Statute of limitations on debt in California
Lawsuit deadlines for consumer debt in California, from the cited statutes, last verified 2026-10-28. Not a prediction of a case.
In California, the time to file a lawsuit on a consumer debt is set by the sections below. When that time has run, a collector’s ability to win a suit is what has expired — if the dates were measured correctly, and if California law is the law that applies. The debt does not vanish. A collector may still request payment. A United States credit report can still show the item under 15 U.S.C. §1681c.
| Kind of debt | Years | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract | 4 | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337 |
| Oral contract | 2 | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 339 |
| Open account / store account | 4 | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337 |
Not printed, because this site has not verified a period: Promissory note, Credit card. Those rows are not guesses.
Oral contract. Contracts not founded on an instrument in writing.
Open account / store account. Book accounts and written accounts stated sit in § 337, not in the two-year oral section.
Revival and acknowledgment
Whether a credit-card file is a written contract or a book account is a fact question. This page does not pick one. A payment or a new written promise can matter; this site does not print a revival rule for California.
The reporting clock is not this table
How long a collection may appear on a United States credit report is a federal file rule. Read how long a debt stays on your credit report and what paying a collection changes.
Walk the decision
Lawsuit deadline and credit-report period are different clocks. This is not a ruling.
The lawsuit clock may have run. The reporting clock is a different clock.
Texas lists 4 years for credit card under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004(a)(3). Counting months from the date you entered, that period looks expired. That is not a ruling. Accrual, choice of law, and revival can move the date. For a debt buyer, Texas Finance Code § 392.307 says a payment or agreement that the debt is owed does not revive the limitations period. That section is about debt buyers. It is not a general rule for every original creditor. How long the item stays on a United States credit report is 15 U.S.C. §1681c, generally seven years plus up to 180 days from the delinquency, even after you pay.
Write a debt validation letter
State lawsuit-deadline notes · How long a debt stays on a credit report
Questions
What is the statute of limitations on debt in California?
Written contract: 4 years (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337). Oral contract: 2 years (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 339). Open account / store account: 4 years (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337).
Does paying restart the clock?
Whether a credit-card file is a written contract or a book account is a fact question. This page does not pick one. A payment or a new written promise can matter; this site does not print a revival rule for California.
Does that mean the collection comes off my credit report?
No. 15 U.S.C. §1681c is a file rule. A time-barred debt can still appear for the rest of the reporting period.
Sources
- Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337 — California statute, last verified 2026-10-28
- Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 339 — California statute, last verified 2026-10-28
- Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337 — California statute, last verified 2026-10-28
- Can debt collectors collect a debt that’s several years old? — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- 12 C.F.R. § 1006.26 — Collection of time-barred debts — Regulation F, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Other verified states: Texas · Florida · New York · Illinois