Written Contract · Statute of Limitations
Deadline to Sue Over a Contract in Oregon
How long you have to sue over a broken written contract in Oregon, 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 Oregon
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 Oregon | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deadline | 6 years | The general limitations period to file a written-contract claim. |
| Statute | ORS 12.080(1) | 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 cause of action accrues, which for contracts is the breach itself. Oregon courts measure from the breach and do not apply a discovery rule to ordinary breach of contract, so a breach found late does not reset the clock.
Discovery rule No general rule
No discovery rule for ordinary breach of contract. Oregon appellate courts have held that a contract action accrues at the breach under ORS 12.080(1), not when the breach is discovered. Oregon applies discovery rules to some tort claims, but not to ordinary contracts.
Statute of repose: None
No general statute of repose for ordinary written contracts, so the six-year period runs from breach. Oregon has separate ultimate cutoffs for some categories, such as construction under ORS 12.135, but those are not the general contract clock.
| Deadlines that can differ | Period | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Oral or unwritten contract | 6 years | Oregon does not shorten oral contracts. The same six-year period in ORS 12.080(1) covers a contract express or implied, so the written-versus-oral gap that traps people in other states does not exist here. |
| Sale of goods (UCC) | 4 years | A sale of goods runs on ORS 72.7250, four years from breach, 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. |
| Note or written contract to pay | 6 years | A promissory note or other contract to pay falls under the same six-year period in ORS 12.080(1), the same as an ordinary written contract. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a contract was broken in Oregon 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 Oregon the six years runs from that breach, not from when you discovered it, and written and oral contracts get the same period.
- Do not expect a discovery rule
Oregon courts do not apply a discovery rule to ordinary breach of contract. A contract claim accrues at the breach under ORS 12.080(1), so a late-found breach will not reset the six years. Act as soon as you learn of it.
- If goods were sold, check the UCC clock
A sale of goods runs on ORS 72.7250, a four-year rule that accrues at delivery for warranty claims. Confirm whether your deal is a sale of goods rather than a services or general contract.
- Talk to an Oregon attorney before the deadline
Whether a contract is written or oral, and when it was breached, decide your deadline. A licensed Oregon attorney can confirm it. The state bar 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 Oregon contract claimants get wrong
Oregon gives contracts six years, and the state is unusually firm about when that clock starts. A contract express or implied carries six years under ORS 12.080(1), and Oregon applies the same six years to oral contracts, so the written-versus-oral gap that catches people elsewhere does not exist here. What sets Oregon apart is the accrual rule. Oregon appellate courts have refused to apply a discovery rule to ordinary breach of contract, holding that the claim accrues at the breach itself, not when you find out. That makes a late-discovered breach dangerous, because the six years may already be running before you know anything is wrong. A sale of goods is the main exception to the six-year rule, running instead on the four-year UCC period in ORS 72.7250, which accrues at delivery for warranty claims regardless of your knowledge. If a breach is aging toward six years, treat the deadline as firm and do not count on discovery to extend it.
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on a written contract in Oregon?
Six years from the breach, under ORS 12.080(1), for an action on a contract express or implied. The clock runs from when the contract was broken, not from when you discovered the breach.
Is an oral contract the same deadline as a written one in Oregon?
Yes. Oregon does not shorten oral contracts. Both written and oral agreements carry six years under ORS 12.080(1), so the written-versus-oral split that matters elsewhere does not change your deadline here.
Does the clock start at the breach or when I found out in Oregon?
At the breach. Oregon courts have declined to apply a discovery rule to ordinary breach of contract, so a contract claim accrues under ORS 12.080(1) when the breach occurs, not when you discover it.
Is a contract to buy goods still six years in Oregon?
No. A sale of goods runs on the UCC, ORS 72.7250, at four years from breach regardless of your knowledge, not the six-year general contract period. Confirm whether your deal is a genuine sale of goods.
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.