Debt collectors in Indiana

Credit cards: Both candidate statutes give 6 years. IC 34-11-2-7(1) covers accounts and contracts not in writing. IC 34-11-2-9(b) covers promissory notes and other written contracts for the payment of money executed after Aug. 31, 1982. The 10-year IC 34-11-2-11 reaches only written contracts other than those for the payment of money, so it should not govern a card balance. No Indiana appellate case was confirmed in this pass, but the result is 6 years under either classification.

Payments and acknowledgments: Under IC 34-11-9-1, an acknowledgment or promise takes a case out of the limitations article only if it is in writing and signed by the party charged. IC 34-11-9-3 provides that the chapter does not 'take away or lessen the effect of any payment,' which keeps the common-law rule that part payment restarts the period. It limits proof of payment by an endorsement or memorandum on the instrument. Post-expiry revival by payment alone was not confirmed. No consumer or debt-buyer revival ban was found.

Judgments: Judgments are considered satisfied after 20 years (IC 34-11-2-12). The judgment lien on real estate lasts 10 years after rendition (IC 34-55-9-2), excluding time lost to an appeal, injunction, the defendant's death or a recorded agreement; there is no statutory lien renewal. Once 10 years have passed since entry or the last execution, a new execution issues only on leave of court. That requires a motion, 10 days' personal notice (or publication or other ordered service) and sworn proof that the judgment is unpaid (IC 34-55-1-2).

Other rules: Text came from FindLaw (current as of Jan 1, 2026); the official iga.in.gov site is a JavaScript app and was not fetched. The 'written contract' figure is 6 for money-payment contracts such as loans; other written contracts get 10 (IC 34-11-2-11, 20 for contracts before 9/1/1982). Contracts for payment of money executed 9/19/1881 to 9/1/1982 had 10 years. The Alper Law 2026 chart reports amendments to 34-11-2-9 (P.L. 102-2021, P.L. 77-2024) and 34-11-2-11 (P.L. 99-2023) and also lists 6 years for credit cards. No Indiana statute expressly banning suit on time-barred consumer debt was found.

• open account: IC 34-11-2-7(1); IC 34-11-2-9(b)
• written contract: IC 34-11-2-9(b) (6 yrs, written contracts for payment of money executed after 8/31/1982); IC 34-11-2-11 (10 yrs, other written contracts)
• oral contract: IC 34-11-2-7(1)
• promissory note: IC 34-11-2-9(b); IC 26-1-3.1-118(a) (6 yrs, per secondary source)
• judgment: IC 34-11-2-12; IC 34-55-9-2; IC 34-55-1-2
• payment restarts: IC 34-11-9-1; IC 34-11-9-3
• other: IC 34-11-2-9(c) (2 yrs for deposit-account actions)

Sources: codes.findlaw.com · codes.findlaw.com · codes.findlaw.com