State Debt Collection Laws

Debt collection regulations vary significantly from state to state. Find licensing requirements, statute of limitations, and state-specific consumer protections for all 50 states.

Understanding the Data

Each state card shows key data points for businesses and consumers:

SOL (Written)

Statute of limitations for written contracts. After this period, the debt may become legally unenforceable, though it can still appear on credit reports.

License Required

Whether the state requires collection agencies to obtain a license or registration to operate within the state.

State Law

Whether the state has its own debt collection statute beyond the federal FDCPA, providing additional consumer protections.

All 50 States

50 state guides with licensing, SOL, and consumer protection details.

Alabama

AL
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
No

Alaska

AK
July 2026
SOL (Written)
3 years
License Req.
No

Arizona

AZ
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Arkansas

AR
July 2026
SOL (Written)
5 years
License Req.
Yes

California

CA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
4 years
License Req.
Yes

Colorado

CO
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Connecticut

CT
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Delaware

DE
July 2026
SOL (Written)
3 years
License Req.
Yes

Florida

FL
July 2026
SOL (Written)
5 years
License Req.
Yes

Georgia

GA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
No

Hawaii

HI
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Idaho

ID
July 2026
SOL (Written)
5 years
License Req.
Yes

Illinois

IL
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
Yes

Indiana

IN
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Iowa

IA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
No

Kansas

KS
July 2026
SOL (Written)
5 years
License Req.
No

Kentucky

KY
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
No

Louisiana

LA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
No

Maine

ME
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Maryland

MD
July 2026
SOL (Written)
3 years
License Req.
Yes

Massachusetts

MA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Michigan

MI
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Minnesota

MN
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Mississippi

MS
July 2026
SOL (Written)
3 years
License Req.
No

Missouri

MO
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
No

Montana

MT
July 2026
SOL (Written)
8 years
License Req.
Yes

Nebraska

NE
July 2026
SOL (Written)
5 years
License Req.
Yes

Nevada

NV
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

New Hampshire

NH
July 2026
SOL (Written)
3 years
License Req.
No

New Jersey

NJ
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

New Mexico

NM
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

New York

NY
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

North Carolina

NC
July 2026
SOL (Written)
3 years
License Req.
Yes

North Dakota

ND
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Ohio

OH
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
No

Oklahoma

OK
July 2026
SOL (Written)
5 years
License Req.
No

Oregon

OR
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Pennsylvania

PA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
4 years
License Req.
Yes

Rhode Island

RI
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
Yes

South Carolina

SC
July 2026
SOL (Written)
3 years
License Req.
No

South Dakota

SD
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
No

Tennessee

TN
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Texas

TX
July 2026
SOL (Written)
4 years
License Req.
No

Utah

UT
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

Vermont

VT
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
No

Virginia

VA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
5 years
License Req.
Yes

Washington

WA
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
Yes

West Virginia

WV
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
No

Wisconsin

WI
July 2026
SOL (Written)
6 years
License Req.
No

Wyoming

WY
July 2026
SOL (Written)
10 years
License Req.
No

Free Collection Tools

5 tools, no signup required

Try Free Tools →Find a Collection Agency