N
The Daily Insight Hub

How long does a finance company have to collect a debt?

Author

Daniel Santos

Updated on February 17, 2026

California has a statute of limitations of four years for all debts except those made with oral contracts. For oral contracts, the statute of limitations is two years. This means that for unsecured common debts like credit card debt, lenders cannot attempt to collect debts that are more than four years past due.

How long can a company wait to send you to collections?

Typically, credit bureaus wait up to 180 days to report these collections to allow time for individuals to work with insurance companies and providers to get debts paid appropriately.

How long can debt collectors pursue you?

four-
In California, there is generally a four-year limit for filing a lawsuit to collect a debt based on a written agreement.

How long is the Statute of limitations on debt collection?

Collection accounts can remain on your report for seven years and 180 days from the original delinquency. Depending on the type of account and your location, this can be more than or less than the statute of limitations. How Long Can a Debt Collector Legally Pursue Old Debt?

Is there Statute of limitations on promissory notes?

Again, statutes of limitations on debt do hinge on what state you live in. While each state is different, many states provide extra time to collect on debt that involves a written contract or a promissory note. Oral debts are generally given the least amount of time for collection.

Is there Statute of limitations on late payments on credit?

Statute of Limitations and Your Credit Report The statute of limitations doesn’t have anything to do with how long a negative item can appear on your credit report. Late payments, for example, can stay on your report for seven years from the original delinquency.

What’s the time limit for a simple contract debt?

When using the Limitation Act, these debts are often called ‘simple contract debts’. The Limitation Act says that the limitation period for simple contract debts is six years.