FY2024 data Public-data reference. official source

Chapter 11 - Business Reorganization

Open-data reference.

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National trend FY2015–FY2024 · 1.7% of all filings in FY2024

Statistical information only, not legal advice. Consult a bankruptcy attorney for guidance on your specific situation.

What is Chapter 11?

Primarily used by businesses to restructure debts while continuing operations. Allows renegotiating contracts, leases, and debt terms. Can also be used by high-income individuals with debts exceeding Chapter 13 limits.

Who Files

Corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and high-debt individuals. Complex and expensive, typically requires experienced bankruptcy counsel.

Timeline

Highly variable. Plan confirmation can take 6 months to several years.

FY2024 National

12,009

Total Chapter 11 filings

1.7%

Share of all bankruptcy filings

Chapter 11 Filings by Year

Fiscal Year Chapter 11 Filings
FY2024 12,009
FY2023 9,784
FY2022 6,970
FY2021 7,169
FY2020 10,639
FY2019 10,401
FY2018 10,188
FY2017 10,724
FY2016 10,872
FY2015 11,283

States Ranked by Chapter 11 Filings

Rank State Ch. 11 Filings
1 California 1,930
2 New York 1,434
3 Texas 1,127
4 Florida 906
5 Illinois 527
6 Georgia 428
7 New Jersey 425
8 Pennsylvania 424
9 Virginia 250
10 Washington 250
11 Michigan 243
12 North Carolina 243
13 Ohio 242
14 Tennessee 242
15 Nevada 200
16 Delaware 192
17 Massachusetts 191
18 Arizona 190
19 Alabama 189
20 Oregon 150
21 Wisconsin 150
22 Colorado 149
23 Indiana 149
24 Louisiana 149
25 Maryland 149
26 Minnesota 149
27 Missouri 149
28 Oklahoma 99
29 South Carolina 99
30 Utah 99
31 Connecticut 90
32 Kentucky 89
33 Kansas 73
34 Iowa 69
35 Mississippi 69
36 Arkansas 68
37 Nebraska 48
38 New Mexico 48
39 District of Columbia 43
40 Hawaii 42
41 West Virginia 38
42 Idaho 28
43 Maine 28
44 New Hampshire 28
45 Rhode Island 28
46 Montana 21
47 Vermont 19
48 Alaska 18
49 Wyoming 14
50 North Dakota 12
51 South Dakota 12

What the Chapter 11 Data Shows

Nationally, Chapter 11 (Business Reorganization) filings totaled 12,009 in FY2024, representing 1.7% of all bankruptcy petitions filed in federal court that year. Across the 10-year window AOUSC publishes (FY2015–FY2024), Chapter 11 volumes rose 6.4% - from 11,283 in the earliest year to 12,009 most recently. Primarily used by businesses to restructure debts while continuing operations. Allows renegotiating contracts, leases, and debt terms. Can also be used by high-income individuals with debts exceeding Chapter 13 limits.

Who uses this chapter: Corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and high-debt individuals. Complex and expensive, typically requires experienced bankruptcy counsel. Expected timeline: Highly variable. Plan confirmation can take 6 months to several years. Geographic concentration is substantial, in FY2024, California alone recorded 1,930 Chapter 11 filings, and the highest-volume states include California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois. These distributions are not random: they are shaped by state exemption laws, the means-test income threshold for Chapter 7 eligibility, local trustee and court practices, attorney fee conventions, and homeownership rates that influence whether debtors choose liquidation or repayment paths.

These statistics describe the overall population of Chapter 11 cases; they do not predict the outcome of any individual filing. Chapter 13 plan completion rates, Chapter 7 discharge denials, Chapter 11 plan confirmations, and Chapter 12 operational-restructuring success all vary widely by district, debtor circumstance, and creditor posture. This page is statistical information only and is not legal advice; anyone considering whether Chapter 11 is appropriate for their situation should consult a licensed bankruptcy attorney who can evaluate income, assets, debt composition, and the specific rules of the relevant judicial district.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 11 bankruptcy?

Primarily used by businesses to restructure debts while continuing operations. Allows renegotiating contracts, leases, and debt terms. Can also be used by high-income individuals with debts exceeding Chapter 13 limits.

Who is eligible to file Chapter 11?

Corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and high-debt individuals. Complex and expensive, typically requires experienced bankruptcy counsel.

How long does Chapter 11 take?

Highly variable. Plan confirmation can take 6 months to several years.

How many Chapter 11 cases were filed in FY2024?

There were 12,009 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings nationally in FY2024, representing 1.7% of all bankruptcy filings. Filing data is from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Which states have the most Chapter 11 filings?

The top states for Chapter 11 filings in FY2024 are California, New York, Texas. State-level filing rates reflect differences in exemption laws, income levels, and economic conditions.

Bankruptcy Guides

Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13

Data-driven comparison of the two most common filing types.

The Means Test

How income determines Chapter 7 eligibility.

State Exemptions

What assets you can protect in bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy Timeline

From filing to discharge, step by step.

Business Bankruptcy

Chapter 11 restructuring trends and patterns.
Chapter 7 →Chapter 12 →Chapter 13 → National Trends → Chapter 7 vs 13 Guide →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related federal bankruptcy data sources & references

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Data sourced from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBankruptcy Editorial

Every figure on PlainBankruptcy is rendered directly from federal court source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal court source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.