In Iowa, a claim founded on a written contract has ten years, and one founded on an unwritten contract has five [1]. A signed written admission that you still owe can revive an old debt [3], and a court judgment can be enforced for twenty years [1].
At a glance
| Type of claim | Deadline | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Founded on a written contract | 10 years | Iowa Code § 614.1(5)(a) |
| Founded on an unwritten contract | 5 years | Iowa Code § 614.1(4) |
| Claim for rent | 5 years | Iowa Code § 614.1(5)(b) |
| Judgment of a court not of record | 10 years | Iowa Code § 614.1(5)(a) |
| Judgment of a court of record (Iowa, another state or federal) | 20 years | Iowa Code § 614.1(6) |
Written or unwritten
Iowa sorts most debts by whether they’re founded on a written contract [1]:
- Written contracts: 10 years.
- Unwritten contracts: 5 years.
- Rent claims, even under a written lease: 5 years.
Whether a particular credit card, medical bill or loan counts as “written” depends on the paperwork behind it. If a creditor sues you on an old account, it’s fair to ask what written agreement it’s relying on.
When the clock starts
The deadlines run from when the claim accrues [1]. For a continuous, open, current account, Iowa treats the claim as accruing on the date of the last item in the account, as proved at trial [2].
Time out of state doesn’t count
Iowa leaves out of the count any time when the defendant is a nonresident of the state [4]. If you moved away from Iowa for a few years, a creditor may have longer to sue you here than the basic deadline suggests.
Reviving an old debt
Under Iowa law, a claim founded on a contract is revived by an admission in writing, signed by the person being charged, that the debt is unpaid, or by a similar signed new promise to pay [3]. A revived debt gets a fresh deadline to sue.
What “time-barred” means
A debt is time-barred once the deadline to sue has run out. Collectors can still contact you and ask for payment, but they can’t sue or threaten to sue over a time-barred debt [6].
The deadline isn’t automatic in court, though. If you’re sued on an old debt, you have to raise the statute of limitations yourself [6]. Read the papers, answer by the deadline, and say the debt is too old. If you don’t respond, the court can enter a judgment against you.
Judgments
Once a creditor wins in court, the judgment can be enforced by an action brought within 20 years [1]. A judgment from a court that isn’t a court of record has 10 years [1].
One exception protects some homeowners. For a foreclosure on a one- or two-family home that was the borrower’s residence, or on farmland, the judgment becomes void two years after it’s entered, apart from time it was stayed by a bankruptcy or court order, and can be used only as a setoff or counterclaim after that [7].
The credit report clock is different
How long an old debt shows on your credit report is a federal rule, not an Iowa one. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, most accounts placed for collection or charged off can’t be reported once they’re more than seven years old, counted from 180 days after the delinquency began [5]. So a debt can drop off your report while it can still be collected in court in Iowa, or stay on your report after Iowa’s deadline has passed.
Accurate information can stay for the full reporting period. If something is wrong, such as an old debt listed with the wrong dates or past the seven-year limit, you have the right to dispute it with the credit bureaus for free. For more, see BestAmerica’s guide to how long negative items stay on a credit report.
Want a professional to handle it? A credit repair company can review your reports from all three bureaus, flag old debts that are re-aged, duplicated or reported past the time limit, and send and track the disputes for you, which saves a lot of paperwork and follow-up. Federal law protects you when you hire one: you get a written contract that lays out the services, the total cost and how long it will take [9], you can cancel within three business days [10], and the company can’t charge you until it has performed the services it promised [8]. Accurate, current information can’t be removed, and results vary. See BestAmerica’s guide to how credit repair works.
Where to get help
- Legal aid: free legal help may be available if you’re sued and your income qualifies.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: takes complaints about debt collectors [6].
- A consumer attorney: worth a call if you’re sued on an old debt.
Sources
- Iowa Code § 614.1: Period of limitations
- Iowa Code § 614.5: Open account
- Iowa Code § 614.11: Admission in writing, new promise
- Iowa Code § 614.6: Nonresident or unknown defendant
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c (Fair Credit Reporting Act, how long items stay)
- CFPB: What is a statute of limitations on a debt?
- Iowa Code § 615.1: Execution on certain judgments prohibited
- 15 U.S.C. § 1679b, Prohibited practices (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1679d, Credit repair organizations contracts (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1679e, Right to cancel contract (Cornell LII)
Next steps
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Credit Saint
If an old debt or another item on your credit report looks wrong, Credit Saint can help you challenge it with the credit bureaus.
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See Credit Squad →Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Iowa?
Ten years for a debt founded on a written contract and five years for one founded on an unwritten contract. Claims for rent have five years. A judgment from a court of record can be enforced by an action brought within twenty years.
When does the clock start on an open account in Iowa?
For a continuous, open, current account, Iowa treats the claim as starting on the date of the last item in the account, as proved at trial.
Can an old debt be revived in Iowa?
Yes. Iowa law says a claim founded on a contract is revived by an admission in writing, signed by the person being charged, that the debt is unpaid, or by a similar signed new promise to pay it.
Does leaving Iowa pause the statute of limitations?
It can. Iowa law leaves out of the count any time when the defendant is a nonresident of the state, so a creditor may have longer to sue someone who moved away.
How long can a collection account stay on my credit report?
That's a separate federal rule. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, most collection and charged-off accounts can be reported for seven years, starting 180 days after the delinquency began, no matter what Iowa's deadline to sue is.