Missouri debt statute of limitations is the answer to “statute of limitations on debt in Missouri”. This guide gives the Missouri 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 Missouri debt statute of limitations figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and Missouri sources as of October 2026; the statute named here is where to check them yourself.
Missouri debt statute of limitations at a Glance
| Written contract | 10 years |
| Oral agreement | 5 years |
| Promissory note | 10 years |
| Open account / credit card | 5 years |
| Medical debt | no separate period — the ordinary contract periods above apply |
In This Missouri debt statute of limitations Guide:
What the Missouri Debt Statute of Limitations Means
In Missouri, the statute of limitations sets how long a creditor or collector has to file a lawsuit over a debt. It limits the lawsuit. It does not erase the debt, so a collector may still contact you or ask for payment.
The time limit does not apply on its own: in most cases the person being sued has to raise it as a defense in court, or the court may never consider it.
The Missouri debt statute of limitations Figures
| Rule | Bonus Bank Daily verified figure |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 10 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Oral agreement | 5 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Promissory note | 10 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Open account / credit card | 5 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Medical debt | no separate period — the ordinary contract periods above applycompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Statute | RSMo 516.110(1), 516.120(1), 400.3-118(a); Capital One Bank v. Creed, 220 S.W.3d 874 (Mo. Ct. App. 2007)compilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
The Missouri debt statute of limitations figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri Debt Statute of Limitations Starts
Under Missouri’s accrual rule (RSMo 516.100), the clock generally starts when the damage is sustained and capable of ascertainment. For a consumer debt that is usually the missed payment or default that breaks the agreement. For an account with several missed payments, it is often measured from the last payment made.
The exact start date can depend on the account terms, so confirm with the statute, the court clerk or an attorney.
Can the Missouri Debt Statute of Limitations Restart?
Under RSMo 516.320, a new acknowledgment of a debt or a promise to pay only extends the time limit if it is in a writing signed by the person who owes the debt. A spoken promise generally does not count. Missouri courts have treated a partial payment as tolling the period.
That means even a small payment on an old debt may give the collector more time to sue, so it is worth knowing where the account stands before making one.
Old Debts and the Missouri Debt Statute of Limitations
If a collector contacts you about an old debt, you may ask in writing for validation of the debt within the federal 30-day window. That asks the collector to identify the debt, the creditor and the amount. Many consumers check the date of the last payment before admitting the debt or paying anything.
Under federal rules (Regulation F, 12 CFR 1006.26), a debt collector may not sue or threaten to sue on a debt that is past the time limit. You can report problems to the Missouri Attorney General’s office or the CFPB.
The Missouri Debt Statute of Limitations and Your Credit Report
These are two separate clocks. Missouri’s limit controls how long a creditor can sue. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act controls how long most negative entries can stay on a credit report: generally 7 years, counted from about 180 days after the account first went delinquent. Paying or acknowledging an old debt does not restart the 7-year credit reporting period, but it may affect the lawsuit clock.
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If You Are Sued on a Debt Past the Missouri Statute of Limitations
Read the summons closely. Missouri debt cases are often filed in the associate circuit division, and the papers say whether a written answer is due or whether you must appear on the return date. Ignoring the summons generally leads to a default judgment. If the debt may be past the limit, the defendant generally raises that defense in the answer or at the hearing, and attends the hearing.
Missouri legal aid offices may be able to help.
Common Mistakes With Missouri 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 Missouri debt statute of limitations in Missouri
You do not have to handle this alone or pay to get answers. The Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri debt statute of limitations Figures
Every figure in the table above comes from our 50-state data file, built by reading the Missouri 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.
Missouri has a “borrowing statute” (RSMo 516.190). If a debt arose in another state and that state’s time limit has already fully run, the expired limit is a complete defense in Missouri courts too. That matters for people who opened an account elsewhere and then moved to Missouri. Separately, a written acknowledgment only extends the period if it is signed (RSMo 516.320).
Next rung: the Missouri debt lawsuit page explains the answer deadline if a collector sues.
Missouri — the bottom line
- The Missouri 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 Missouri debt statute of limitations clock in some states — check the table before paying an old debt.
- If you are sued after the Missouri debt statute of limitations has run, you must raise it in your answer; the court will not raise it for you.
Missouri Debt Statute of Limitations FAQ
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Missouri?
5 years for an open account such as a credit card.
What is the time limit on a written contract debt in Missouri?
10 years.
Official Missouri 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/
- Missouri statute / opinion: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=516.120
- Legal Services of Southern Missouri, “How To Handle Debt Problems”: https://www.lsmo.org/node/604/how-handle-debt-problems
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov
- CFPB — Debt collection: know your rights: consumerfinance.gov
This Missouri debt statute of limitations guide was last verified against official Missouri sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current rule with the statute or a licensed attorney.
More Missouri Money Rights Guides
- Missouri Debt Collection Lawsuit
- Missouri Judgment Expiration
- Missouri 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.