If Your Debt is Past the Statute of Limitations, You Do Not Have to Pay it Back

State Statute of Limitations (Years) Alabama 3 Alaska 3 Arizona 6 Arkansas 5 California 4 Colorado 6 Connecticut 6 Delaware 4 Florida 5 Georgia 6 Hawaii 6 Idaho 4 Illinois 5 Indiana 6 lowa 5 Kansas 3 Kentucky 10 Louisiana 3 Maine 6 Maryland 3 Massachusetts 6 Michigan 6 Minnesota 6 Mississippi 3 Missouri 5 Montana 8 Nebraska 4 Nevada 4 New Hampshire 6 New Jersey 6 New Mexico 4 New York 6 North Carolina 3 North Dakota 6 Ohio 6 Oklahoma 5 Oregon 6 Pennsylvania 4 Rhode Island 10 South Carolina 3 South Dakota 6 Tennessee 6 Texas 4 Utah 4 Vermont 6 Virginia 3 Washington 6 West Virginia 5 Wisconsin 6 Wyoming 8 Washington, D.C. 3 If Your Debt is Past the Statute of Limitations, You Do Not Have to Pay it Back IF YOUR DEBT STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS, HAVE TO PAY IT BECOMES ZOMBIE DEBT. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS STARTS AT DATE OF LAST PAYMENT Please note that these time frames are general guidelines and can vary based on specific circumstances, such as the terms of your credit agreement or actions taken by the creditor. For instance, in California, the statute of limitations on debt is four years, as stated in the state's Code of Civil Procedure § 337, with the clock starting to tick as soon as you miss a payment.