Florida Statute of Limitations for Debts Judgments & Taxes
- A statute of limitations is a deadline by which legal action must be commenced. These deadlines are codified within state law under Section 95.091 for tax statutes of limitations and under Section 95.11 for debts and judgments. Therefore, these deadlines are implemented and strictly followed by state courts.
- The Florida deadline for actions concerning debts are set by the type of arrangement made between the parties. If you owe a debt based on an oral contract, the statute of limitations to enforce that amount owed is four years. If the contract is written, the statute of limitations is extended to five years. Official promissory notes also have a five-year statute of limitations.
- A judgment is a declaration by a court that an amount is owed by one party to another. It can be registered in a Florida court and will attach to the property within the jurisdiction of that court of the individual that owes the money. A judgment can be enforced under Florida law for 20 years.
- Under Florida law, the state has five years after the later of the dates when the tax is assessed or becomes late to collect taxes. If the state obtains a lien within that period of time, however, the lien will be in effect for 20 years.
