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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71139</law_id><section_number>8.01-246</section_number><catch_line>Personal actions based on contracts</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.01-250</reference><reference>8.3A-118</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Limitations of Actions</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Personal Actions Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Subject to the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Personal action for injury to person or property generally; extension in actions for malpractice against health care provider" href="/8.01-243/">8.01-243</a> regarding injuries to <span class="dictionary">person</span> and property and of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Limitation on actions upon the bond of any fiduciaries or as to suits against fiduciaries themselves; accrual of cause of action where execution sustained" href="/8.01-245/">8.01-245</a> regarding the application of limitations to fiduciaries, and their <span class="dictionary">bonds</span>, <span class="dictionary">actions</span> founded upon a <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, other than <span class="dictionary">actions</span> on a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> or <span class="dictionary">decree</span>, shall be brought within the following number of years next after the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> shall have accrued: <a id="paragraph-256477" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-246/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> or upon a <span class="dictionary">recognizance</span>, except <span class="dictionary">recognizance</span> of <span class="dictionary">bail</span> in a civil <span class="dictionary">suit</span>, within 10 years; and in <span class="dictionary">actions</span> or <span class="dictionary">motions</span> upon a <span class="dictionary">recognizance</span> of <span class="dictionary">bail</span> in a civil <span class="dictionary">suit</span>, within three years, omitting from the computation of such three years such time as the right to sue out such execution shall have been suspended by <span class="dictionary">injunction</span>, supersedeas or other process; <a id="paragraph-256478" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-246/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> on any <span class="dictionary">contract</span> that is not otherwise specified and that is in writing and signed by the <span class="dictionary">party</span> to be charged thereby, or by his agent, within five years whether such writing be under seal or not; <a id="paragraph-256479" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-246/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> by a partner against another for <span class="dictionary">settlement</span> of the partnership account or in <span class="dictionary">actions</span> upon accounts concerning the trade of merchandise between merchant and merchant, their factors, or servants, within five years from the cessation of the dealings in which they are interested together; <a id="paragraph-256480" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-246/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> In <span class="dictionary">actions</span> upon (i) any <span class="dictionary">contract</span> that is not otherwise specified and that is in writing and not signed by the <span class="dictionary">party</span> to be charged, or by his agent, or (ii) any unwritten <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, express or implied, within three years. <a id="paragraph-256481" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-246/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In any action, including those brought by the Commonwealth, upon any <span class="dictionary">contract</span> under subdivision A 2 or 4 to collect <span class="dictionary">medical debt</span>, such an action is barred if not commenced within three years from the due date applicable to the final invoice for a health care service unless the <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with a hospital or health care provider is for a payment plan that allows for a longer period of time for the collection of debt by the hospital or health care provider. In the event of breach of a payment plan, an action is barred if not commenced within three years from the date of breach by the debtor. For the purposes of this subsection, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">medical debt</span>&#x201D; means a debt arising directly from the receipt of a health care service and originally owed directly to a health care service provider. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to <span class="dictionary">medical debt</span> arising from services paid for under programs administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services. <a id="paragraph-256482" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-246/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In the case of any action to which &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Statute of limitations in contracts for sale" href="/8.2-725/">8.2-725</a> of the Uniform Commercial Code is applicable, that section shall be controlling except that in products liability <span class="dictionary">actions</span> for injury to <span class="dictionary">person</span> and for injury to property, other than the property subject to <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, the limitation prescribed in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Personal action for injury to person or property generally; extension in actions for malpractice against health care provider" href="/8.01-243/">8.01-243</a> shall apply. <a id="paragraph-256483" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-246/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 8-13, 8-17, 8-23; 1964, c. 219; 1966, c. 118; 1977, c. 617; 2019, c. 241; 2024, c. 800.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
