Can you go to jail for debt?

The U.S. does not generally have debtor's prisons for private debt. Can you go to jail for debt—usually no, but you can be jailed for contempt of court (disobeying a lawful court order), criminal fraud related to borrowing, or criminal nonsupport for willful failure to pay child support. ^[1][2] False threats The FDCPA prohibits collectors from false threats of arrest for nonpayment of consumer debt. ^[2] Civil vs criminal Pure failure to pay a loan is civil; lying on a credit application may be criminal. State constitution State constitutions often reinforce non-imprisonment for debt in civil cases—with exceptions noted above. ^[1]