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Virginia

In Virginia, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 5 years under Va. Code § 8.01-246.

Written contract

5 yr

Oral contract

3 yr

Open account

—

Promissory note

6 yr

When does the clock start?

When the breach of contract occurs, not when the resulting damage is discovered (Va. Code § 8.01-230).

What pauses it?

Disabilities at accrual (§ 8.01-229(A)); death of a party (subsec. B); injunction staying the action (subsec. C); obstruction of filing by the defendant, expressly including the filing of a bankruptcy petition or 'any other direct or indirect means to obstruct the filing' (subsec. D); dismissal, abatement or nonsuit (subsec. E); a 60-day extension for third-party claims filed near expiry (subsec. I); and suspension for debts provable in creditors' suits (subsec. H).

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.