Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 10 years under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-13(a).
Rule
A written contract claim in Rhode Island must be brought within 10 years.
- Written contract
- 10 yr
- Oral contract
- 10 yr
- Open account
- —
- Promissory note
- 6 yr
When does the clock start?
The period runs from accrual of the cause of action — for contract claims, the date of breach; § 9-1-13(a) reads "next after the cause of action shall accrue, and not after."
What pauses it?
R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-18 tolls during the defendant's absence from the state, but bars any claim accruing outside Rhode Island that was already barred where it arose. § 9-1-19 (disability) and § 9-1-20 (fraudulently concealed cause of action accrues on discovery) also apply. NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED — I did not fetch §§ 9-1-18, 9-1-19 or 9-1-20 in this pass.
Last reviewed 2026-07-26
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.