Statute of Limitations Checker

What the 2026 report adds — jurisdiction reset rules

The 6-year rule is the headline, but it is not the whole story. Our 2026 Australian Debt Collection Report (Section 9) covers two jurisdictional nuances most checkers miss:

• Northern Territory is generally 3 years, not 6. Under the Limitation Act 1981 (NT), most contract debts carry a 3-year limitation period — the shortest of any Australian jurisdiction. NT creditors have roughly half the window of every other state and territory.
• Acknowledgement and part-payment can restart the clock — but not everywhere, and not always. In many jurisdictions a part-payment or a written acknowledgement of the debt can start the limitation period running again. The rules differ between states, and in some the position after the period has already expired is different again. This matters in both directions: it can keep alive a debt you assumed was dead, and it can be the reason a debtor's lawyer says your claim is still on foot. Get the specific position checked rather than assuming.

The report also notes that court judgments generally remain enforceable for substantially longer than the underlying debt claim — commonly around 12 years, and longer in some jurisdictions. In practice that means converting a debt claim into a judgment before the limitation period expires can extend your enforcement window well beyond the original deadline. The exact period, and whether you need the court's leave to enforce late, depends on the jurisdiction.