Statute of limitations on debt in Missouri
In Missouri, a creditor or debt collector has 10 years to sue on a written contract, 5 years on an oral agreement, and 5 years on an open account such as a credit card (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 (5 years, contracts/obligations not in writing for payment of money, incl. open accounts); § 516.110 (10 years, writings for the payment of money); §§ 516.320, 516.340 (acknowledgment and part payment)). For medical bills, the operative number is 5 years — Missouri courts generally treat medical bills as open accounts / implied contracts governed by the 5-year period of RSMo § 516.120, so 5 years is the number a consumer should use — BUT this is genuinely ambiguous: if the patient signed an admission or payment agreement, providers argue it is an action 'upon a writing for the payment of money' with a 10-year period under § 516.110, and some Missouri decisions have applied 10 years to signed hospital agreements, so a bill backed by a signed writing may be collectible for 10 years.
| Written contracts | 10 years |
| Oral agreements | 5 years |
| Open accounts (credit cards) | 5 years |
| Medical debt | 5 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 — an acknowledgment or new promise revives the debt only if in a writing signed by the debtor (RSMo § 516.320), but § 516.340 expressly preserves the common-law effect of a payment of principal or interest, which restarts the limitations period from the date of payment.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 Missouri.
- 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: Missouri Attorney General's Office — Consumer Protection Section.
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Missouri?
Missouri allows 10 years to sue on written contracts, 5 years on oral agreements, and 5 years on open accounts such as credit cards (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120 (5 years, contracts/obligations not in writing for payment of money, incl. open accounts); § 516.110 (10 years, writings for the payment of money); §§ 516.320, 516.340 (acknowledgment and part payment)). Medical debt is generally treated as an open account or per its own rule here — 5 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 Missouri?
Yes — an acknowledgment or new promise revives the debt only if in a writing signed by the debtor (RSMo § 516.320), but § 516.340 expressly preserves the common-law effect of a payment of principal or interest, which restarts the limitations period from the date of payment.
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 Missouri
- 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 New York
- Medical debt laws in Rhode Island
- Medical debt laws in Virginia
- Medical debt laws in Arizona
- Medical debt laws in Georgia
- Medical debt laws in Kentucky
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.