Maryland debt statute of limitations is the answer to “statute of limitations on debt in Maryland”. This guide gives the Maryland 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 Maryland debt statute of limitations figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and Maryland sources as of October 2026; the statute named here is where to check them yourself.
Maryland debt statute of limitations at a Glance
| Written contract | 3 years |
| Oral agreement | 3 years |
| Promissory note | 6 years |
| Open account / credit card | 3 years |
| What restarts the clock | expired consumer debt cannot be revived |
In This Maryland debt statute of limitations Guide:
What the Maryland Debt Statute of Limitations Means
In Maryland, the time limit controls how long a creditor or collector has to file a lawsuit over a debt. It does not erase the debt, so a collector may still contact you or ask for payment. The court generally does not apply the time limit on its own. In most cases the defendant raises it in the case, so confirm with the court clerk or an attorney.
The Maryland debt statute of limitations Figures
| Rule | Bonus Bank Daily verified figure |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 3 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Oral agreement | 3 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Promissory note | 6 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Open account / credit card | 3 yearscompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| What restarts the clock | expired consumer debt cannot be revivedcompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Medical debt | no separate period — the ordinary contract periods above applycompilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
| Statute | Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-101; Md. Com. Law 3-118(a)compilation / agency — verified Oct 2026 |
The Maryland debt statute of limitations figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland Debt Statute of Limitations Starts
In most cases the clock starts when the claim “accrues.” For a consumer account, that is usually the date of default or the last missed payment that the creditor could have sued over. The start date for a specific account depends on its contract and payment history. Confirm it with the statute, the court clerk or an attorney.
Can the Maryland Debt Statute of Limitations Restart?
Maryland’s consumer-debt statute (Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. 5-1202(b)) says a later payment or a written or oral acknowledgment does not extend the time limit, and neither does other activity on the debt. The statute makes one exception: a separate written agreement or written payment plan signed before the period ran out can carry its own time limit.
Business debts and debts outside the statute’s “consumer debt” definition may follow different rules, so a small payment or signed promise could matter there. Confirm with an attorney.
Old Debts and the Maryland Debt Statute of Limitations
You may ask the collector in writing to validate the debt, which means showing who owns it, the amount and the account history. Many consumers check the dates of default and last payment before they admit or pay anything. Federal rules (Regulation F, 12 CFR 1006.26) bar debt collectors from suing or threatening to sue on time-barred debt. Maryland’s statute separately bars starting a lawsuit once the period has run.
The Maryland Debt Statute of Limitations and Your Credit Report
The lawsuit time limit and the credit report period are separate rules. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, most negative debt entries can stay on a credit report for about 7 years from the original delinquency, and that period runs no matter what state law says.
A debt can be too old to sue on and still appear on a report, or drop off a report and still be within the lawsuit period.
If You Are Sued on a Debt Past the Maryland Statute of Limitations
In Maryland District Court, the defendant generally files a Notice of Intention to Defend by the deadline printed on the summons. The time-limit defense is raised there and again at trial. If no notice is filed and the defendant does not appear, the court can enter judgment without a hearing in an affidavit-judgment case. The Maryland Court Self-Help Center (410-260-1392) and legal aid can explain the forms.
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Common Mistakes With Maryland 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 Maryland debt statute of limitations in Maryland
You do not have to handle this alone or pay to get answers. The Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland debt statute of limitations Figures
Every figure in the table above comes from our 50-state data file, built by reading the Maryland 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.
Maryland requires a debt buyer that sues on a consumer debt to prove that the limitations period has not run (2018 SB 42, per the General Assembly fiscal note). The court’s consumer-debt complaint forms include a notice that a collector cannot file a case after the time limit has run. A court can enter an affidavit judgment only if the plaintiff files the documents Maryland Rule 3-306 requires.
Next rung: the Maryland debt lawsuit page explains the answer deadline if a collector sues.
Maryland — the bottom line
- The Maryland 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 Maryland debt statute of limitations clock in some states — check the table before paying an old debt.
- If you are sued after the Maryland debt statute of limitations has run, you must raise it in your answer; the court will not raise it for you.
Maryland Debt Statute of Limitations FAQ
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Maryland?
3 years for an open account such as a credit card.
Does a payment restart the statute of limitations in Maryland?
expired consumer debt cannot be revived
What is the time limit on a written contract debt in Maryland?
3 years.
Official Maryland 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/
- Maryland statute / opinion: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Statute_Web/gcj/5-1202.pdf
- Maryland Legal Aid – “Debt Collection: If I Get Sued”; Maryland Courts Self-Help Center: https://www.mdlab.org/wp-content/uploads/Debt-Collection_If-I-get-sued_7.2025_WEB_v1.pdf
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov
- CFPB — Debt collection: know your rights: consumerfinance.gov
This Maryland debt statute of limitations guide was last verified against official Maryland sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current rule with the statute or a licensed attorney.
More Maryland Money Rights Guides
- Maryland Debt Collection Lawsuit
- Maryland Judgment Expiration
- Maryland 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.