Statute of limitations on debt in Wyoming

10 years to sue on a written contract and 8 years on an open account (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(i) (10 years, written contract), (a)(ii)(A) (8 years, contract not in writing); § 1-3-119).

Short answer

In Wyoming, a creditor or debt collector has 10 years to sue on a written contract and 8 years to sue on an open account or unwritten agreement. Think twice before paying on an old debt in Wyoming: Yes. A payment, or a written acknowledgment or promise to pay that you sign, starts the time limit over from that date (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-119).

Written contracts
10 years
Open accounts and unwritten agreements
8 years
Can a payment restart the clock?
Yes, it can

Wyoming's time limits to sue on a debt

Law
Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(i) (10 years, written contract), (a)(ii)(A) (8 years, contract not in writing); § 1-3-119
Official text
Read the law

At 10 years, Wyoming is longer than the most common limit in our 48 state guides, 6 years; 8 states share this limit. It is the longest limit in our guides (8 states). Next door: 6 years in Montana, 6 years in South Dakota, 5 years in Nebraska and 6 years in Colorado.

Your rights against collectors in Wyoming

If a collector breaks the rules: The Act does not spell out a right for you to sue; it is enforced by the Board and prosecutors (Wyo. Stat. §§ 33-11-115, -116). You can sue third-party collectors under the federal FDCPA.

Payments, promises and the clock in Wyoming

Yes. A payment, or a written acknowledgment or promise to pay that you sign, starts the time limit over from that date (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-119).

Other Wyoming rules on old debts

  • Wyoming gives creditors 10 years to sue on a written contract, one of the longest limits in the U.S. (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(i)).

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

Wyoming: 10 years for a written contractEnter the date of your last payment to see when the time limit ends.

An old debt in a Wyoming court

Say in your written answer that the debt is too old. Deadline in Wyoming: 20 days after you are served in Wyoming; 30 days if served outside Wyoming or by publication (Wyo. R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1)(A)). In circuit court, if you were served before the complaint was filed, you have 35 days after the complaint is filed (Circuit Court Civ. R. 3.1(a)(2)). Small claims (up to $6,000, Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-201): go to the hearing.

If you don't answer: The summons must tell you how many days you have to answer in writing and warn that if you do not, a default judgment may be entered against you (Wyo. Circuit Court Civ. R. 3.1(b)(2)). With a judgment, the collector can garnish wages or bank accounts.

What to do if you are sued in Wyoming

Handling an old debt in Wyoming

  1. Match the debt to the right limit

    Wyoming gives 10 years for written contracts and 8 years for open accounts. Not sure which a credit card is? Try both in the checker.

  2. Think before you pay or sign

    In Wyoming: Yes. A payment, or a written acknowledgment or promise to pay that you sign, starts the time limit over from that date (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-119).

  3. Dispute the debt in writing

    Send a dispute letter within 30 days of the validation notice.

  4. Look the collector up

    Wyoming requires collectors to be licensed. Look the company up: Official license lookup.

  5. Report a collector who sues on an old debt

    Complain to Wyoming Collection Agency Board and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Phone: (307) 777-3497.

Federal rules on old debts

A collector may not sue or threaten to sue on a time-barred debt (12 CFR 1006.26(b)). Most collection accounts can stay on a credit report for up to 7 years from 180 days after you first fell behind (15 U.S.C. 1681c). In Wyoming, the time limit of 10 years to sue on a written contract can outlast the 7 years a collection may stay on your report. Read the time-barred debt guide.

Free help in Wyoming

Questions about old debts in Wyoming

When does a debt become too old to sue on in Wyoming?

10 years for written contracts and 8 years for open accounts and unwritten agreements (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(i) (10 years, written contract), (a)(ii)(A) (8 years, contract not in writing); § 1-3-119).

If I pay part of an old debt in Wyoming, does the time limit start over?

Yes. A payment, or a written acknowledgment or promise to pay that you sign, starts the time limit over from that date (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-119).

What is the time limit for credit card and open-account debt in Wyoming?

For open accounts and unwritten agreements, Wyoming's limit is 8 years (Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(i) (10 years, written contract), (a)(ii)(A) (8 years, contract not in writing); § 1-3-119).

Keep reading about Wyoming

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources