Statute of limitations on debt in Colorado
In Colorado, a creditor or debt collector has 6 years to sue on a written contract, 3 years on an oral agreement, and 6 years on an open account such as a credit card (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-103.5(1)(a) (6 years, liquidated/determinable debts); Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101(1)(a) (3 years, other contract actions)). For medical bills, the operative number is 6 years — Medical bills are 'liquidated or determinable' debts subject to the 6-year period of Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-103.5(1)(a); the Colorado Supreme Court so held for a hospital bill in Portercare Adventist Health System v. Lego, 2012 CO 58 (amount ascertainable from predetermined rates). Note Colorado classifies by whether the amount is liquidated/determinable rather than written vs. oral: credit-card and similar account debts with ascertainable balances also get 6 years, while unliquidated contract claims (typically oral) get 3 years under § 13-80-101(1)(a).
| Written contracts | 6 years |
| Oral agreements | 3 years |
| Open accounts (credit cards) | 6 years |
| Medical debt | 6 years |
How the limitation works
- It limits lawsuits, not the debt. A time-barred debt still exists; what expires is the collector’s ability to win in court.
- It is a defense you must raise. Courts don’t apply it for you. If you are sued and don’t respond, the collector wins by default — even on a time-barred debt.
- The clock usually runs from last activity — typically your last payment — not from when the debt was sold. A debt buyer inherits the original clock.
- Threatening to sue on time-barred debt is illegal. Federal Regulation F (12 C.F.R. §1006.26) bars collectors from suing or threatening suit on time-barred debt, whether or not they knew it was time-barred.
The restart trap
Yes — under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-113 a partial payment (when it amounts to an unqualified acknowledgment that more is owed) or a written acknowledgment restarts the limitations period.This is the single most expensive mistake people make with old debt: a small “good-faith” payment on a nearly-expired account can hand the collector a fresh lawsuit window. Confirm the dates before paying anything on an old account.
What to do with an old collection notice
- Find the date of last activity — your own bank records beat the collector’s letter.
- Count forward using the table above. Older than the period? The debt may be time-barred in Colorado.
- Send a written validation request — it forces the collector to document the debt and pauses collection until it does (15 U.S.C. §1692g). Generate it free →
- Do not acknowledge the debt in writing or pay anything until you know where the clock stands.
- If you’re sued, respond by the deadline and raise the statute of limitations. Your state’s legal aid can help free: Colorado Attorney General Consumer Protection Section.
Colorado’s own collection law
The Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 5-16-101 et seq.) State analogue of the federal FDCPA: bans harassment, false representations, and unfair practices; requires validation notices; adds Colorado-specific rules (in-state office, bonding) and is enforced by an Administrator in the Attorney General's office with a private right of action. Yes — collection agencies and debt buyers must be licensed and bonded under the Colorado FDCPA, administered by the Collection Agency Regulation program in the Colorado Attorney General's office (Colo. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, art. 16).
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Colorado?
Colorado allows 6 years to sue on written contracts, 3 years on oral agreements, and 6 years on open accounts such as credit cards (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-103.5(1)(a) (6 years, liquidated/determinable debts); Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101(1)(a) (3 years, other contract actions)). Medical debt is generally treated as a written contract here — 6 years.
When does the clock start?
Generally from the date of default or last activity on the account — commonly the last payment or charge — not from when the debt was sold to a collector. Selling a debt does not reset the statute of limitations.
Does paying something on an old debt restart the statute of limitations in Colorado?
Yes — under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-113 a partial payment (when it amounts to an unqualified acknowledgment that more is owed) or a written acknowledgment restarts the limitations period.
Can a collector still contact me about a time-barred debt?
Yes — the statute of limitations limits lawsuits, not requests to pay. However, under federal Regulation F (12 C.F.R. §1006.26), a collector may not sue or threaten to sue on a time-barred debt — the ban applies whether or not the collector knew the debt was too old.
What should I do if I get sued on an old debt?
Respond by the court deadline — never ignore a summons, because a default judgment revives everything. If the debt is older than the limitations period, raise the statute of limitations as an affirmative defense in your answer. Many defendants win on this alone.
How is a judgment different?
Once a creditor wins a judgment, a separate and much longer enforcement period applies, and judgments can often be renewed. That is why responding before judgment matters more than anything else on this page.
Keep reading
- Medical debt laws in Colorado
- Free debt validation letter generator — no account needed
- Look up a debt collector — CFPB complaint records for the biggest agencies
- Charity care: hospital financial assistance, applied
- Medical debt laws in Illinois
- Medical debt laws in Maryland
- Medical debt laws in Nebraska
- Medical debt laws in North Dakota
- Medical debt laws in South Dakota
- Medical debt laws in West Virginia
Legal information, not legal advice. Statutes change and courts interpret them — for advice on your situation, talk to a lawyer or your state’s legal aid office. Last reviewed AUG 2026.