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Statute of Limitations on Debt in Louisiana

In Louisiana, contract claims generally prescribe in 10 years, actions on promissory notes in 5 years, and actions on an open account or money lent in 3 years.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Louisiana at a glance

Written contracts
10 years
General 10-year prescription for personal actions, unless a shorter period applies (for example 3 years for money lent or open accounts).
Oral contracts
10 years
Same 10-year personal action rule as written contracts, unless a shorter specific period applies.
Promissory notes
5 years
Applies to negotiable and nonnegotiable notes; runs from the day payment is exigible.
Open accounts
3 years

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Louisiana

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

Written contracts in Louisiana: 10 years. General 10-year prescription for personal actions, unless a shorter period applies (for example 3 years for money lent or open accounts).

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

Oral contracts in Louisiana: 10 years. Same 10-year personal action rule as written contracts, unless a shorter specific period applies.

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

Promissory notes in Louisiana: 5 years. Applies to negotiable and nonnegotiable notes; runs from the day payment is exigible.

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

Open accounts in Louisiana: 3 years.

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

The rules above come from La. Civ. Code art. 3499, La. Civ. Code art. 3498 and La. Civ. Code art. 3494. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Louisiana uses the term liberative prescription instead of statute of limitations.

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.