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Statute of Limitations on Debt in New Jersey

In New Jersey, a lawsuit on a contract claim, written or oral, must generally be filed within 6 years, and a note payable at a definite time also has 6 years.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

New Jersey at a glance

Written contracts
6 years
Applies to contracts not under seal. Sale of goods contracts follow the UCC instead.
Oral contracts
6 years
Promissory notes
6 years
Six years after the due date under the UCC for a note payable at a definite time.
Open accounts
6 years
Covers actions upon an account, other than trade accounts between merchants.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in New Jersey

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

Written contracts in New Jersey: 6 years. Applies to contracts not under seal. Sale of goods contracts follow the UCC instead.

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

Oral contracts in New Jersey: 6 years.

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

Promissory notes in New Jersey: 6 years. Six years after the due date under the UCC for a note payable at a definite time.

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

Open accounts in New Jersey: 6 years. Covers actions upon an account, other than trade accounts between merchants.

Where do the New Jersey statutes of limitations on debt come from?

The rules above come from N.J. Stat. 2A:14-1 and N.J. Stat. 12A: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.