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Statute of Limitations on Debt in Arkansas

In Arkansas, a creditor generally has 5 years to sue on a written contract or a promissory note and 3 years on an oral contract or an open account.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Arkansas at a glance

Written contracts
5 years
A partial payment or written acknowledgment of default tolls this period.
Oral contracts
3 years
Promissory notes
5 years
Arkansas sets 5 years, not the usual 6, for a negotiable note payable at a definite time.
Open accounts
3 years
No separate open account statute; an account not in writing falls under the 3-year rule for unwritten obligations.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Arkansas

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

Written contracts in Arkansas: 5 years. A partial payment or written acknowledgment of default tolls this period.

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

Oral contracts in Arkansas: 3 years.

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

Promissory notes in Arkansas: 5 years. Arkansas sets 5 years, not the usual 6, for a negotiable note payable at a definite time.

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

Open accounts in Arkansas: 3 years. No separate open account statute; an account not in writing falls under the 3-year rule for unwritten obligations.

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

The rules above come from Ark. Code 16-56-111, Ark. Code 16-56-105 and Ark. Code 4-3-118. 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.