How long do late payments stay on your credit report?

Late payments stay on your credit report for 7 years from the date of the missed payment. The impact on your score decreases over time, with most damage occurring in the first 1-2 years.

When do collections fall off your credit report?

Collections remain on your credit report for 7 years from the date of the original delinquency (when you first missed a payment), not from when the collection started or when you paid it.

How long does bankruptcy stay on your credit report?

Chapter 7 bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years. Chapter 13 bankruptcy stays for 7 years from the filing date.

How Long Do Items Stay on Your Credit Report? (2026 Guide)

Negative items on your credit report eventually fall off — but timing varies by item type. Here’s exactly how long each type of entry stays on your report.

Quick answer: Most negative items stay 7 years. Bankruptcies stay 7-10 years. Positive accounts can stay 10 years after closing. Hard inquiries fall off after 2 years.

Credit Report Item Duration Summary

Item Type	How Long It Stays	Clock Starts From
Late payments (30-90 days)	7 years	Date of first missed payment
Late payments (120+ days)	7 years	Date of first missed payment
Collection accounts	7 years	Date of original delinquency
Charge-offs	7 years	Date of first missed payment
Chapter 7 bankruptcy	10 years	Filing date
Chapter 13 bankruptcy	7 years	Filing date
Foreclosure	7 years	Date of first missed payment
Repossession	7 years	Date of first missed payment
Tax liens (unpaid)	Indefinitely	Date filed
Tax liens (paid)	7 years	Date paid
Hard inquiries	2 years	Date of inquiry
Civil judgments	7 years	Date of judgment
Closed accounts (good standing)	10 years	Date closed
Open accounts (good standing)	Indefinitely	While open

Detailed Breakdown by Item Type

Late Payments

Days Late	Duration	Credit Score Impact
30 days late	7 years	-60 to -110 points
60 days late	7 years	-70 to -120 points
90 days late	7 years	-80 to -130 points
120+ days late	7 years	-90 to -150 points

Impact decreases over time: A 30-day late payment from 5 years ago hurts much less than one from 5 months ago.

Collections

Collection Status	Duration	Notes
Unpaid collection	7 years	From original delinquency date
Paid collection	7 years	Clock doesn’t restart when you pay
Settled collection	7 years	Settled for less than owed
Medical collection (under $500)	N/A	Removed as of 2023
Medical collection (paid)	N/A	Removed once paid

Important: Paying a collection does NOT restart the 7-year clock.

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy Type	Duration	Notes
Chapter 7	10 years	Full discharge of debts
Chapter 13	7 years	Payment plan completion
Dismissed bankruptcy	Varies	May still show

Other Major Negatives

Item	Duration	From Date
Foreclosure	7 years	First missed payment
Short sale	7 years	If settled for less
Deed in lieu	7 years	Transfer date
Repossession	7 years	First missed payment
Vehicle deficiency	7 years	Charge-off date

How the 7-Year Clock Works

Example: Credit Card Default

Event	Date	7-Year Expiration
Last on-time payment	January 2024	—
First missed payment (30 days)	February 2024	February 2031
60 days late	March 2024	—
90 days late	April 2024	—
Charge-off	July 2024	—
Sold to collections	September 2024	—
Removal date		February 2031

Key: The clock starts from the first missed payment, not when the account was charged off or sold to collections.

Credit Score Impact Over Time

Late Payment Impact Timeline

Time Since Late Payment	Score Impact
0-6 months	Maximum impact (-60 to -150)
6-12 months	High impact (-40 to -100)
1-2 years	Moderate impact (-20 to -60)
2-4 years	Lower impact (-10 to -30)
4-6 years	Minimal impact (-5 to -15)
6-7 years	Negligible impact
7+ years	Removed from report

Bankruptcy Impact Timeline

Time Since Bankruptcy	Score Recovery
Year 0	Score may drop 150-240 points
Year 1-2	Begin rebuilding; 550-600 possible
Year 2-4	620-680 possible with good behavior
Year 4-6	700+ possible
Year 7-10	720+ possible

Positive Items

Good news: positive items stay longer!

Positive Item	Duration
Open account in good standing	Indefinitely
Closed account with positive history	10 years from close date
On-time payments	Stay with the account
Old accounts (age of credit)	Valuable for score

Tip: Don’t close old credit cards — their positive history helps your score.

Hard vs. Soft Inquiries

Inquiry Type	Duration	Score Impact
Hard inquiry	2 years	-5 to -10 points initially
Soft inquiry	Not reported	No impact
Rate shopping (same type, 14-45 days)	Counts as 1 inquiry	Minimal impact

Examples of Each

Hard Inquiries	Soft Inquiries
Credit card application	Checking your own credit
Mortgage application	Pre-approval offers
Auto loan application	Background checks (employment)
Personal loan application	Account reviews by creditors
Apartment rental application	Insurance quotes

Disputing Errors

If an item should have fallen off but hasn’t:

Step	Action
1	Get your free credit reports (AnnualCreditReport.com)
2	Identify items past 7/10-year mark
3	File dispute with each bureau (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)
4	Provide evidence of dates
5	Bureau must investigate within 30 days
6	Item removed if not verified

Dispute Success Rates

Dispute Reason	Success Rate
Item past 7-year date	Very high
Incorrect date of first delinquency	High
Not your account	High if you have proof
Incorrect balance	Moderate
General dispute	Lower

Strategies While Waiting

Build Positive History

Action	Impact
Get a secured credit card	New positive payment history
Become authorized user	Inherit good history
Keep utilization below 30%	Immediate score boost
Never miss a payment	Most important factor
Diversify credit types	Small positive impact

Negotiate with Creditors

Strategy	When It Works
Pay for delete	Ask collections to remove after payment
Goodwill letter	Request removal of single late payment
Rapid rescore	When applying for mortgage
Settlement	May show “settled” vs. “paid in full”

Medical Debt Special Rules (2023+)

Recent changes to medical debt reporting:

Rule	Details
No medical debt under $500	Not reported
Paid medical collections	Removed from report
1-year waiting period	Medical debt can’t be reported for 1 year

State-Specific Rules

Some states have shorter reporting periods:

State	Special Rules
California	Paid tax liens: 7 years
New York	Paid collections: May be removed sooner
Colorado	Collections: Additional protections
Maryland	Older items may be limited

Timeline to Credit Recovery

Starting Point	Target Score (700+)	Timeline
Fresh bankruptcy	700+	2-4 years
Multiple collections	700+	1-3 years
Recent late payments	700+	6 months - 2 years
Mixed negative history	700+	1-3 years
Clean start	700+	6 months - 1 year

Bottom Line

Most negative items stay 7 years from first missed payment
Chapter 7 bankruptcy stays 10 years
Hard inquiries fall off after 2 years
Positive accounts stay 10 years after closing
The impact decreases significantly after 2-4 years
You can rebuild a 700+ score within 2-4 years of most negatives
Dispute errors — items should be removed right at 7 years
Medical debt rules are now more consumer-friendly

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