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Statute of Limitations on Debt in Kentucky

In Kentucky, a creditor generally has 10 years to sue on a written contract signed after July 15, 2014 (15 years for older ones), 5 years on an oral contract or store account, and 6 years on a negotiable note.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Kentucky at a glance

Written contracts
10 years
Applies to written contracts executed after July 15, 2014. Older written contracts keep the 15-year period.
Oral contracts
5 years
Promissory notes
6 years
Six years after the due date under the UCC for a note payable at a definite time. KRS 413.120(7) sets 5 years for a note placed on the footing of a bill of exchange.
Open accounts
5 years
KRS 413.120 sets 5 years for a merchant's account for goods sold and delivered. A credit card claim based on a signed written agreement may fall under the written contract rule.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Kentucky

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

Written contracts in Kentucky: 10 years. Applies to written contracts executed after July 15, 2014. Older written contracts keep the 15-year period.

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

Oral contracts in Kentucky: 5 years.

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

Promissory notes in Kentucky: 6 years. Six years after the due date under the UCC for a note payable at a definite time. KRS 413.120(7) sets 5 years for a note placed on the footing of a bill of exchange.

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

Open accounts in Kentucky: 5 years. KRS 413.120 sets 5 years for a merchant's account for goods sold and delivered. A credit card claim based on a signed written agreement may fall under the written contract rule.

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

The rules above come from Ky. Rev. Stat. 413.160, Ky. Rev. Stat. 413.090, Ky. Rev. Stat. 413.120 and Ky. Rev. Stat. 355.3-118. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

A 2014 law (Acts ch. 142) cut the written contract period from 15 to 10 years for contracts executed after July 15, 2014.

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.