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Statute of Limitations on Debt in Missouri

In Missouri, an action on a writing for the payment of money has 10 years, other contracts including oral ones have 5 years, and a note payable at a definite time has 10 years.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Missouri at a glance

Written contracts
10 years
Ten years applies to a writing for the payment of money or property. Other written contracts may fall under the 5-year rule.
Oral contracts
5 years
Promissory notes
10 years
Missouri's UCC sets 10 years after the due date for a note payable at a definite time.
Open accounts
5 years
Contract claims not based on a writing for the payment of money fall under the 5-year rule. Classification of a credit card account can depend on the facts.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Missouri

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

Written contracts in Missouri: 10 years. Ten years applies to a writing for the payment of money or property. Other written contracts may fall under the 5-year rule.

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

Oral contracts in Missouri: 5 years.

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

Promissory notes in Missouri: 10 years. Missouri's UCC sets 10 years after the due date for a note payable at a definite time.

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

Open accounts in Missouri: 5 years. Contract claims not based on a writing for the payment of money fall under the 5-year rule. Classification of a credit card account can depend on the facts.

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

The rules above come from Mo. Rev. Stat. 516.110, Mo. Rev. Stat. 516.120 and Mo. Rev. Stat. 400.3-118. 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.