Old Debts And Time Limits
MCL 600.5807 — six years on a contract, ten on a judgment
A lawsuit to recover money due for breach of a contract has to be started within the period the section sets, counted from when the claim first accrued. For an ordinary contract that period is 6 years.
| The claim | The time to sue |
|---|---|
| The claimBreach of an ordinary contract, including money due under one | The time to sue6 years |
| The claimA covenant in a deed or mortgage | The time to sue10 years |
| The claimA judgment of a Michigan court of record, or of a federal or other state court of record | The time to sue10 years from the judgment |
| The claimA judgment of a court not of record, which includes a small claims judgment | The time to sue6 years |
| The claimA child support order | The time to sue10 years from the date the last payment is due |
Within that period, a new action may be brought on a judgment for a new judgment, which is subject to the same rule.
When a claim accrues, and what pauses or restarts the period, are set out in other sections and court decisions and are not covered here.
Sources for this section (2)
- MCL 600.5807 — Time limits for contract actions
- MCL 600.5809 — Time limits for judgments and other money obligations
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.