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The Daily Insight Hub

How long does credit card have to sue you?

Author

Emma Miller

Updated on January 20, 2026

four years
A statute of limitations is a law that tells you how long someone has to sue you. In California, most credit card companies and their debt collectors have only four years to do so. Once that period elapses, the credit card company or collector loses its right to file a lawsuit against you.

Can a credit card company sue you after 10 years?

In most cases, the statute of limitations for a debt will have passed after 10 years. This means that a debt collector may still attempt to pursue it, but they can’t typically take legal action against you.

What do I do if a credit card company sues me?

Here’s how to respond when you are sued for credit card debt:

  1. Don’t ignore the summons. When you get a court summons for credit card debt, pay attention to it—and make a plan of action.
  2. Verify the debt.
  3. Consider debt settlement.
  4. Contact an attorney.
  5. Look at your budget.
  6. Request a payment plan.
  7. Make a lump-sum payment.

Is there Statute of limitations on unpaid credit card debt?

Anyone with unpaid credit card debt should know their state’s statute. “In most states, the statute of limitations period on debts is between three and 10 years; in some states, the period is longer,” according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

What’s the Statute of limitations on credit card debt in Kentucky?

Kentucky specifies a five-year expiration period for oral contracts and 15 years for written contracts. The period that will apply to card debt is unclear; some courts in other states have held that credit card agreements, because they can be changed unilaterally by the card issuer, do not qualify as written contracts.

Is there Statute of limitations on American Express debt?

American Express) that the statute of limitations on an unpaid credit card debt was six years. The Georgia code sets the limit on open-ended accounts at four years, but the appeals court applied the law for written contracts to card debt in this case.

Is there Statute of limitations on debt collection?

“If a debt collector sues you to collect a time-barred debt, you can have the suit dismissed by letting the court or judge know the debt is, indeed, time-barred,” according to the FTC. Debt collectors and consumer advocates, however, caution that the statute of limitations (SOL) does not prevent debt collectors from attempting to collect on debts.