What if the limitations period has passed?

If the debt is past Arkansas's limitations period it is "time-barred." Under the CFPB's Regulation F a collector may not sue or threaten to sue on a time-barred debt, though it can still ask you to pay voluntarily. You can send a time-barred-debt notice — but be careful not to make a payment or written admission that could restart the clock.

AR · medical-debt statute of limitations

Arkansas

Q: How long can a medical debt be collected in Arkansas?

Arkansas applies its contract statute of limitations to medical debt. The period is 5 years for written contracts and 2 years for open accounts or oral contracts. For most unsigned medical bills the open-account period (about 2 years) is the one most likely to apply. Arkansas has a MEDICAL-DEBT-SPECIFIC 2-year statute (Ark. Code § 16-56-106), shorter than the general 3-year open-account or 5-year written-contract periods. A contingent amendment to 5 years tied to a federal trigger was set for Jan 1, 2026 — confirm the operative period before relying on the 2-year figure. Always confirm against the statute linked on this page.

Verified June 16, 2026

Written contract

5 yr

Open account / oral

2 yr

Most common for medical

2 yr

Open-account period

How medical debt is treated in Arkansas

Arkansas has a MEDICAL-DEBT-SPECIFIC 2-year statute (Ark. Code § 16-56-106), shorter than the general 3-year open-account or 5-year written-contract periods. A contingent amendment to 5 years tied to a federal trigger was set for Jan 1, 2026 — confirm the operative period before relying on the 2-year figure.

Ark. Code § 16-56-106 (medical, 2 yr)Ark. Code § 16-56-105 (open, 3 yr)Ark. Code § 16-56-111 (written, 5 yr)

Last verified June 16, 2026.

Can the clock restart?

A payment or a written acknowledgment can restart the clock in Arkansas. Avoid both on an old debt.

Estimate the window for your Arkansas debt

Enter the date the clock most likely started — usually the date of last payment or activity.

1 · Your state2 · Date the clock most likely startedUsually the date of the most recent payment or activity — not always the date of service.

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Select your state and a date to see an estimate of whether the debt is within your state's limitations window.

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Arkansas medical-debt questions

Note on credit reporting: The CFPB finalized a rule in January 2025 to remove most medical bills from consumer credit reports, but it was VACATED on July 11, 2025 by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Cornerstone Credit Union League v. CFPB) and is NOT in effect as of 2026. The court also held that the federal FCRA preempts similar state laws. Do not assume medical bills are barred from credit reports under federal law — confirm the current status on consumerfinance.gov. CFPB.

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