## How the limitation period applies

The controlling primary authority for PH written contract SOL (Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines) is **Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines**.

> **Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines.** The following actions must be brought within ten years from the time the right of action accrues: (1) Upon a written contract; (2) Upon an obligation created by law; (3) Upon a judgment.

## Related statutes

### Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines — Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines

> The following actions must be brought within ten years from the time the right of action accrues: (1) Upon a written contract; (2) Upon an obligation created by law; (3) Upon a judgment.

## Use the calculator

DocketMath's statute-of-limitations tool can model these timelines once you identify the controlling claim type and accrual date. Use the source panel for the verified primary-source citations.

[Open the Statute of Limitations calculator](/tools/statute-of-limitations)

## Sources

- [Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines — Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines](https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1949/ra_386_1949.html)
- [Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines — Art. 1144, Civil Code of the Philippines](https://www.chanrobles.com/civilcodeofthephilippinesfulltext.html)

Verified across multiple secondary sources cross-referenced for agreement: `lawphil.net`, `chanrobles.com`.

**Corroboration method:** tier4_cross_source_verification.


In the Philippines, a written contract is typically enforced through a civil action when one party fails to perform its obligations—e.g., non-payment...

Statute of Limitations for Written Contract in Philippines

ANO-831 verification 2026-04-26: primary source = Chan Robles Virtual Law Library Civil Code Book IV (full text) for Articles 1139-1155. (Lawphil.net's RA 386 page only serves Books I-III.)

Article 1150. The time for prescription for all kinds of actions, when there is no special provision which ordains otherwise, shall be counted from the day they may be brought.

Article 1155. The prescription of actions is interrupted when they are filed before the court, when there is a written extrajudicial demand by the creditors, and when there is any written acknowledgment of the debt by the debtor.

Article 1145. The following actions must be commenced within six years: (1) Upon an oral contract; (2) Upon a quasi-contract.

Article 1144. The following actions must be brought within ten years from the time the right of action accrues: (1) Upon a written contract; (2) Upon an obligation created by law; (3) Upon a judgment.

All money claims arising from employer-employee relations accruing during the effectivity of this Code shall be filed within three (3) years from the time the cause of action accrued; otherwise they shall be forever barred.

Article 1146. The following actions must be instituted within four years: (1) Upon an injury to the rights of the plaintiff; (2) Upon a quasi-delict.

Article 1147. The following actions must be filed within one year: (1) For forcible entry and detainer; (2) For defamation.

Article 1141. Real actions over immovables prescribe after thirty years.

Article 1139. Actions prescribe by the mere lapse of time fixed by law.

Written contracts and obligations created by law prescribe in 10 years from accrual (Art. 1144, NCC).

Philippine Civil Code Art. 1144 provides a 10-year SOL for written contracts, obligations created by law, and judgments.

Philippines has no UCC. Sale-of-goods claims under written contracts prescribe in 10 years under Civil Code Art. 1144. Oral sale-of-goods claims prescribe in 6 years under Art. 1145.

Article 1149. All other actions whose periods are not fixed in this Code or in other laws must be brought within five years from the time the right of action accrues.