How Long Does Fixing a Credit Report Mistake Take?

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Key takeaways

Fixing a mistake on your credit report typically takes 30 to 45 days.
Providing supporting documentation and opting to dispute errors online can help prevent delays.
You cannot get negative information removed from your credit report if it’s accurate, although it will eventually no longer appear after enough time has passed.

Spotting an error on your credit report can be alarming, but you do have the right to dispute it — and have it removed if the inaccuracy is confirmed. Fixing a credit report mistake typically takes 30 to 45 days, according to the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). But each bureau has its own process, and you may also have to contact the creditor that reported the error.

It can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve been the victim of identity fraud. Let this simple explainer be your guide.

What does it mean to remove bad information from a credit report?

You can expect a negative entry to appear on your credit report if you have accounts that are past due, default on a loan, file for bankruptcy or lose your home to foreclosure. You wouldn’t be able to remove those derogatory marks, since they’re factually accurate.

However, it’s also possible for inaccurate information to sneak onto your credit report and affect your credit score. That could happen if:

You’ve been the victim of identity theft. Someone may have opened fraudulent accounts in your name that went unpaid.
A creditor made a mistake. If you have creditors that report your payment activity to the credit bureaus, it’s possible for them to accidentally report an error. For example, they might overlook a payment you made and report the account as past due, or list a single debt as duplicate accounts.

If you do come across a mistake on your credit report, the good news is that you can dispute the error and request to have it removed. That can help restore your credit score — it’s important, as most lenders will check your credit before approving new credit applications. Your credit health could also impact your interest rate, as well as your ability to rent a home or get hired by a new employer.

How long does it take to fix errors on your credit report?

From start to finish, resolving a credit report error generally takes 30 to 45 days. You’ll need to dispute the error with each of the major credit bureaus, which involves:

Gathering evidence to support your claim. For example, if your credit report says that you have an account that’s past due, you could show bank statements to prove that you made your payments on time.
Contacting the credit bureaus. Each one allows you to dispute credit report mistakes and provide supporting documents online. They should respond to the dispute automatically.
Reaching out to the creditor, if necessary. If a creditor reported inaccurate information to the credit bureaus, you’ll want to contact them directly to fix the error.

See our step-by-step guide to disputing credit report errors.

How to speed up the resolution process

The sooner you resolve a credit report mistake, the better. Here are some actionable steps that could help prevent delays:

Provide accurate, high-quality documentation.
Avoid seeking a resolution over the phone or by mail. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion all allow you to submit a dispute online.
Respond quickly if you’re asked to provide any additional information or supporting documents.
Stay on top of the process and follow up with each credit bureau or creditor if things haven’t been resolved after 30 days.

When will fixing errors improve your credit score?

Your credit report will likely be updated once a month, but it may happen more often if your creditors report your account activity at different times of the month. That means you could see your credit score improve relatively quickly after correcting an error.

Note that the type of mistake you corrected will play an important role here. For example, if you removed multiple fraudulent accounts that were in delinquent status, you might see a notable increase to your credit score within a month.

That’s because your payment history accounts for 35% of your credit score, while the amount of available credit you’re using makes up another 30%. However, you may notice a more subtle improvement if you simply had an erroneous hard credit inquiry removed from your reports.

How long do negative items stay on your credit report?

The answer depends on whether the negative information is valid or a mistake. If it’s an error and you successfully dispute it with the credit bureaus, it should drop off of your report once the dispute is resolved. But it’s a different story if there are legitimate negative items on your credit report.

Depending on the type of negative information, it can remain on your credit report for two to 10 years:

2 years	7 years	10 years
Hard credit inquiries	Late or missed payments Charged-off accounts Accounts in collection Medical debt Foreclosures Repossessions Debt settlement Student loan default Chapter 13 bankruptcy	Chapter 7 bankruptcy

What to do if a dispute doesn’t fix the error

Ideally, your dispute will be approved and the credit report mistake corrected. But you do have options if things don’t go as planned. What matters most is staying persistent — so if your dispute is denied, you could pursue one of the following paths.

Request that the credit bureaus take a second look. Your dispute could be denied if you don’t provide sufficient documentation. If this happens, you can gather the necessary documents and resubmit it with your original request.
Submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). You can do this online in a matter of minutes. You can also call the government agency at 855-411-2372.
Ask the credit bureaus to add a statement to your credit file. Your statement regarding the dispute will be included or summarized in future credit reports.
Consider legal action. This may be an option if a credit bureau willfully fails to comply with the law. In this case, you might pursue a lawsuit to recover damages and legal fees.

How to monitor your credit report for future mistakes

Staying on top of your credit health can help you discover credit report mistakes sooner rather than later, and the upside is that it’s pretty easy to do. You can review your credit reports for free — you’ll just need to request a copy of your credit reports on a weekly basis at AnnualCreditReport.com.

But if you prefer a more hands-off approach, you could opt for credit monitoring tools. Most will notify you if there’s any new activity on your credit report, and you’ll likely have access to your credit report and credit score. Some will even notify you if your personal information pops up on the dark web.

Supercharge your credit

If credit monitoring sounds like a good option, LendingTree Spring can do the heavy lifting for you. The app makes it easy to identify errors on your TransUnion report and dispute them with just a few clicks.

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