Late payments typically stay on your credit report for up to seven years from the original delinquency date, which is the date the payment first became late and was not brought current
Key details about late payments on credit reports:
- Reporting timing: Creditors usually do not report late payments until they are at least 30 days past due. Payments that are late by less than 30 days generally do not appear on credit reports, though late fees may still apply
- Duration: Once reported, the late payment remains on your credit report for seven years regardless of whether you later bring the account current or close it
- Impact over time: The negative effect of a late payment on your credit score is strongest when first reported but tends to diminish as the record ages, though it can still affect your credit for the full seven years
- Removal: Legitimate late payments cannot be removed early from your credit report. They can only be removed if reported in error or if the account was fraudulently opened. Disputing inaccuracies can lead to removal, but accurate late payments stay for seven years
In summary, a late payment will stay on your credit report for seven years from the date it first became delinquent, and its impact on your credit score lessens over time but does not disappear until it falls off after seven years.
