A late payment can stay on your credit report for up to seven years from the original delinquency date, which is the date you first missed the payment. This means even if you pay the past-due balance later, the late payment record remains on your credit report for the full seven years
. Late payments generally do not show up on your credit report until they are at least 30 days past due. If you make the full payment before it reaches 30 days late, it typically will not be reported to the credit bureaus. However, once a payment is 30 days or more late, it can be reported and will impact your credit score. The impact tends to lessen over time but remains on the report for the seven-year period
. If a late payment was reported in error, you have the right to dispute it with the credit bureaus to have it removed. But accurate late payments cannot be removed early from your credit report, even if you bring the account current
. In summary:
- Late payments appear on your credit report after 30 days past due.
- They remain on your credit report for up to seven years from the date of the missed payment.
- The negative impact on your credit score decreases over time.
- Only incorrect late payments can be removed through disputes; accurate ones stay for seven years
