Medical Debt Statute of Limitations by State

The deadline to sue over unpaid medical bills ranges from 3 to 10 years depending on the state. Pick your state below — every page shows the exact statute, when the clock starts, and the exceptions that can extend (or shorten) your time. Each deadline links to its official state statute.

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State-by-State Deadlines

StateDeadlineOfficial statute (source)
Alabama 6 yrs Ala. Code § 6-2-34
Alaska 3 yrs Alaska Stat. § 09.10.053
Arizona 6 yrs A.R.S. § 12-548
Arkansas 5 yrs Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-111
California 4 yrs Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337
Colorado 6 yrs C.R.S. § 13-80-103.5
Connecticut 6 yrs Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576
Delaware 3 yrs Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 8106
District of Columbia 3 yrs D.C. Code § 12-301(7)
Florida 5 yrs Fla. Stat. § 95.11(2)(b)
Georgia 6 yrs O.C.G.A. § 9-3-24
Hawaii 6 yrs Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1
Idaho 5 yrs Idaho Code § 5-216
Illinois 5 yrs 735 ILCS 5/13-205
Indiana 6 yrs Ind. Code § 34-11-2-9
Iowa 5 yrs Iowa Code § 614.1(4)
Kansas 5 yrs K.S.A. § 60-511(1)
Kentucky 10 yrs KRS § 413.160
Louisiana 3 yrs La. Civ. Code Art. 3494
Maine 6 yrs 14 M.R.S. § 752
Maryland 3 yrs Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
Massachusetts 6 yrs M.G.L. c. 260, § 2
Michigan 6 yrs MCL 600.5807
Minnesota 6 yrs Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1(1)
Mississippi 3 yrs Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-29
Missouri 5 yrs RSMo § 516.120
Montana 5 yrs Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-202(2)
Nebraska 5 yrs Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-205
Nevada 6 yrs NRS § 11.190(1)(b)
New Hampshire 3 yrs RSA 508:4
New Jersey 6 yrs N.J.S.A. § 2A:14-1
New Mexico 6 yrs N.M.S.A. § 37-1-3
New York 3 yrs N.Y. CPLR § 213-D
North Carolina 3 yrs N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(1)
North Dakota 6 yrs N.D.C.C. § 28-01-16(1)
Ohio 6 yrs Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.06
Oklahoma 5 yrs Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(1)
Oregon 6 yrs Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.080(1)
Pennsylvania 4 yrs 42 Pa. C.S. § 5525(a)
Rhode Island 10 yrs R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13(a)
South Carolina 3 yrs S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(1)
South Dakota 6 yrs S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-13
Tennessee 6 yrs Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109
Texas 4 yrs Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004(a)(3)
Utah 6 yrs Utah Code § 78B-2-309
Vermont 6 yrs 12 V.S.A. § 511
Virginia 3 yrs Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-246(B)
Washington 6 yrs RCW 4.16.040
West Virginia 10 yrs W. Va. Code § 55-2-6
Wisconsin 6 yrs Wis. Stat. § 893.43
Wyoming 10 yrs Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(i)

Source: official state statutes, linked per row. Coverage expands as each state is verified — see methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you have to sue over unpaid medical bills?

It depends on the state: 3 to 10 years depending on the state across the 51 states covered so far. Every deadline below links to its official statute.

Which state has the shortest deadline for medical debt collection?

Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia — 3 years. Some states carry additional notice requirements that are even shorter, especially for claims against government entities.

Which state allows the most time for medical debt collection?

Kentucky, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wyoming — 10 years. Exceptions like the discovery rule or tolling for minors can extend deadlines further in some states.

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Legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines have fact-specific exceptions — confirm with the cited statute or a licensed attorney in your state.