Statute of Limitations on Debt in Minnesota (2026): The 6-Year Rule
Last updated 07/30/2026 by
Andrew Latham
Edited by
Andrew Latham
Summary:
The statute of limitations on debt in Minnesota is six years for nearly every type of debt, including credit cards, measured from your last payment. Minnesota applies one window across debt types.
- Six-year limit: Written contracts, credit cards, and open accounts.
- Clock from last payment: The countdown starts when you stop paying.
- Same rule for oral debt: Verbal agreements also fall under six years.
Minnesota uses a single six-year deadline that covers almost every consumer debt.
The date that starts it is your last payment, not the day the account opened.
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What is the statute of limitations on debt in Minnesota
Minnesota gives creditors and collectors six years to sue on a debt, set by Minnesota Statutes 541.05. The same six-year window covers written contracts, credit cards, open accounts, and oral agreements.
Once six years pass from your last payment, the debt is time-barred and a collector cannot win a lawsuit to force payment.
The debt still exists after six years. You continue to owe it, but the legal power to sue over it is gone.
Minnesota statute of limitations by debt type
Minnesota applies a six-year limit across the debt types consumers deal with most.
| Debt type | Time limit | Minnesota statute |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years | Minn. Stat. 541.05 |
| Credit card / open account | 6 years | Minn. Stat. 541.05 |
| Oral agreement | 6 years | Minn. Stat. 541.05 |
| Promissory note | 6 years | Minn. Stat. 541.05 |
When the clock starts in Minnesota
The clock starts on the date of your last payment or last account activity, not the day you opened the account.
If you made your final credit card payment in April 2021, the six-year window would generally close around April 2027.
Check your reported date of first delinquency against your own records, since an inaccurate date can make a debt look newer than it is.
Pro Tip: In Minnesota, making a payment or acknowledging an old debt in writing can restart the six-year clock from zero.
Before you respond to a collector, pull your credit report and confirm the date of last payment. A single partial payment can hand the collector a fresh six-year window to sue.
Time-barred debt and your Minnesota credit report
The six-year lawsuit limit is separate from credit reporting. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, most negative debts stay on your report for seven years from the first delinquency.
A Minnesota credit card debt can be time-barred for suing after six years yet remain on your credit report for one more.
Key takeaways
- Minnesota allows six years to sue on nearly all debt, including credit cards, under Minnesota Statutes 541.05.
- The clock starts on your last payment or account activity.
- A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the six-year clock from zero.
- Time-barred debt can still appear on your credit report for up to seven years.
- A collector can still ask you to pay a time-barred debt but cannot sue over it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Minnesota?
Six years. Minnesota applies its 541.05 contract limit to credit card and open-account debt, running from your last payment. After six years the debt is time-barred and a collector cannot win a lawsuit over it.
Can a debt collector still contact me after six years in Minnesota?
Yes. The statute of limitations only bars lawsuits, not contact. A collector can still ask you to pay, but under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act they cannot sue or threaten to sue over a time-barred debt.
Does making a payment restart the clock in Minnesota?
It can. A payment or a written acknowledgment that the debt is yours generally restarts the six-year period, so confirm whether the debt is already time-barred before you pay anything.
If old balances are piling up, comparing structured debt relief options can consolidate several collector accounts into one negotiated plan.
Related reading
- Statute of limitations on debt in Ohio: a six-year limit on written and open accounts after a 2021 change.
- Statute of limitations on debt in North Carolina: a three-year limit and a ban on wage garnishment for consumer debt.
- Statute of limitations on debt in Tennessee: a six-year limit on credit card and open-account debt under TCA 28-3-109.
- Statute of limitations on debt in Washington: a six-year limit on written contracts and credit cards.
- Statute of limitations on debt in Virginia: a three-year open-account limit, five years if a signed contract exists.
Andrew is the Content Director for SuperMoney, a Certified Financial Planner®, and a Certified Personal Finance Counselor. He loves to geek out on financial data and translate it into actionable insights everyone can understand. His work is often cited by major publications and institutions, such as Forbes, U.S. News, Fox Business, SFGate, Realtor, Deloitte, and Business Insider.
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