How Long Does a Texas Judgment Last? Short Answer, 10 Years.
If handled properly, a Texas judgment can exist indefinitely. But the creditor must be vigilant. We’ve collected judgments, in full, that were more than twenty years old.
A Texas judgment is valid for ten years from the date it is signed by the judge. After the expiration of ten years the judgment is dormant for two years. During that two year period of dormancy the judgment cannot be enforced.
No discovery, garnishment, executions, or turnover actions are allowed during the dormancy period. But during the two year dormancy period the judgment can be revived by filing a motion with the court to revive it. Then the judgment’s life starts over and it is then valid for ten years from the date the judge revives it.
But there is a way to keep the judgment valid that is simple: cause a writ of execution to be issued and served. The judgment is then valid for ten years from the date the writ of execution was issued by the clerk.
Either way, whether by reviving the judgment during the two year dormancy period or timely issuing and serving writs of execution, the creditor can keep a judgment alive indefinitely.
Questions About Judgment Lifespan
My judgment is eight years old. Is it too late to collect?
No — but you need to act now. A Texas judgment is valid for ten years from the date it was signed. If yours is eight years old, you have a narrow window before it enters a two-year dormancy period during which it cannot be enforced. The time to call us is before that clock runs out, not after.
What happens when a Texas judgment goes dormant?
After ten years of inactivity, a judgment becomes dormant for two years. During that dormancy period, no enforcement action is allowed — no garnishment, no discovery, no writs of execution, no turnover actions. The judgment still exists, but it cannot be used. After the two-year dormancy period expires entirely, the judgment is gone.
Can a dormant judgment be revived?
Yes — but only during the two-year dormancy window, not after. During that period, you can file a motion with the court to revive the judgment. Once revived, the judgment is valid for a fresh ten years from the date of revival. If you miss the dormancy window and the two years expire without revival, the judgment cannot be enforced and cannot be revived.
What is the simplest way to keep a judgment from going dormant in the first place?
Have a writ of execution issued and served. When a writ of execution is issued by the court clerk, the judgment's ten-year clock resets from the date of issuance. You do not need to wait until the judgment is about to expire — issuing a writ of execution at any point restarts the clock. This is a simple, low-cost step that preserves the judgment indefinitely as long as it is done before dormancy sets in.
You mention collecting judgments that were more than twenty years old. How is that possible?
By managing the judgment's lifespan carefully. Either the creditor kept the judgment alive by timely issuing writs of execution — resetting the ten-year clock each time — or they revived a dormant judgment during the two-year window and then continued enforcement. A judgment can theoretically be kept alive indefinitely through proper management. The problem is that most creditors don't know this, and they let judgments lapse unnecessarily.
Does interest continue to accrue on a Texas judgment?
Yes. Texas judgments accrue post-judgment interest at a rate set by law from the date of judgment until paid. This means that a judgment you are not actively collecting on is still growing — which can work in your favor, but only if the judgment remains alive and enforceable.