When do student loans expire?

By Sasha Bulatskaya | Published on October 21, 2025

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The answer to this question depends on how you define expiration. An unpaid loan never truly goes away, even if the lender can no longer sue you. It also depends on the kind of loan you have – federal and private student loans have different rules.

If you’re wondering when student loans get written off, keep reading. In this blog, we’ll discuss what student loan expiration means and how to find relief instead of waiting for the clock to run out.

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When do federal student loans expire?

There’s no such thing as expiration when it comes to federal loans. Federal student loans have no statute of limitations, meaning that if you don’t pay, the government can keep coming after you in court or through collections.

What happens if I stop paying?

If you stop paying your federal student loans, you’ll go into delinquency. If you don’t pay for 270 days, most federal loan servicers will put you in default. Once in default, you’re going to be faced with potential lawsuits or collections. Because the statute of limitations never expires on a federal loan, the government can garnish your wages, withhold your tax refund, and take you to court.

Do private student loans ever expire?

Unlike federal student loans, private loans have a statute of limitations. Depending on where you live and your lender’s policies, they can’t collect or take you to court for the unpaid loan after a certain amount of time passes.

It varies state by state, but most states have a statute of limitations between 3 - 10 years but that doesn’t mean the loan will go away. Your lender won't be allowed to take legal action against you after the statute of limitations expires, but the unpaid loan will stay on your credit report.

What happens if I stop paying?

If you stop paying your private student loan, you will go into delinquency, and if you don’t pay for 90 days, most private lenders will put you in default. Once you’re in default, you’ll likely face calls from collection agencies and see a significant drop in your credit score. The lender could also sue you to force you to pay.

What to do instead

It might be tempting to let your loans expire when you're struggling financially, but it’s not a wise decision. Instead, you can explore options for relief and browse our Student Debt Guide if you’re not sure where to start.

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Federal student loan relief

The government has multiple programs to prevent borrowers from going into default, like income-driven repayment plans (IDRs)². An IDR is an excellent option if you’re still making payments but can’t afford the full amount. Under the SAVE Plan, your payment could be as little as $0, if you qualify.

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You could sign up for an IDR on the government’s website to get matched with a personalized federal repayment plan. Once you choose a plan, the tool will complete the signup process for you.

Private student loan relief

You can get help with private student loans³, but your options are more limited.

Ask for help

If you can’t make payments, let your lender know as soon as possible. They might offer you a more flexible payment plan or they might pause payments until you get back on your feet.

At Earnest, our Client Happiness team works as hard as possible to make sure our clients don’t go into default. Be sure to ask your lender about all of your options and let them know you will start paying back the loan as soon as you can.

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Explore refinancing

If you’ve been making your payments on time, refinancing your private student loans could be an option4. Refinancing gives you the chance to reduce your interest rates or monthly payments. Some people can get a rate and payment reduction, but it’s not guaranteed5.

Most lenders will offer you a free refinancing rate check so you can get a rate estimate before you apply. You can check your rate with Earnest in a few minutes without a hard credit pull and see if refinancing is right for you.

Don’t wait

Unfortunately, expiration won’t erase your student debt, even after the statute of limitations runs out. That’s why it’s so important to act fast if you’re going to miss payments. Find out your options for federal repayments and call your lender if you have private student loans. It’s not always easy to admit you need help, but protecting your financial future is worth it.

P.S.

If you’ve tried everything else, you could consider filing for bankruptcy. Before you do, know that it’s very difficult to get student loans discharged through bankruptcy. You must demonstrate undue hardship and follow these steps to prove your case.

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About the Author

Sasha Bulatskaya

Sasha is the Senior Manager of Brand and Content at Earnest. She has been writing for ten years and has been focused on educational finance and financial aid for over three. Her passion for mission-driven companies brought her to Earnest in 2020, and she's been helping make student finance more accessible ever since. She strives to demystify personal finance and student loans to help borrowers make the best decisions for their financial situation.