Statute of Limitations on Debt in Ohio (2026): The 6-Year Rule

Last updated 07/28/2026 by

Andrew Latham

Edited by

Andrew Latham

Summary:

The statute of limitations on debt in Ohio is six years for written contracts and credit card debt, measured from your last payment, after a 2021 law shortened the older window. The limit depends on the type of debt.

Written contracts: Six years under Ohio Revised Code 2305.06.
Credit cards and open accounts: Six years under Ohio Revised Code 2305.07.
Oral agreements: Four years.

Ohio’s deadline is shorter than many people expect, because the state cut it twice in the last decade.

An old debt that once had an eight or fifteen year window may now be well past its limit.

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What is the statute of limitations on debt in Ohio

Ohio gives creditors and collectors six years to sue on a written contract, set by Ohio Revised Code 2305.06, and six years on a credit card or open account under 2305.07.

The written-contract window used to be fifteen years, then eight, before a 2021 law cut it to six. 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 the limit passes. You continue to owe it, but the legal power to sue over it is gone.

Ohio statute of limitations by debt type

The limit that applies depends on how your debt is classified under Ohio law.

Debt type	Time limit	Ohio statute
Written contract	6 years	Ohio Rev. Code 2305.06
Credit card / open account	6 years	Ohio Rev. Code 2305.07
Oral agreement	4 years	Ohio Rev. Code 2305.07
Promissory note	8 years	Ohio Rev. Code 1303.16

When the clock starts in Ohio

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 May 2021, the six-year window would generally close around May 2027.

Because Ohio shortened its limits, an older account may already be time-barred under the current six-year rule, so check your date of last payment carefully.

Pro Tip: In Ohio, 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 Ohio 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.

An Ohio credit card debt can be time-barred for suing after six years yet remain on your credit report for one more.

Key takeaways

Ohio allows six years to sue on written contracts and credit card debt, under Ohio Revised Code 2305.06 and 2305.07.
A 2021 law shortened the written-contract limit from eight years to six.
Oral agreements carry a four-year limit.
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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Ohio?

Six years. Ohio applies its written-contract and open-account limits to credit card debt under Ohio Revised Code 2305.06 and 2305.07, running from your last payment. After six years the debt is time-barred and a collector cannot win a lawsuit over it.

Did Ohio change its statute of limitations?

Yes. A 2021 law reduced the written-contract limit from eight years to six, and earlier changes had already cut it from fifteen. An older debt may already be past the current six-year window.

Can a debt collector still contact me after six years in Ohio?

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.

If old balances are piling up, comparing structured debt relief options can fold several collector accounts into one negotiated plan.