PRIA Logo™
Take the PRIA Score
Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73

§1091a Statute of limitations, and State court judgments

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Part Part G— - General Provisions Relating to Student Assistance Programs › § 1091a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets people and agencies keep trying to collect student grant overpayments and loan debts without being stopped by time limits in federal or state law. That includes schools that got federal funds, guaranty agencies with an agreement under section 1078(c) collecting part B loans after they paid a prior holder, schools with agreements under sections 1087c or 1087cc(a) collecting part D or E loans after default, and the Secretary, the Attorney General, or other federal agencies for refunds or loans assigned to the Secretary. State law cannot block these collections. A borrower who defaults must also pay reasonable collection costs. Infancy (being a minor) is not a defense for collections on part B or part E loans as described. State court money judgments assigned to the Secretary can be filed in any U.S. district court and enforced like a federal judgment. If a student is dead, the student’s estate or family’s estate does not have to repay any aid, including interest paid for the student, collection costs, or other charges.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1091a

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)It is the purpose of this subsection to ensure that obligations to repay loans and grant overpayments are enforced without regard to any Federal or State statutory, regulatory, or administrative limitation on the period within which debts may be enforced.
(2)Notwithstanding any other provision of statute, regulation, or administrative limitation, no limitation shall terminate the period within which suit may be filed, a judgment may be enforced, or an offset, garnishment, or other action initiated or taken by—
(A)an institution that receives funds under this subchapter that is seeking to collect a refund due from a student on a grant made, or work assistance awarded, under this subchapter;
(B)a guaranty agency that has an agreement with the Secretary under section 1078(c) of this title that is seeking the repayment of the amount due from a borrower on a loan made under part B of this subchapter after such guaranty agency reimburses the previous holder of the loan for its loss on account of the default of the borrower;
(C)an institution that has an agreement with the Secretary pursuant to section 1087c or 1087cc(a) of this title that is seeking the repayment of the amount due from a borrower on a loan made under part D or E of this subchapter after the default of the borrower on such loan; or
(D)the Secretary, the Attorney General, or the administrative head of another Federal agency, as the case may be, for payment of a refund due from a student on a grant made under this subchapter, or for the repayment of the amount due from a borrower on a loan made under this subchapter that has been assigned to the Secretary under this subchapter.
(b)Notwithstanding any provision of State law to the contrary—
(1)a borrower who has defaulted on a loan made under this subchapter shall be required to pay, in addition to other charges specified in this subchapter reasonable collection costs;
(2)in collecting any obligation arising from a loan made under part B of this subchapter, a guaranty agency or the Secretary shall not be subject to a defense raised by any borrower based on a claim of infancy; and
(3)in collecting any obligation arising from a loan made under part E, an institution of higher education that has an agreement with the Secretary pursuant to section 1087cc(a) of this title shall not be subject to a defense raised by any borrower based on a claim of infancy.
(c)A judgment of a State court for the recovery of money provided as grant, loan, or work assistance under this subchapter that has been assigned or transferred to the Secretary under this subchapter may be registered in any district court of the United States by filing a certified copy of the judgment and a copy of the assignment or transfer. A judgment so registered shall have the same force and effect, and may be enforced in the same manner, as a judgment of the district court of the district in which the judgment is registered.
(d)This section shall not apply in the case of a student who is deceased, or to a deceased student’s estate or the estate of such student’s family. If a student is deceased, then the student’s estate or the estate of the student’s family shall not be required to repay any financial assistance under this subchapter, including interest paid on the student’s behalf, collection costs, or other charges specified in this subchapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1091a, Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 484A, as added Pub. L. 99–272, title XVI, § 16033, Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 355, related to statute of limitations, collection costs, and defense of infancy, prior to the general revision of this part by Pub. L. 99–498. Another prior section 1091a, Pub. L. 89–329, title V, § 502, as added Pub. L. 90–35, § 2(c),
June 29, 1967, 81 Stat. 82; amended Pub. L. 91–230, title IV, § 401(h)(4), title VIII, § 802, Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 174, 190; Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 141(c)(1)(A),
June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 285, established the National Advisory Council on Education Professions Development and set forth functions, composition, etc., of the Council, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 151(a)(2), (b), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2151, effective Sept. 30, 1976.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 110–315, § 486(1), added par. (3). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–315, § 486(2), added subsec. (d). 1998—Pub. L. 105–244, § 484(1), inserted “, and State court judgments” after “limitations” in section catchline. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–244, § 484(2), added subsec. (c). 1991—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–26 amended subsec. (a) generally, substituting provisions eliminating statute of limitations for student loan collections for provisions establishing six year limitations period for collection of such loans.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1991 Amendment Pub. L. 102–26, § 3(c), Apr. 9, 1991, 105 Stat. 125, as amended by Pub. L. 102–325, title XV, § 1551, July 23, 1992, 105 Stat. 838, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section] shall be effective as if enacted by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (Public Law 99–272), and shall apply to any actions pending on or after the date of enactment of the Higher Education Technical

Amendments

of 1991 [Apr. 9, 1991].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1091a

Title 20 — Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73