Consumer Debt · Statute of Limitations
Statute of Limitations on Debt in Maine
How long a creditor or debt collector has to sue you over a debt in Maine, by debt type — and, just as important, when that clock can restart.
Prefer a calculator? Enter your last payment date in the Maine debt statute-of-limitations calculator →
The four limits at a glance
Years a lawsuit is allowed, by debt type. Credit card is the most-searched.
Six years. Maine sets one flat 6-year clock for civil actions on contracts and open accounts under 14 M.R.S. §752, and credit-card balances fall there. Maine also caps consumer debt collection directly: under 32 M.R.S. §11013(8) a debt collector may not sue more than 6 years after your last activity on the debt.
When the clock starts — and what can restart it
The single most misunderstood part of debt limitations.
For consumer debt, once the 6-year period runs out, nothing brings it back: 32 M.R.S. §11013(8) says a later payment, a written or oral affirmation, or any other activity does not revive or extend the period. Before the deadline, only an express written promise or acknowledgment signed by you can restart the clock (14 M.R.S. §860); a partial payment alone does not (14 M.R.S. §863). A written signed promise can restart the clock, so read anything a collector asks you to sign before you sign it.
A statute of limitations does not erase the debt or wipe it from your credit report — it is a defense you must raise if you are sued after the period runs. In many states a partial payment or a signed written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so be careful before paying or signing anything on an old account. This page is legal information, not legal advice.
The full limits, with the statute
Every period and how Maine classifies each debt type.
| Debt type | Limit in Maine | How it's classified |
|---|---|---|
| Credit card | 6 years | Contract / open account (§752) |
| Written contract | 6 years (§752) | — |
| Oral contract | 6 years (§752) | — |
| Open account | 6 years (§752) | — |
| Promissory note | 6 years (usually) | An ordinary note is 6 years under 11 M.R.S. §3-1118(1). But a note under seal, a note signed before an attesting witness, or a bank-issued note runs 20 years under 14 M.R.S. §751. |
Promissory-note periods often come from the UCC (§3-118, generally 6 years) rather than the general contract statute; confirm the instrument type for a specific note.
What Maine debtors get wrong
Maine keeps its debt deadlines unusually simple: one flat 6-year clock covers written contracts, oral contracts, and open accounts alike under 14 M.R.S. §752, so credit-card debt is 6 years too. The main wrinkle is promissory notes. An ordinary note runs 6 years (11 M.R.S. §3-1118), but a note signed before a witness, a contract under seal, or a bank-issued note runs a full 20 years under 14 M.R.S. §751. Maine also gives consumers a strong extra shield: 32 M.R.S. §11013(8) bars any collection suit filed more than 6 years after your last activity on the debt, and it says a later payment or acknowledgment does not revive an expired consumer debt. That makes Maine one of the friendlier states once the clock has run out. Before the deadline, though, an express written promise you sign can still restart it (14 M.R.S. §860), so read anything a collector asks you to sign.
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on credit-card debt in Maine?
Six years. Maine applies one 6-year period to contracts and open accounts under 14 M.R.S. §752, and 32 M.R.S. §11013(8) separately bars any consumer collection suit filed more than 6 years after your last activity on the debt.
Can a payment or acknowledgment restart a time-barred debt in Maine?
For consumer debt, no. Under 32 M.R.S. §11013(8), once the period has expired, a later payment, a written or oral affirmation, or any other activity does not revive or extend it. Before the deadline, only an express written promise or acknowledgment you sign restarts the clock (14 M.R.S. §860); a partial payment by itself does not (14 M.R.S. §863).
Why do some sources say Maine debt is 20 years?
That figure comes from 14 M.R.S. §751, which sets 20 years for a narrow group: contracts under seal, promissory notes signed before an attesting witness, and bank-issued notes. Ordinary contracts, open accounts, and typical notes are 6 years, not 20.
How long is a promissory note enforceable in Maine?
A standard note payable at a definite time is 6 years from the due date under 11 M.R.S. §3-1118(1). If the note was signed before an attesting witness, made under seal, or issued by a bank, the 20-year period in 14 M.R.S. §751 applies instead.
When does the Maine debt clock start?
When the cause of action accrues, generally your default or last activity on the account. For consumer debt, 32 M.R.S. §11013(8) measures the 6 years from the date of your last activity on the debt.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.