LOCAL RULES

New Brunswick demand letter requirements

Your New Brunswick demand letter has 4 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • 2 years to sue, 15 years at most
  • Small Claims Court up to 20,000 dollars, interest included
  • Demand loans have their own 2-year rule (s. 11)
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New Brunswick gives 2 years from discovery and 15 years at most, with its own rule for demand loans. Its Small Claims Court limit of 20,000 dollars includes interest to the date of judgment, so a claim near the limit can be pushed over it by interest. Each rule below links to the Act.

Last reviewed November 3, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Demand letterNEW BRUNSWICK / FREE CALCULATOR

Payment demanded

WhatDetails
Amount owing$4,250.00
Payment was dueAugust 31, 2026
Pay in full byNovember 17, 2026 (14 days after this letter)

Your deadlines (for your file, not printed on the letter)

WhatWhenRule
Last day to start a claimSeptember 1, 2028 (2 years from the day after payment was due, September 1, 2026)Limitation of Actions Act (N.B.) s. 5
Outer limit, whatever happens15 years from the act or omission (for a demand loan, the day the lender could first demand repayment)Limitation of Actions Act (N.B.) s. 5 (1) (b)
A part payment or a signed written acknowledgement of the debtUnder the Limitation of Actions Act, starts the period again from that day if made before it runs outLimitation of Actions Act (N.B.) s. 19, 20
Where to file for this amountSmall Claims Court of New Brunswick: claims up to $20,000, including interest to judgmentSmall Claims Act (N.B.) s. 5; N.B. Reg. 2012-103 s. 3

Counted from the dates entered. A court decides when a claim was discovered; when in doubt, start the claim sooner.

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What New Brunswick requires

  • No claim may be brought after the earlier of two years from the day it is discovered and fifteen years from the day of the act or omission it is based onLimitation of Actions Act, s. 5 (1), (2)
  • The Small Claims Court of New Brunswick hears actions for debt or damages of up to 20,000 dollars, and that amount includes interest to the date of judgment (costs are extra)Small Claims Act, s. 5 (1), (2) ยท General Regulation 2012-103, s. 3
  • A claim for failure to repay a demand loan must be brought by the earlier of two years from the day of default after the demand for repayment and fifteen years from the day the lender was first entitled to demand repaymentLimitation of Actions Act, s. 11
  • A claim to recover the principal of a debt secured on real or personal property may not be brought after 15 years from the day the security was taken, and a payment on a debt is presumed to be a payment of both principal and interestLimitation of Actions Act, s. 12 (2), (3)
  • A written acknowledgement, or a part payment, made by the defendant to the claimant before the limitation period expires starts the period again; an admission in correspondence marked without prejudice, or that reserves the limitation defence, does not countLimitation of Actions Act, s. 19 and 20

Ordinary debts and demand loans

A claim is barred at the earlier of 2 years from discovery and 15 years from the act or omission. A demand loan has its own section: 2 years from the default after the demand, or 15 years from the day you could first have demanded repayment, whichever comes first.

What restarts the clock

A written acknowledgement or a part payment made to you before the period ends starts it again. A letter written without prejudice, or one that reserves the limitation defence, does not count.

Small Claims Court

Debt claims up to 20,000 dollars, including interest to the date of judgment and not counting costs.

Common mistakes

  • Claiming 19,800 dollars plus interest: interest counts toward New Brunswick's limit.
  • Treating a without-prejudice settlement letter as an acknowledgement.
  • Letting a demand loan sit for 15 years without a demand.

Sources

Last reviewed November 3, 2026. Next review due February 3, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.