A statute of limitations is the deadline a creditor has to sue you. In Tennessee, the main deadline for debts based on a contract is six years [1]. A few kinds of claims have their own deadlines, and once a creditor wins in court, the judgment lasts much longer.
At a glance
- Contracts (loans, credit cards, most consumer debt)
- 6 years [1]
- Unpaid rent
- 6 years [1]
- Contracts for the sale of goods
- 4 years from the breach [3]
- Court judgments
- 10 years [2]
- Credit report
- About 7 years from first delinquency, separately [6]
| Kind of claim | Deadline | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts not covered by a more specific rule | 6 years after the claim accrued | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3) |
| Use and occupation of land, and rent | 6 years after the claim accrued | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(1) |
| Breach of a contract for the sale of goods | 4 years after the breach | Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-2-725 |
| Actions on judgments and decrees of courts of record | 10 years | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-110(a) |
Contracts: six years
Tennessee law says “actions on contracts not otherwise expressly provided for” must be brought within six years after the cause of action accrued [1]. That catch-all covers most consumer debts built on an agreement: personal loans, credit card accounts and similar contracts. The same six years applies to claims for rent [1].
The clock runs from when the claim accrued, which for a debt is usually when you defaulted. For an old account, the exact default date matters, so look at your statements.
Sales of goods: four years
When a debt comes from a contract to buy goods, such as furniture or a car bought on a store contract, a different law can apply. Under Tennessee’s version of the UCC , a claim for breach of a sales contract must be brought within four years after the breach, whether or not the other side knew about it [3]. The original contract can shorten that to as little as one year, but not lengthen it [3].
Which deadline fits a particular debt is something courts sometimes have to decide. If you’re sued on an old debt, that’s a question to raise with a lawyer.
Judgments: ten years
If a creditor already sued and won, the deadline changes. Actions on judgments of Tennessee courts, other states’ courts and federal courts get ten years [2]. A judgment can lead to wage garnishment or a bank levy, so a ten-year-old judgment isn’t a dead issue.
What “time-barred” means
A debt is time-barred once the deadline to sue has passed. Collectors can still contact you about it, but they can’t sue or threaten to sue you [4][5]. A lawsuit filed after the deadline violates the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act [5].
If you’re sued anyway, don’t ignore it. It’s ordinarily up to the person being sued to point out that the deadline has passed, and a court may still enter a judgment against you if you don’t show up and raise it [5]. Read the warrant, go to court on time, and say the debt is too old.
The credit report clock is different
How long a debt can stay on your credit report is a separate federal rule. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, collection and charged-off accounts generally can’t be reported once they’re more than seven years old, with the seven years starting 180 days after the delinquency began [6]. Paying, settling or being sued doesn’t reset that date. BestAmerica explains the full timeline in how long negative items stay on a credit report.
Accurate information can stay for the full period. If an old account is still on your report after that, or something on it is wrong, you can dispute it with the credit bureaus for free.
Where to get help
- Legal aid: Tennessee’s legal aid programs can help eligible people answer a debt lawsuit in General Sessions Court.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov): takes complaints about debt collectors [4].
- A consumer attorney: worth a call if you’re sued on a debt you think is too old.
Sources
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109 (six-year actions), via FindLaw
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-110 (ten-year actions), via FindLaw
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-2-725 (contracts for sale of goods), via FindLaw
- CFPB: What is a statute of limitations on a debt?
- CFPB: Can debt collectors collect a debt that's several years old?
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c (Fair Credit Reporting Act, how long items stay)
Next steps
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What is the statute of limitations on debt in Tennessee?
For most debts based on a contract, such as loans and credit cards, six years after the claim accrued, under Tennessee Code § 28-3-109. Claims on a contract for the sale of goods have four years. Court judgments can be enforced for ten years.
Can a debt collector sue me after the Tennessee deadline passes?
No. Under federal law, a collector can't sue or threaten to sue on a time-barred debt. But if you're sued anyway, you usually have to raise the deadline as a defense yourself, or the court may enter a judgment against you.
Does the Tennessee deadline change how long a debt stays on my credit report?
No. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, most collection and charged-off accounts can't be reported once they're more than seven years old, counted from 180 days after the delinquency began. That clock runs separately from Tennessee's deadline to sue.