Statute of Limitations on Debt in Alaska

In Alaska, a creditor generally has 3 years to sue on a written or oral contract or an account, and 6 years on a promissory note.

Last checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Written contracts: 3 years; One 3-year period applies to contracts, express or implied, unless another law provides otherwise or the contract waives it.
Oral contracts: 3 years
Promissory notes: 6 years; For a negotiable note payable at a definite time, counted from the due date or accelerated due date.
Open accounts: 3 years; No separate open account statute; an account claim is a contract claim under the 3-year rule.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in Alaska

What is the statute of limitations for a written contract in Alaska?

Written contracts in Alaska: 3 years. One 3-year period applies to contracts, express or implied, unless another law provides otherwise or the contract waives it.

What is the statute of limitations for an oral contract in Alaska?

Oral contracts in Alaska: 3 years.

What is the statute of limitations on a promissory note in Alaska?

Promissory notes in Alaska: 6 years. For a negotiable note payable at a definite time, counted from the due date or accelerated due date.

What is the statute of limitations on an open account, such as a credit card, in Alaska?

Open accounts in Alaska: 3 years. No separate open account statute; an account claim is a contract claim under the 3-year rule.

Where do the Alaska statutes of limitations on debt come from?

The rules above come from Alaska Stat. 09.10.053 and Alaska Stat. 45.03.118. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

The clock usually starts when the debt is breached, which for a loan or account is often the date of the missed payment or the last payment made. In some states a new payment or a written acknowledgment of the debt can restart or extend the period, so the starting date matters as much as the length.

A statute of limitations is generally a defense the person being sued has to raise. If a lawsuit on an old debt is filed and nobody responds, the court can enter a judgment even if the period had expired. Judgments have their own, separate enforcement periods.

Which state's deadline applies is not always obvious. Contracts may contain a choice of law clause, and some states have borrowing statutes that apply a shorter period from another state. Federal rules also bar debt collectors from suing or threatening to sue on time-barred consumer debt. For a specific dispute, check the statute and consider talking to an attorney.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.