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Quick answer
Most negative items, including late payments, collections and charge-offs, can stay on your credit report for up to 7 years. Bankruptcies can stay for up to 10 years. Items reported beyond these limits may be outdated, and you can dispute them for free.
Credit reporting time limits at a glance
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) sets how long most negative information can be reported. Here are the common limits.
- Late payments
- Up to 7 years from the date of the late payment.
- Collections
- Up to 7 years, counted from 180 days after the account first became delinquent.
- Charge-offs
- Up to 7 years, counted the same way as collections.
- Chapter 7 bankruptcy
- Up to 10 years from the filing date.
- Chapter 13 bankruptcy
- The law allows up to 10 years, but the major bureaus generally remove it after 7 years from filing.
- Hard inquiries
- Generally shown for about 2 years.
- Judgments and tax liens
- The three major bureaus no longer include civil judgments or tax liens on credit reports.
Some limits don’t apply to reports used for very large credit or insurance amounts or certain high-salary jobs. This is a general summary of public federal law, not legal advice.
When does the reporting clock start?
It starts with the original delinquency
For collections and charge-offs, the clock is tied to when you first fell behind, not when a collector got the account.
Paying doesn’t restart it
Paying or settling an old debt doesn’t give it a new 7-year period on your report.
A sale doesn’t restart it
When a debt is sold to a new collector, the original delinquency date should stay the same.
Changed dates are a red flag
A delinquency date that moves later can keep an item on your report longer than allowed.
Signs an item may be outdated
Check the dates on each negative item and tick anything you see.
These signs can point to outdated or inaccurate dates. An advocate can review your report with you, free of charge.
Start a free reviewWhat the law says
- Time limits
- Credit bureaus generally can’t report most negative information beyond the periods set by the FCRA.
- Accurate dates
- Companies that report collections and charge-offs must report the date the account first became delinquent.
- Free disputes
- You can dispute outdated or inaccurate information at no cost, and the bureau generally must investigate within 30 days.
Steps you can take
- Get your reports from all three bureausAnnualCreditReport.com is the official site for free reports.
- Check the dates on every negative itemLook for the date of first delinquency, often labeled as the original delinquency date.
- Compare with your own recordsOld statements, letters or notices can show when you actually fell behind.
- Dispute anything outdated or misdatedWith each bureau that shows it, including copies of your proof.
- Escalate if it isn’t resolvedYou can submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
An old item still hurting your credit? We can review the dates with you.
Common questions about reporting time limits
How long do late payments stay on a credit report?
Up to 7 years from the date of the late payment.
Does paying a collection restart the 7-year clock?
No. The reporting period is tied to when the account first became delinquent, not when it was paid or sold.
How long does a bankruptcy stay on a credit report?
A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can stay for up to 10 years from filing. The major bureaus generally remove a Chapter 13 bankruptcy after 7 years from filing.
What should I do if an item is older than the limit?
You can dispute it with each credit bureau that shows it, at no cost.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission: Fair Credit Reporting Act
- Federal Trade Commission: Disputing errors on your credit reports
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Submit a complaint
- AnnualCreditReport.com
This guide is general information based on public sources. It isn’t legal advice, and Credit Dispute is not a law firm.