Skip to content
Oakclause

Statute of Limitations on Debt in Utah

In Utah, the deadline is 6 years for written contracts and promissory notes, and 4 years for oral contracts and open accounts.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Utah at a glance

Written contracts
6 years
For a credit agreement, the period starts on the latest of the date the debt arose, a written acknowledgment or promise to pay, or a payment.
Oral contracts
4 years
Runs from the last charge or the last payment received.
Promissory notes
6 years
Runs from the due date, or the accelerated due date, of the note.
Open accounts
4 years
Open store accounts and open accounts for services or materials; runs from the last charge or payment.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Utah

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

Written contracts in Utah: 6 years. For a credit agreement, the period starts on the latest of the date the debt arose, a written acknowledgment or promise to pay, or a payment.

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

Oral contracts in Utah: 4 years. Runs from the last charge or the last payment received.

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

Promissory notes in Utah: 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 Utah?

Open accounts in Utah: 4 years. Open store accounts and open accounts for services or materials; runs from the last charge or payment.

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

The rules above come from Utah Code 78B-2-309, Utah Code 78B-2-307 and Utah Code 70A-3-118. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Utah Code 78B-2-309(2) restarts the 6-year period for a credit agreement when the debtor makes a written acknowledgment, a promise to pay, or a payment.

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.