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HB 2793

Modifies the statute of limitations for certain debts

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Marlon Anderson

Missouri HB 2793 tightens deadlines for debt collection, shortening most contract and liability actions to 5 years and credit card debt to 2 years, while preserving 10-year real es

Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
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Bill Summary · HB 2793

Summary of HB 2793 (2026) – Missouri

Purpose and intent

HB 2793 modifies Missouri’s statute of limitations for certain debts. The primary change is to shorten the time period to bring actions for debt collection in specific scenarios, aligning with updated timeframes for debt-related claims while preserving existing limits for other categories.

Key provisions and changes

  • Repeals and reenacts the statutes governing filing deadlines, replacing sections 516.110, 516.120, and 516.140 with new language.

  • Writing for the payment of money or property (general debt collection):

    • Repealed language retains a 10-year window for most writings but creates an exception for collection of debt to recover money owed to a creditor by a debtor.
    • New rule: an action to collect such debt must be brought within 5 years.

  • Covenants related to real estate:

    • Actions on covenants of warranty in a deed of conveyance: must be brought within 10 years after a final decision against the title of the covenantor.
    • Actions on covenants of seizin: must be brought within 10 years after the cause accrues.

  • Other contract and liability actions:

    • Generally within 5 years for actions upon contracts, obligations, or liabilities, express or implied, with several enumerated exceptions (e.g., judgments/decrees, different time limitations provided elsewhere, and expressly the collection of credit card debt).

  • Collection of credit card debt:

    • Currently: within 5 years (per existing MO law).
    • HB 2793: narrows this to within 2 years after the cause accrued.

  • Actions for certain non-contractual claims (within 5 years):

    • Includes actions for trespass on real estate, taking/detaining/injuring goods, fraud (with discovery rule: fraud claims accrue at discovery but within 10 years).

  • Personal injury and related actions (non-contractual):

    • In general, within 2 years (e.g., libel, slander, assault, false imprisonment, etc., and certain wage/FDPA-related claims).

Who/what is affected

  • Debtors and creditors: the timeframe to sue for collection of most debts tightens from 10 years to 5 years, and credit card debt from 5 years to 2 years.
  • Property/title matters: deeds and covenants related to real estate remain under 10-year windows, with specific accrual rules for covenants of warranty and seizin.
  • General contract and liability claims: most contracts and liabilities still fall under a 5-year window, with targeted exceptions.
  • Fraud claims: continue to follow the discovery rule within a 10-year maximum.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective change: The bill specifies new time limits by type of claim, replacing the prior longer 10-year period for many debt-related actions and shortening credit card debt actions to 2 years after accrual.
  • The structure lists specific sections and the precise timeframes for each category, aiding practitioners in determining timeliness of actions.
  • The bill aligns with prior legislative efforts (notably HB 1509 from 2025) in tightening debt-collection deadlines.

Practical impact

  • Creditors would need to initiate collection actions sooner for general debts (5 years) and credit card debt (2 years).
  • Debtors may gain earlier defenses based on the shorter statutes of limitations if actions are not timely filed.
  • Real estate-related claims maintain longer windows (10 years) with clear accrual rules.
  • Overall, the bill narrows the window for many claims while preserving certain long-standing protections and accrual rules for fraud and specific torts.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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