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Statute of Limitations on Debt in Arizona

In Arizona, a creditor generally has 6 years to sue on a written contract made in Arizona, a credit card debt or a promissory note, and 3 years on an oral debt or an open account.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Arizona at a glance

Written contracts
6 years
Applies to a debt founded on a contract in writing executed in Arizona.
Oral contracts
3 years
Applies to a debt not evidenced by a contract in writing.
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 (credit cards 6 years)
Stated or open accounts have 3 years (mutual current accounts between merchants are excluded). A debt founded on a credit card has 6 years under a separate rule.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Arizona

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

Written contracts in Arizona: 6 years. Applies to a debt founded on a contract in writing executed in Arizona.

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

Oral contracts in Arizona: 3 years. Applies to a debt not evidenced by a contract in writing.

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

Promissory notes in Arizona: 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 Arizona?

Open accounts in Arizona: 3 years (credit cards 6 years). Stated or open accounts have 3 years (mutual current accounts between merchants are excluded). A debt founded on a credit card has 6 years under a separate rule.

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

The rules above come from Ariz. Rev. Stat. 12-548, Ariz. Rev. Stat. 12-543 and Ariz. Rev. Stat. 47-3118. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Arizona's 6-year rule for written contracts and credit card debt applies even if another jurisdiction's law conflicts on the limitation period.

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.