Part of our guide to What Actually Moves Your Credit Score
Two questions get mixed together here. How long an entry remains visible on your report is fixed by law. How long it affects your score is a separate matter, and the answer is considerably shorter.
Visibility is set by the Fair Credit Reporting Act — most negative information for seven years, bankruptcy for up to ten. Weight is set by the scoring model, and it decays continuously: a late payment from five years ago is treated very differently from one reported last month, even though both are still on the file.
The limits
| Entry | How long it stays visible |
|---|---|
| Late payments | 7 years from the original delinquency |
| Charge-offs | 7 years from the original delinquency |
| Collection accounts | 7 years from the original delinquency |
| Chapter 13 bankruptcy | 7 years from filing |
| Chapter 7 bankruptcy | 10 years from filing |
| Foreclosure | 7 years |
| Hard inquiries | 2 years (counted by most models for about 12 months) |
| Closed accounts in good standing | Often up to 10 years — and they help |
These are United States rules under the FCRA. Other countries set their own periods, and the mechanics do not transfer.
When the clock actually starts
This is the detail that matters most, and it is the one most often misunderstood.
The seven years runs from the date of first delinquency — the point at which the account went late and was never subsequently brought current. It does not restart when:
- The creditor charges the debt off
- The debt is sold to a collection agency
- The collector sells it on again
- You make a payment on it
- A collector contacts you
A debt sold three times still ages off seven years after the original missed payment. Restarting that clock — "re-aging" — is not permitted, and a collection entry showing a first-delinquency date later than the truth is an error worth disputing.
One important separation: the statute of limitations on a creditor suing you for a debt is a different legal clock entirely, set by state law, and in some states making a payment can restart that one. The reporting period and the legal enforceability period are unrelated. Do not treat advice about one as advice about the other.
Weight fades long before the entry disappears
Scoring models weigh recency heavily. A 30-day late payment reported last month and the same event five years ago are not treated alike, even though both remain visible.
This has a practical consequence worth internalising: the recovery curve is steepest early. Most of the damage from a single missed payment has faded well before the seven years elapse, provided nothing new joins it. Waiting for the entry to vanish is rarely the plan — building a clean recent record alongside it is.
It also means the worst thing you can do after a late payment is add another. Recency compounds.
What paying does and does not change
Paying a collection generally does not remove it. The entry usually stays until it ages off, updated to show a zero balance and a paid status.
Whether that update helps depends on which model a lender uses. Newer FICO and VantageScore versions disregard paid collections. Older versions, still widely used in mortgage lending, do not. So paying may help substantially, or barely at all, depending on who is looking.
There are reasons to pay regardless: the debt may still be legally enforceable, a lender may require it before approving a mortgage, and it stops the collection activity.
"Pay for delete" is unreliable. Some collectors will agree to remove an entry in exchange for payment. Furnishers are expected to report accurately, so the practice sits awkwardly with reporting rules, and a verbal agreement is worth nothing. If you attempt it, get it in writing before paying.
What actually rebuilds a file
Time, plus a clean record accumulating alongside the damage. Concretely:
- Never miss another payment. Automate minimums as insurance.
- Keep utilisation low. It is the fast lever and it is unaffected by past delinquencies.
- Leave old accounts open. Closed accounts in good standing can remain on your report for years and continue to contribute age.
- Do not chase new credit to compensate. Applications add inquiries and reduce average account age at the moment you can least afford either.
Beware anyone promising removal
Accurate negative information cannot be removed on request, by anyone, at any price. A company charging to do so is either disputing entries you could dispute yourself for free, or filing volume disputes hoping something goes unverified within the investigation window.
Inaccurate information is a different matter, and you can correct it yourself at no cost.
Related reading
- How to improve your credit score
- How to check your credit report free
- What credit utilisation is
- Credit score myths worth ignoring
- How to pay off debt faster
This is general information, not financial or legal advice — see our disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a late payment stay on a credit report?
Seven years from the date of the original delinquency, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Its effect on your score fades substantially well before it disappears, so a late payment from five years ago weighs far less than one from last month.
Does paying a collection remove it from my report?
No. It typically remains until it ages off, though it may be updated to show as paid. Some newer scoring models ignore paid collections entirely, which is why the practical effect varies by which model a lender uses.
How long does bankruptcy stay on a credit report?
A Chapter 7 bankruptcy remains for ten years from the filing date. Chapter 13 generally falls off after seven years. Individual accounts included in the filing follow their own seven-year clock.
When does the seven-year clock actually start?
From the date of first delinquency — the point the account first went late and was never brought current — not from the date it was charged off, sold, or passed to a collector.
Can a debt collector restart the clock by contacting me?
No. The reporting period is fixed to the original delinquency date and re-aging it is not permitted. Note that the separate statute of limitations on suing for a debt is a different matter and can be affected by payment.
Do hard inquiries stay for seven years?
No. Hard inquiries remain visible for two years and most scoring models stop counting them after about twelve months.
Sources
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