Written Contract · Statute of Limitations
Deadline to Sue Over a Contract in Georgia
How long you have to sue over a broken written contract in Georgia, the statute of limitations, plus when the clock starts, the shorter deadline for oral contracts, and the four-year UCC rule for a sale of goods. Cited to the statute.
How the deadline works in Georgia
When the clock starts, whether a discovery rule can delay it, and the deadlines that differ for oral contracts and a sale of goods.
| How the clock works | In Georgia | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deadline | 6 years | The general limitations period to file a written-contract claim. |
| Statute | O.C.G.A. §9-3-24 | The controlling statute for the limitations period. Read the full text through the source link below. |
When it starts
The six years runs from when the contract becomes due and payable, which is generally the date of the breach. Georgia measures from that point rather than from when you discover the breach, so a late-found breach usually does not extend the period.
Discovery rule No general rule
Georgia does not apply a general discovery rule to breach of a simple written contract. The clock runs from when the contract became due and payable, not from when you learn of the breach. Fraud that debars a plaintiff can toll accrual, but the default is no discovery delay.
Statute of repose: None
No general statute of repose for ordinary written contracts; the six-year clock runs from when the contract becomes due and payable. A separate repose applies to improvements to real property under §9-3-51, but that is not the general contract clock.
| Deadlines that can differ | Period | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Contract under seal | 20 years | A written contract signed "under seal" carries twenty years under §9-3-23, more than three times the ordinary written period. Whether a document is sealed can turn on a single line near the signature, so this is a major and easily missed distinction in Georgia. |
| Oral or implied contract | 4 years | An action on an oral or implied contract not evidenced by a writing must be brought within four years under §9-3-25, two years less than a simple written contract. Whether your agreement counts as written can decide the deadline. |
| Sale of goods (UCC) | 4 years | Section 9-3-24 does not cover a sale of goods. A goods contract runs on §11-2-725, Georgia's UCC Article 2: four years from breach, with warranty claims accruing at delivery regardless of your knowledge. Parties may shorten it to no less than one year but may not extend it. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a contract was broken in Georgia and the clock is running. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check whether the contract is under seal
Before assuming six years, look for a seal near the signatures. A sealed contract carries twenty years under §9-3-23, while a simple written one is six under §9-3-24. That single feature can more than triple your window.
- Count six years from when the debt became due
Georgia measures the six years from when the contract becomes due and payable, generally the breach. Write down that date, because the clock runs from it, not from when you discovered the problem.
- If goods were sold, check the UCC clock
A sale of goods is excluded from §9-3-24 and runs on §11-2-725 at four years, accruing at delivery for warranty claims. Confirm whether your deal is a sale of goods rather than a services or general contract.
- Talk to a Georgia attorney before the deadline
Whether your contract is sealed, written, or oral, and when it became due, decide the deadline. A licensed Georgia attorney can confirm your exact date. The State Bar of Georgia can refer you to one.
A limitations deadline is easy to miscount, and missing it can end a valid claim. This resource can connect you with a licensed attorney who can confirm your exact deadline.
→ State Bar of Georgia · For the PublicThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines turn on the specific facts of your case, and exceptions cut both ways, so confirm your date with a licensed attorney before relying on it.
What Georgia contract claimants get wrong
Georgia hides a big distinction in a small detail: whether the contract is signed "under seal." A simple written contract carries six years under O.C.G.A. §9-3-24, but a sealed one carries twenty under §9-3-23, more than three times as long. Whether a document is sealed can turn on a single recital near the signature line, so the same agreement can be timely or barred depending on that one feature. The six years runs from when the contract becomes due and payable, generally the date of the breach, not from when you discover it, and Georgia does not apply a general discovery rule to written contracts. The oral-versus-written gap matters too: an oral or implied contract gets only four years under §9-3-25. And a sale of goods is carved out of §9-3-24 entirely, running instead on the UCC four-year rule in §11-2-725. If a breach is aging toward six years, check for a seal before you assume the deadline is fixed.
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on a written contract in Georgia?
Six years from when the contract becomes due and payable, under O.C.G.A. §9-3-24, for a simple written contract. The clock generally runs from the breach, not from when you discovered it.
How long is the deadline for a contract under seal in Georgia?
Twenty years, under O.C.G.A. §9-3-23. A contract signed "under seal" carries more than three times the ordinary six-year written period, so whether a document is sealed can decide whether a claim is still timely.
How long do I have to sue on an oral contract in Georgia?
Four years, under O.C.G.A. §9-3-25, two years less than a simple written contract. Because the gap matters, whether your agreement counts as written can change the deadline.
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.