North Carolina Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection

Express or implied contract, not under seal: 3 years.

Contract and sale of personal property under seal: 10 years.

Open account: 3 years, NOTE: Each payment renews the SoL on all items purchased within the 3 years prior that payment. If no payment is made, the SoL runs from date of each individual charge. Contracts: From date of breach or default, unless waived or performance under the contract is continued.

Judgments: 10 years

Partial payment BEFORE the SoL expires renews the SoL from date of payment.

Payment AFTER Statute of Limitations expires renews ONLY if, at time of payment, circumstances infer the debtor recognized obligation to pay. Partial payment on open account restarts Statute of Limitations on purchases made within 3 years of payment date, if acknowledgment can be inferred, starts the statute anew as to the full obligation acknowledged, even if all of the charges were not made within the last three years. NC Continued...

Partial payment by one debtor does not renew the statute of limitations as against any a co-debtor unless that co-debtor agreed to, authorized or ratified the partial payment.

Partial payments do NOT have any affect the ten-year limitation on enforcing or renewing judgments.

Bankruptcy, Death or Disability: Filing of a bankruptcy tolls the statute of limitations for the enforcement of contracts and judgments.