Michigan debt statute of limitations is the answer to “statute of limitations on debt in Michigan”. This guide gives the Michigan figures in a dated table, explains in plain words what they mean, walks through the steps, and points to the official forms and free help.
The Michigan debt statute of limitations figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and Michigan sources as of October 2026; the statute named here is where to check them yourself.
Michigan debt statute of limitations at a Glance
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral agreement | 6 years |
| Promissory note | 6 years |
| Open account / credit card | 6 years |
| Medical debt | no separate period — the ordinary contract periods above apply |
In This Michigan debt statute of limitations Guide:
What the Michigan Debt Statute of Limitations Means
In Michigan, the statute of limitations caps how long a creditor or collector can wait before suing to collect a debt. It does not erase the debt. A collector can still ask for payment after the period runs out, but in most cases the court will not enforce it. The limit is an affirmative defense, so the debtor generally has to raise it in court or it can be lost.
The Michigan debt statute of limitations Figures
| Rule | Bonus Bank Daily verified figure |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Oral agreement | 6 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Promissory note | 6 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Open account / credit card | 6 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Medical debt | no separate period — the ordinary contract periods above applycompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Statute | MCL 600.5807(9), 440.3118(1)compilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
The Michigan debt statute of limitations figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and Michigan sources as of October 2026; the statute named here is where to check them yourself.
Being sued over an old debt?
The time limit is a defense only if you raise it in your answer. A Michigan debt defense attorney can check the dates, often at no cost for the first call. Every state bar runs a lawyer-referral service that sets up a low-cost first consultation; legal aid represents many people in debt cases at no cost.
When the Michigan Debt Statute of Limitations Starts
In Michigan the clock generally starts when the claim accrues, which is when the contract is breached. For most consumer debts that means the date of default or the missed payment after the last payment made. For a credit card or open account, it usually runs from the last payment or the first missed payment after it. Confirm the exact accrual date with the court clerk or an attorney.
Can the Michigan Debt Statute of Limitations Restart?
Under MCL 600.5866, a time-barred contract debt can be revived by a promise to pay or an acknowledgment of the debt, but only if it is in a writing signed by the debtor. Separately, the Michigan Supreme Court in Yeiter v. Knights of St. Casimir Aid Society, 461 Mich.
493 (2000), held that a partial payment generally restarts the period unless something about the payment shows the debtor was not admitting the full debt. That means even a small payment on an old debt may give the collector a new window to sue.
Old Debts and the Michigan Debt Statute of Limitations
A Michigan consumer contacted about an old debt may ask the collector in writing for validation: who owns the debt, how much is owed and the date of the last payment. It can help to check those dates before admitting the debt or sending any payment. Federal Regulation F (12 CFR 1006.26(b)) bars debt collectors from suing or threatening to sue on a time-barred debt.
Complaints can go to the Michigan Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division or the CFPB.
The Michigan Debt Statute of Limitations and Your Credit Report
The lawsuit limit and credit reporting are two separate clocks. Michigan’s limit controls how long a creditor can sue. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act separately lets most negative debt entries stay on a credit report for 7 years, counted from about 180 days after the account first went delinquent.
Paying or restarting a debt does not reset the 7-year reporting period, and a debt that is too old to sue on can still appear on a report.
If You Are Sued on a Debt Past the Michigan Statute of Limitations
A Michigan defendant sued on an old debt generally needs to file a written answer with the court by the deadline on the summons, or the court can enter a default judgment. The answer is where the limitations defense is raised, because it is an affirmative defense and may be lost if left out. The defendant should also appear at every scheduled hearing.
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Michigan Legal Help has answer forms, and the court clerk or a legal-aid office can confirm the steps.
Common Mistakes With Michigan debt statute of limitations
The most common mistake is missing a deadline: court and creditor deadlines run whether or not you have read the papers, and a missed one usually cannot be undone. The second is relying on an old article or a friend’s experience in another state — the rules on this page differ from state to state and change often, which is why every figure here is dated.
The third is not keeping copies: every letter, form, receipt and bank statement may matter later, so keep them together and note the date you received each one.
Free Help With Michigan debt statute of limitations in Michigan
You do not have to handle this alone or pay to get answers. The Michigan court self-help center explains the forms and the steps, and court clerks can tell you where and how to file, although they cannot give legal advice.
Legal aid organizations represent many people at no cost when income is limited, and the Michigan bar’s lawyer referral service can connect you with a lawyer for a low-cost first consultation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints about lenders, banks and debt collectors nationwide.
How We Verify the Michigan debt statute of limitations Figures
Every figure in the table above comes from our 50-state data file, built by reading the Michigan statute or an official compilation of it, and each one carries the month we last checked it. Our writers do not change those figures; they explain them. When the law changes, the figure is updated and the date moves.
If something on this page no longer matches the statute, the statute controls — and we want to hear about it.
Under court rule MCR 2.108(A)(1), a defendant generally has 21 days to answer after being served in person in Michigan, and 28 days if served by registered mail or outside the state. Once a creditor wins a judgment, MCL 600.5809(3) gives it 10 years to enforce it, and the judgment can be renewed before it expires.
The Michigan Occupational Code (MCL 339.915) and the Regulation of Collection Practices Act (MCL 445.252) add state rules against unfair collection practices on top of federal law.
Next rung: the Michigan debt lawsuit page explains the answer deadline if a collector sues.
Michigan — the bottom line
- The Michigan debt statute of limitations limits lawsuits, not the debt itself; the year counts by type of debt are in the table above.
- A payment or a written promise can restart the Michigan debt statute of limitations clock in some states — check the table before paying an old debt.
- If you are sued after the Michigan debt statute of limitations has run, you must raise it in your answer; the court will not raise it for you.
Michigan Debt Statute of Limitations FAQ
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Michigan?
6 years for an open account such as a credit card.
What is the time limit on a written contract debt in Michigan?
6 years.
Official Michigan Sources & Resources
- Statute and a 50-state chart with statute and court citations (Alper Law, Aug 2026) — limitation of actions on debts: https://www.alperlaw.com/asset-protection/statute-of-limitations-on-debt/
- Michigan statute / opinion: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-5807
- Michigan Legal Help (statewide court self-help site), “Going to Court to Defend a Debt Collection Case”; Michigan Department of Attorney General, Debt Collection consumer alert: https://michiganlegalhelp.org/node/2078
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov
- CFPB — Debt collection: know your rights: consumerfinance.gov
This Michigan debt statute of limitations guide was last verified against official Michigan sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current rule with the statute or a licensed attorney.
More Michigan Money Rights Guides
- Michigan Debt Collection Lawsuit
- Michigan Judgment Expiration
- Michigan Small Claims Limit
- Money Rights Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Bonus Bank Daily is an independent educational resource — not a law firm, not a bank, not a debt collector and not a government agency. Judgment, levy, interest-rate and debt rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it.
Confirm the current rule with the statute, the court clerk or a licensed attorney in your state before you act.