N
The Daily Insight Hub

How long is the Statute of limitations on debt in PA?

Author

Andrew Campbell

Updated on January 21, 2026

How long is the Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations on debt? The Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations on written contracts, oral contracts, promissory notes, and open-end accounts is four years. (42 Pa. C.S. 5525 (a)) As a practical matter, the Statute covers most types of debt, including credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, etc.

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 for personal injury in PA?

In Pennsylvania, the most common Statutes of Limitation are the two year statute (for personal injury and property damage type claims) and the four year statute (for claims based upon any type of contract (this would include Credit Card collection cases)).

What is the Statute of limitations for official misconduct in PA?

The statute of limitations for official misconduct (i.e. a politician or someone in public office) is between 5 and 8 years. The following chart provides the basics of Pennsylvania criminal statute of limitations law. The criminal statute of limitations is a time limit the state has for prosecuting a crime.

Is there a time limit on a Pennsylvania credit card judgment?

Time Limit. A Pennsylvania credit card judgment is only valid for 10 years. During that 10-year period, the creditor may utilize any legal judgment enforcement tools at its disposal to recover the debt. In addition, the creditor reserves the right to add 9 percent interest to the total judgment amount each year the judgment goes unpaid.

Can a credit card debt be garnished in PA?

Although a creditor may sue an individual over an unpaid credit card debt after the Pennsylvania statute of limitations has expired, the debtor can have the lawsuit dismissed by using the expired statute as a court defense. Most states allow creditors with a valid court judgment to use wage garnishment to recover the unpaid debt.

Is there a statute of limitations on paying off a credit card?

There is no specific deadline for paying off a credit card balance in full, as long as you’re making a payment each billing cycle and your account is considered in good standing. A statute of limitations on debt protects you from being sued over a debt after a certain timeframe has passed.