# Nebraska statute of limitations on debt

> In Nebraska, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 5 years under Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-205, 25-206. Periods for oral contracts, open accounts and promissory notes.

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

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In Nebraska, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 5 years under Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-205, 25-206.

**Rule.** A written contract claim in Nebraska must be brought within 5 years.

**Authority.** [Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-205, 25-206](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-205)

| Contract type | Limitations period |
| --- | --- |
| Written contract | 5 yr |
| Oral contract | 4 yr |
| Open account | 4 yr |
| Promissory note | 6 yr |

## When does the clock start?

On breach — when the payment obligation comes due — with no general statutory accrual rule for accounts; under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-216 a voluntary part payment of principal or interest, or a written acknowledgment or promise signed by the debtor, starts a fresh period running from the date of that payment, acknowledgment or promise.

## What pauses it?

§ 25-213 (plaintiff under 20 years of age, a person with a mental disorder, or imprisoned at accrual — action may be brought within the respective period after the disability is removed); § 25-214 (if the cause accrues while the debtor is out of state, absconded, or concealed, the period does not begin to run until return, and post-accrual absence or concealment is not counted). NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED — I did not fetch §§ 25-213 or 25-214.

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.