Written Contract Statute of Limitations
Claims for breach of a signed agreement — typically one of the longest filing windows on the books.
Shortest
3
years, sourced states
Most Common
6
years, sourced states
Longest
10
years, sourced states
Figures reflect only the states sourced so far — they are not a national range until every jurisdiction is on file.
Filing window by state
State
Time Limit
Citation
What Does Written Contract Cover?
01
Breach of a signed business agreement
02
Non-payment under a service contract
03
Broken lease or purchase agreements
04
Failure to deliver goods as contracted
05
Breach of a settlement agreement
Rules That Affect Your Deadline
Factors that can change when the clock starts or how much time you actually have.
01
Accrual at breach
The clock generally starts on the date the contract was broken, not when it was signed.
02
Written vs. oral terms
A partly-oral agreement may be treated under the shorter oral-contract deadline.
03
Installment clauses
Contracts with recurring payments can restart the clock with each missed installment.
Most Searched States for Written Contract
Common Questions About Breach of a written contract Deadlines
What is the statute of limitations for breach of a written contract?
It depends on the state. Across the 49 jurisdictions with a verified figure, the deadline for breach of a written contract ranges from 3 years to 10 years, and 6 years is the most common.
Which state has the shortest statute of limitations for breach of a written contract?
Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Hampshire and 2 others — 3 years.
Which state has the longest statute of limitations for breach of a written contract?
Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Rhode Island, West Virginia and 1 others — 10 years.
Can the statute of limitations for breach of a written contract be extended?
Sometimes. Common factors that change the deadline include: accrual at breach; written vs. oral terms; installment clauses. How they apply varies by state.
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