# Maine statute of limitations on debt

> In Maine, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 6 years under 14 M.R.S. § 752. Periods for oral contracts, open accounts and promissory notes.

- Source: https://ottoforfirms.com/statute-of-limitations/maine/
- Publisher: Otto — https://ottoforfirms.com
- Updated: 2026-09-01

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In Maine, the statute of limitations on a written contract is 6 years under 14 M.R.S. § 752.

**Rule.** A written contract claim in Maine must be brought within 6 years.

**Authority.** [14 M.R.S. § 752](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec752.html)

| Contract type | Limitations period |
| --- | --- |
| Written contract | 6 yr |
| Oral contract | 6 yr |
| Open account | — |
| Promissory note | — |

## What the statute says

> All civil actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues and not afterwards

— [14 M.R.S. § 752](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec752.html)

## When does the clock start?

Six years "after the cause of action accrues" (14 M.R.S. § 752) — for a defaulted consumer account, the date of breach. 14 M.R.S. § 852 ("Mutual and open accounts current") supplies a separate accrual rule for that narrow category; neither pass fetched its text, so do not rely on any characterization of it.

## What pauses it?

14 M.R.S. § 866 was cited by the prior pass for absence from the State and for excluding the pendency of insolvency proceedings; I did NOT re-fetch § 866 in this pass and do not vouch for its quoted wording. 14 M.R.S. § 853 (persons under disability) was never fetched by either pass — heading only.

Last reviewed 2026-07-26

## Related

- [New Hampshire statute of limitations](https://ottoforfirms.com/statute-of-limitations/new-hampshire/) — Neighbouring jurisdiction — written contract, oral contract, open account and promissory note.
- [What Is the FDCPA (15 U.S.C. 1692), and Who Does It Actually Cover?](https://ottoforfirms.com/compliance/fdcpa/) — The FDCPA's scope, the 15 U.S.C. 1692a(6) debt collector definition, the conduct floor in sections 1692c-1692i, and the 1692k damages and one-year clock.
- [What documents you need to file suit on a credit-card debt](https://ottoforfirms.com/guides/documents-to-file-suit/) — The evidence a collections firm needs in hand before a credit-card complaint goes out: chain of title, account-level documentation, the signed agreement and its alternatives, affidavit requirements, and how proof expectations differ across Florida, Georgia, Texas and New York.

## About Otto

This table is a free reference and it is not the product. Otto is case management for US collections law firms; the rules engine ships all fifty states configured — four shown in end-to-end depth in the demo — and it checks a date like this one before a file moves rather than after.

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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.