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Statute of Limitations on Debt in Ohio

In Ohio, the deadline is 6 years for written contracts, 4 years for oral contracts, 6 years for promissory notes, and 6 years for consumer accounts such as credit cards.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Ohio at a glance

Written contracts
6 years
Oral contracts
4 years
Consumer transactions for personal, family, or household purposes have 6 years, written or not.
Promissory notes
6 years
Runs from the due date, or the accelerated due date, of the note.
Open accounts
6 years
Consumer debts, including an account stated, have 6 years; the claim accrues 30 days after the last charge or payment, whichever is later.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Ohio

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

Written contracts in Ohio: 6 years.

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

Oral contracts in Ohio: 4 years. Consumer transactions for personal, family, or household purposes have 6 years, written or not.

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

Promissory notes in Ohio: 6 years. Runs from the due date, or the accelerated due date, of the note.

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

Open accounts in Ohio: 6 years. Consumer debts, including an account stated, have 6 years; the claim accrues 30 days after the last charge or payment, whichever is later.

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

The rules above come from Ohio Rev. Code 2305.06, Ohio Rev. Code 2305.07 and Ohio Rev. Code 1303.16. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Ohio Rev. Code 2305.07(C) sets a 6-year period for actions arising from consumer transactions, whether or not the contract is in writing, and starts the clock 30 days after the last charge or payment by the consumer.

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.