Arkansas · Debt collection rights · Updated Oct 2026

Debt collectors in Arkansas: your rights

What debt collectors can and can't do in Arkansas, how long they have to sue, how much of your pay and bank account is protected, collector licensing, where to complain and what to do if you are sued, in plain English from official sources.

5 yearsto sue on a written contract
25% (federal limit)wage garnishment limit
Yescollector license required
Yesstate debt collection law
30 daysto answer a debt lawsuit

Your federal rights

These federal rules apply in Arkansas and every other state. Arkansas's own law, below, can add more.

  • Who the federal law covers. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) covers debt collectors who collect for someone else and companies that buy debts, not usually the original creditor collecting its own debt (15 U.S.C. 1692a(6)). Some state laws also cover original creditors.
  • A validation notice. A collector must give you a validation notice, in its first message or within 5 days after it, with the amount, the creditor and how to dispute (15 U.S.C. 1692g(a); 12 CFR 1006.34).
  • Your right to dispute. If you dispute the debt in writing within the validation period (30 days after you get the notice), the collector must stop collecting until it mails you verification (15 U.S.C. 1692g(b); 12 CFR 1006.38).
  • When collectors can contact you. No calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time, or at work if your employer doesn't allow it (15 U.S.C. 1692c(a)). More than 7 calls in 7 days about one debt is presumed to break the law (12 CFR 1006.14(b)(2)).
  • Telling a collector to stop. If you tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you, it must stop, except to tell you it is ending collection or will take a specific step such as a lawsuit (15 U.S.C. 1692c(c)).
  • What collectors can't do. No threats, obscene language, false statements (for example pretending to be a lawyer or the government, or threatening arrest) and no unfair practices such as collecting fees your contract doesn't allow (15 U.S.C. 1692d, 1692e, 1692f). A collector generally can't discuss your debt with your family, neighbors or employer (15 U.S.C. 1692c(b)).

Read how to dispute a debt or stop collector calls.

Arkansas law and extra protections

State law
Arkansas Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Law
Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-24-501 to 17-24-512
Covers original creditors
No
Extra protections
  • A debt collector who sues you on a consumer debt must file in the county where you signed the contract or where you live when the suit starts (Ark. Code Ann. § 17-24-510(a)).
  • Collection agencies, including companies that buy and collect old debts, must hold an Arkansas license (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-24-101(4), 17-24-301).
Can you sue under it?
Yes. You can sue a debt collector that breaks the Act for your actual damages, extra damages of up to $1,000, and court costs and attorney's fees. You must sue within 1 year of the violation (Ark. Code Ann. § 17-24-512).
Official text
Read the law

Old debts in Arkansas

Written contracts
5 years
Open accounts and unwritten agreements
3 years
Must collectors say a debt is too old?
No Arkansas rule found. Under federal Regulation F, a debt collector may not sue you or threaten to sue you on a time-barred debt (12 C.F.R. § 1006.26(b)).
Law
Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-111 (written: 5 years); § 16-56-105 (not in writing: 3 years)
Official text
Read the law

The time limit is the statute of limitations. Once it runs out, the debt is “time-barred”: a collector must not sue or threaten to sue you, but the debt still exists. Read more about time-barred debt.

Is my debt too old? Check Arkansas's time limit

Every state limits how long a creditor or collector has to sue you over a debt. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of debt and the date of your last payment to see the limit and an estimated end date. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Credit cards count as written contracts in some states and as open accounts in others. If you are not sure, try both.

Or the date you first missed a payment, if you never paid.

Arkansas: 5 years for a written contractEnter the date of your last payment to see when the time limit ends.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Your state's law and your account records decide the exact start date and the type of debt.

Wage garnishment and bank accounts in Arkansas

Wage limit
federal limit applies: a creditor can take no more than 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above $217.50 a week (30 times the federal minimum wage), whichever is less (15 U.S.C. § 1673).
Law
15 U.S.C. § 1673

Federal benefits such as Social Security, SSI and VA benefits that were directly deposited are protected in your bank account up to two months' worth (31 CFR 212.6). A creditor usually needs a court judgment before it can garnish your wages or bank account.

Collector licensing in Arkansas

License required
Yes
Who licenses
Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
Check a license
Official license lookup

If you are sued in Arkansas

Time to answer
30 days after you are served to file a written answer in circuit court (60 days if you are in jail or prison in Arkansas), as stated on the official summons form.
If you don't answer
If you do not respond in time, the court can enter a default judgment against you for what the creditor asked for. That judgment can lead to garnishment of wages or a bank account.
Court self-help
Arkansas court self-help (official)

Don't ignore court papers. Read what to do if a debt collector sues you.

Where to complain in Arkansas

Free help in Arkansas

Good to know in Arkansas

  • The state board's FAQ says a collection agency is supposed to stop contacting you if you plainly say you refuse to pay or don't want more contact, though it may still sue you. To be safe, put it in writing: the board's complaint page says to send a letter by certified mail, and federal law requires collectors to stop once they get your written request (15 U.S.C. § 1692c(c)).
  • Arkansas licenses debt buyers too: the law's definition of a collection agency includes anyone who buys and tries to collect delinquent accounts (Ark. Code Ann. § 17-24-101(4)).

Free letters to send a collector

Dispute a debt and ask for proof (validation letter)

Within 30 days of the collector's validation notice.

Tell a collector to stop or limit contact

Stop all contact, writing only, or no calls at work.

Questions about debt collection in Arkansas

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Arkansas?

5 years for written contracts and 3 years for open accounts and unwritten agreements (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-111 (written: 5 years); § 16-56-105 (not in writing: 3 years)).

Must a collector tell me a debt is too old to sue on in Arkansas?

No Arkansas rule found. Under federal Regulation F, a debt collector may not sue you or threaten to sue you on a time-barred debt (12 C.F.R. § 1006.26(b)).

How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Arkansas?

federal limit applies: a creditor can take no more than 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above $217.50 a week (30 times the federal minimum wage), whichever is less (15 U.S.C. § 1673).

Do debt collectors need a license in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)

Does Arkansas have its own debt collection law?

Yes: the Arkansas Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-24-501 to 17-24-512). It does not cover original creditors collecting their own debts.

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in Arkansas?

30 days after you are served to file a written answer in circuit court (60 days if you are in jail or prison in Arkansas), as stated on the official summons form.

Where can I complain about a debt collector in Arkansas?

Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies (complaint form); also the Arkansas Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division: https://labor.arkansas.gov/licensing/arkansas-state-board-of-collection-agencies/file-a-complaint/ · 501-534-6412

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources

Other states