Written Contract · Statute of Limitations
Deadline to Sue Over a Contract in Maine
How long you have to sue over a broken written contract in Maine, 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 Maine
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 Maine | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deadline | 6 years | The general limitations period to file a written-contract claim. |
| Statute | 14 M.R.S. §752 | The controlling statute for the limitations period. Read the full text through the source link below. |
When it starts
The six years generally runs from when the cause of action accrues, which for a broken contract is usually the breach. Maine measures from the wrongful act that produced injury, not from when you discover it, so a breach found late usually does not reset the clock.
Discovery rule No general rule
Narrow. Maine generally starts the clock when the wrongful act produces injury, regardless of whether the injury is discovered, and applies a discovery rule only in a few defined categories. For an ordinary contract, expect accrual at breach.
Statute of repose: None
No general statute of repose for ordinary contracts. The six-year period under §752 runs from accrual. Improvements to real property and some professional claims carry their own outer limits under separate provisions, but those are not the general contract clock.
| Deadlines that can differ | Period | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Oral contract | 6 years | Maine does not shorten oral contracts. The general six-year period in 14 M.R.S. §752 applies whether or not the contract is written, so an oral agreement generally carries the same six years as a written one. |
| Contract under seal or witnessed note | 20 years | A contract under seal, or a promissory note signed before an attesting witness, carries twenty years under 14 M.R.S. §751, far longer than the general six-year period. The presence of a seal or an attesting witness can change the deadline dramatically. |
| Sale of goods (UCC) | 4 years | A contract for the sale of goods runs on 11 M.R.S. §2-725: four years from when the breach occurs, with warranty claims accruing at delivery regardless of your knowledge. Parties may agree to 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 Maine and the clock is running. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Count six years from the breach
Write down the date the other side broke the agreement. In Maine the six years usually runs from that breach under §752, not from when you discovered it, and written and oral contracts get the same period.
- Do not count on a discovery rule
Maine generally starts the clock when the wrongful act causes injury, whether or not you find out. Unless a defined exception applies, a late-found breach will not reset the six years, so act as soon as you learn of it.
- Check for a seal or an attesting witness
A contract under seal or a witnessed note can carry twenty years under §751 rather than six. If your document is sealed or witnessed, the longer period may apply, so read it before assuming the deadline has passed.
- Talk to a Maine attorney before the deadline
Whether §752 or the twenty-year §751 applies, and when your claim accrued, turn on your facts. A licensed Maine attorney can confirm your exact deadline, and the Maine State Bar Association can refer you to one.
This 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 Maine contract claimants get wrong
Maine keeps the basic contract deadline simple, and that simplicity is what people miss elsewhere. Both written and oral contracts get six years under 14 M.R.S. §752, so the written-versus-oral split that catches people in California or Kentucky does not exist here. The period generally runs from when the cause of action accrues, which for a broken contract is the breach, not the date you discovered it. Maine applies a discovery rule only in a few defined categories, so do not assume a late-found breach resets the clock. The real wrinkle is at the other end. A contract under seal or a promissory note signed before an attesting witness carries a full twenty years under 14 M.R.S. §751, more than three times the general period. So the question is not written versus oral but whether the document is sealed or witnessed. A sale of goods runs on its own four-year rule in 11 M.R.S. §2-725. If a breach is aging, read the document for a seal and pin down the breach date first.
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on a written contract in Maine?
Six years from the breach, under 14 M.R.S. §752, the general period for civil actions. Maine gives written and oral contracts the same six-year period.
Is an oral contract the same deadline as a written one in Maine?
Yes. Maine does not shorten oral contracts. Both written and oral agreements carry six years under §752, so the written-versus-oral gap seen in other states does not apply here.
Can a Maine contract ever get more than six years?
Yes. A contract under seal or a promissory note signed before an attesting witness carries twenty years under 14 M.R.S. §751. The presence of a seal or witness can extend the deadline well beyond six years.
Is a contract to buy goods still six years in Maine?
No, it is four years under the UCC. A sale of goods is governed by 11 M.R.S. §2-725, a four-year period that accrues at delivery for warranty claims regardless of your knowledge. Parties can shorten it to no less than one year.
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.