill can depend on what you signed and on the court. Before you rely on any limit, ask legal aid or a lawyer to confirm it for your bill.

We list a state only after we have read the limit in its own law. Each row shows the general period the law sets, not advice about your bill.

State	What the law sets
Colorado	Six years for a debt whose amount is set or can be worked out; three years for other contract claims. Which one fits a medical bill depends on the bill and the court. Law: C.R.S. 13-80-103.5 and 13-80-101.
Delaware	Three years for a debt that is not backed by a written record or a sealed document, or for a claim based on a promise. Law: 10 Del. C. 8106.
Illinois	Five years for contracts that are not in writing; ten years for written contracts and other written proof of a debt. Law: 735 ILCS 5/13-205 and 13-206.
Maine	Six years for civil actions in general. Law: 14 M.R.S. 752.
Nevada	Six years for a contract in writing; four years for an open account or a contract that is not in writing, counted from the last transaction or the last payment. A payment made after the time has run does not revive the debt. Law: NRS 11.190, 11.200 and 11.390.
New York	Three years from treatment when a hospital or licensed health professional sues; this period is written for medical debt. Law: CPLR 213-d. Whether it also covers debt buyers or older debts is not settled.
Rhode Island	Ten years for civil actions in general, unless another law sets a different period. Law: R.I. Gen. Laws 9-1-13.
Texas	Four years for a suit on a debt or on an account. Law: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.004.
Vermont	Six years for civil actions in general. Law: 12 V.S.A. 511.
Washington	Six years for written contracts and for accounts receivable; three years for contracts that are not in writing. Law: RCW 4.16.040 and 4.16.080.

Not verified yet: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. We have not read the time limit in these states' laws yet, so we don't state one. A legal aid program or a lawyer can tell you which limit applies to your bill.

We checked every row above in the state's own law on the date shown in the sources. Our medical debt laws by state tracker will show each state's rules side by side.

Can a collector still contact me about old debt?

Yes. A time-barred debt still exists, and a collector can still ask you to pay it. What the collector may not do is sue you or threaten to sue Source 1.

If you don't want to hear from a collector, you can tell it in writing to stop contacting you. It must then stop communicating with you about that debt, except to say it is ending its efforts or that it or the creditor may take a specific step Source 4.

Can a payment or a promise restart the clock?

In some states, yes. A payment, even a small one, or a written promise to pay can restart the time limit Source 1. That is why you should check your state's rule, and the date of your last payment, before you pay anything on an old debt.

States differ. In Nevada, a payment or an acknowledgment made after the time limit has passed does not revive the debt, and a new promise to pay must be in writing (NRS 11.200). A voluntary payment during the notice period a collection agency must give before collecting a medical debt in Nevada does not extend the time limit either (NRS 649.367).

If a collector asks you to pay a small amount "to show good faith" on an old debt, ask it in writing for the date of the last payment and the date the debt went unpaid, and talk to legal aid first.

What if I'm sued on a debt that is too old?

Answer the lawsuit by the deadline in the papers, and raise the time limit as your defense. The time limit protects you only if you raise it in court Source 1. If you don't answer, the court can decide against you without hearing your side, even on an old debt.

A collector must not sue or threaten to sue on a debt whose time limit has passed Source 1. If one does, tell the court and legal aid, and you can complain to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint or 1-855-411-2372 Source 5. Our guide on being sued for medical debt explains the steps, and you can find free legal aid at LawHelp.org.

Is this the same as the seven-year credit report limit?

No. They are two separate clocks.

The credit report limit is federal. A collection may not be reported once it is older than a set age, which is 7 years (15 U.S.C. 1681c(a)(4), (c)(1) (Cornell LII), published 2026). The count starts once you have been behind for 180 days (15 U.S.C. 1681c(a)(4), (c)(1) (Cornell LII), published 2026).
The time limit to sue is set by each state, as above, and can be shorter or longer.

So a debt can leave your credit report and still be collected, or stay on your report after the time limit to sue has passed. Our guide to medical debt and your credit report explains the rest.

Next step

Debt validation letter for a medical debt.

General information, not legal or tax advice.

If you need help with your own situation, these can help:

LawHelp.org lists free legal aid near you.
Your state attorney general takes complaints about medical bills and debt collectors.
The CFPB complaint portal takes complaints about debt collectors and credit reports.
The hospital's financial assistance office can review your bill and tell you what it offers.

Sources

Note 1 CFPB, "What is a statute of limitations on a debt?"; 12 CFR 1006.26(b). Published October 28, 2026. Last checked November 2, 2026.
Note 2 New York CPLR 213-d (Justia). Published 2020. State law; check the effective date and the hospital's own policy. Last checked November 2, 2026. Last checked November 2, 2026.
Note 3 15 U.S.C. 1681c(a)(4), (c)(1) (Cornell LII). Published 2026. Last checked November 2, 2026.
Note 4 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), United States Code via GovInfo; 12 CFR 1006.6(c). Published 2024. Last checked November 3, 2026.
Note 5 CMS, "Dispute a bill". Published October 2, 2026. Last checked November 2, 2026.
Note 6 Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 13 (sections 13-80-101 and 13-80-103.5). Colorado General Assembly. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 7 Delaware Code, Title 10, Chapter 81 (section 8106). Delaware Code Online. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 8 735 ILCS 5/13-205 and 5/13-206. Illinois General Assembly. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 9 Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14, section 752. Maine Legislature. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 10 NRS Chapter 11: Limitation of actions. Nevada Legislature. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 11 NRS Chapter 649: Collection agencies. Nevada Legislature. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 12 New York Civil Practice Law and Rules section 213-D. New York State Senate. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 13 R.I. Gen. Laws 9-1-13: Limitation of actions generally. Rhode Island General Assembly. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 14 Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Chapter 16 (section 16.004). Texas Legislative Council. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 15 12 V.S.A. 511: Civil actions. Vermont General Assembly. Checked November 3, 2026.
Note 16 RCW 4.16.040 and 4.16.080. Washington State Legislature. Checked November 3, 2026.

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