All actions upon judgments obtained outside this state, except judgments for child support or spousal support, or both, shall be brought within five years after such judgments have been obtained.
§ 9-3-20.Actions on foreign judgments
Chapter 3. Limitations of Actions · Article 2. Specific Periods of Limitation · Last amended 1997 · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceA judgment obtained in another state (other than a child support or spousal support judgment) can be sued on in Georgia for only five years after it was entered, after which the judgment creditor loses the right to bring a fresh Georgia action on it.
Full Text of § 9-3-20
Plain-English Summary
When someone wins a judgment in another state and wants Georgia courts to help collect it, they normally file a new lawsuit here based on that out-of-state judgment. O.C.G.A. § 9-3-20 puts a clock on that option: five years from the date the foreign judgment was obtained. Let that window close, and the judgment creditor cannot bring a new Georgia action on the judgment itself.
The five-year period applies across the board except for one category the legislature carved out in 1997: judgments for child support, spousal support, or both. Those obligations run on their own timeline, reflecting how family-support debts get treated differently from ordinary money judgments throughout Georgia law.
This section matters most to creditors who won a case somewhere else and later discover the debtor moved to Georgia, or acquired property here. Waiting too long to bring that action does not just weaken the claim — it extinguishes the ability to bring a new action on the judgment altogether. Domesticating a foreign judgment under Georgia's separate enforcement-of-judgments statute is a distinct mechanism, and this five-year period does not govern that process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to sue on an out-of-state judgment in Georgia?
Five years from the date the foreign judgment was obtained. After that, O.C.G.A. § 9-3-20 bars a new Georgia action on the judgment.
Does this five-year limit apply to child support judgments from another state?
No. The statute expressly excludes judgments for child support or spousal support, or both, from the five-year period.
What counts as the starting point for the five years?
The date the judgment was obtained in the other state, not the date the creditor later files in Georgia or the date the debtor moves to Georgia.
Does this section cover judgments entered by Georgia courts?
No. It applies to judgments obtained outside this state — judgments rendered by courts of other states or jurisdictions, not by Georgia courts.
What happens if I wait longer than five years to bring an action on a foreign judgment?
The statute states that all actions on such judgments shall be brought within five years, so an action filed after that period is time-barred.
Amendment History
Laws 1805, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 564.; Ga. L. 1855-56, p. 233, § 7; Code 1863, § 2854; Code 1868, § 2862; Code 1873, § 2913; Code 1882, § 2913; Civil Code 1895, § 3760; Civil Code 1910, § 4354; Code 1933, § 3-701; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1613, § 1.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, published by the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Georgia Code Revision Commission / LexisNexis. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
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