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How long do you have to sue for money you lent?

Every state sets a time limit for suing on an unpaid loan. After it, a court will usually throw the claim out. Pick the state, how the loan was made and when the payment was due.

State where you would sue (usually where the borrower lives) Pick a stateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming How was the loan made?

Written agreement or IOU Promissory note with a due date Note payable on demand By word of mouth (nothing written)

When does the clock start?

Usually the day a payment was due and not made. For a loan repaid in instalments, each missed instalment has its own date; use the earliest one you want to recover. If the borrower paid something or signed an acknowledgment of the debt since, read "What starts the clock again" below.

Do you (the lender) live in a different state? (optional) Same state, or skipAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

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How this works

The periods come from each state's own statute, read from the official text (the source is shown under the answer). The date shown is the usual one: the clock can be paused, for example while the borrower lives out of state, or cut short if the borrower dies. If a lot of money is at stake and the date is close, a lawyer can confirm it.

General information, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Checked 2026-10-03.