How to use the note and check limitations calculator
Negotiable instruments carry their own limitations periods, separate from ordinary contract claims. Pick the instrument and the type of claim, enter the date the clock starts from, and the tool returns the filing deadline and the days remaining. For a personal check it compares both cut-offs and reports whichever arrives first.
The periods come from UCC ยง3-118 as adopted in nearly every state: six years after the due date for a note payable at a definite time, six years after demand for a demand note with an outer bar after ten years of inactivity, three years after dishonor or ten years after the date of an unaccepted draft, and three years after demand for a certified, cashier's or teller's check. Conversion and warranty claims under ยง3-118(g) also run three years. Each state enacts its own version, so confirm the text adopted where you would sue. This reflects the position as of September 2026.
A payment, a written acknowledgment of the debt, or a renewal can restart or extend the period in many states, and federal claims or instruments governed by other law may follow different rules. Losing the instrument itself raises separate proof issues under ยง3-309.
This calculator is for reference only and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
A bank is not obliged to pay a check more than six months old under UCC ยง4-404, but that does not by itself extinguish the underlying obligation. The enforcement deadline is the one in ยง3-118, which runs from dishonor or from the date of the check.
In many states a payment or a signed written acknowledgment of the debt restarts the limitations period. The rule varies, so check your state statute rather than assuming the original deadline still applies.