# Alabama statute of limitations on debt

> In Alabama, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 6 years under §§ 6-2-34(4), 6-2-37(1), Ala. Code 1975. Periods for oral contracts, open accounts and promissory notes.

- Source: https://ottoforfirms.com/statute-of-limitations/alabama/
- Publisher: Otto — https://ottoforfirms.com
- Updated: 2026-07-26

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In Alabama, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 6 years under §§ 6-2-34(4), 6-2-37(1), Ala. Code 1975.

**Rule.** A written contract claim in Alabama must be brought within 6 years.

**Authority.** [§§ 6-2-34(4), 6-2-37(1), Ala. Code 1975](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-37)

| Contract type | Limitations period |
| --- | --- |
| Written contract | 6 yr |
| Oral contract | 6 yr |
| Open account | 3 yr |
| Promissory note | 6 yr |

## When does the clock start?

An open-account claim runs from the date of the last item of the account, or from the time the account is due by contract or usage; other contract claims run from breach.

## What pauses it?

§ 6-2-8 suspends the period for a claimant who is under 19 or insane when the right accrues (three years after the disability ends), with an absolute 20-year cap from accrual.

Last reviewed 2026-07-26

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This is an informational reference, not legal advice, and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. Limitations periods turn on facts this page cannot know — which state's law governs, the contract type, when the claim accrued, and whether anything tolled or revived it. Confirm against the primary source and your own counsel before acting.