What to do if you miss a credit card payment

Lindsay VanSomeren, contributing writer for Credit Karma Written by:
Amy Kalin Edited by:
Updated
•5 min read • Leer en español
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In a Nutshell

Missing a credit card payment can result in fees or increased interest rates — and it can affect your credit scores. If you act quickly, you might be able to lessen the negative effects of a late payment.
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Key Takeaway: When you miss a credit card payment, acting quickly to catch up and contacting your card issuer can help you limit the damage, which could include a late payment fee and a ding to your credit, depending on how late you are.

The first thing to do if you miss a credit card payment is to pay at least the minimum payment due as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that you’re not the first person to miss a credit card payment. If you can make the minimum payment as soon as possible — even if it’s late — you may be able to negotiate a waived or reduced late fee with your credit card issuer. Your card issuer also likely can help if you need more time to catch up.

The key is to be proactive — contact your card issuer as soon as you can.

What steps should I take if I miss a credit card payment?

The most important action to take when you miss a credit card payment is to pay at least the minimum amount due as soon as you can, if possible. Contacting your card issuer may help if you’re struggling to pay or if you’ve been charged a late fee and hope to get it reduced or reversed. And setting up autopay or alerts can help you avoid late payments going forward.

 Consider these five steps.

  1. Make the minimum payment ASAP: Late credit card payments are reported in 30-day intervals, meaning there’s generally no credit impact until you’re more than 30 days late.
  2. Call your credit card company: If you can’t pay, your issuer may be able to offer help, such as lowering your rate or setting up a payment plan. If you’re able to pay, your issuer may be able to reverse any penalty fees or rates, especially if you normally pay on time.
  3. Monitor your credit report: Make sure the late payment isn’t showing up incorrectly on your credit report. You can view your Equifax and TransUnion reports for free any time on Credit Karma and see reports from all three of the major credit bureaus once a week for free on AnnualCreditReport.com.
  4. Set up autopay: If you normally have the cash to pay in your bank account but simply forget sometimes, consider setting the credit card up for the minimum payment due.
  5. Set up account alerts and reminders: Credit card companies often allow you to set up alerts to help you stay up to date. That, plus autopay, can help ensure you stay on track.

What happens if you miss a credit card payment?

You could face several consequences for missing a credit card payment, including …

  • Late payment fee — Up to $41, depending on your card’s terms
  • Penalty APR — Often around 30%, for at least six months
  • Negative credit score impact — The longer you go without paying, and the higher your original credit score, the greater the impact on your credit score will likely be
  • Losing certain credit card benefits — Issuers can roll back your payment grace period, suspend your card, remove promotional interest rates, take back rewards and more

If you miss a credit card payment, the consequences generally get more severe the longer you go without catching up on your overdue balance.

When does a missed payment affect your credit?

Missed payments generally don’t start affecting your credit score until they’re 30 days or more overdue. Here’s generally how the payment sequence works.

  1. Receive bill — Your credit card issuer sends you a bill every month, typically 20 to 25 days before the due date.
  2. Payment due during grace period — You must pay at least the minimum by this date, or it’ll be a late payment. (Note: if you pay off the entire balance by this date, you generally won’t owe any interest.)
  3. First 30 days of late payment — You may owe late fees and penalties as soon as your payment is late. But it generally won’t be listed on your credit report from days one through 29.
  4. 30 days or more late — Once your payment is officially 30 days past due, creditors can add it to your credit report, and then it’ll begin to affect your credit score. It’ll also be reported late at 60- and 90-day increments until it is sent to collections, with each milestone causing further credit damage.

Credit card companies also typically report your account information once per month. So if your account becomes delinquent by 30 days or more right after your issuer has submitted its monthly account update, you might not see any impact to your credit for nearly two months.

How can you avoid missing payments?

Setting up autopay may be the single best way to avoid missing a payment. Even if you regularly pay off your entire balance in full and think you’re safe, putting your account on autopay for just the minimum can be a great backup in case you forget — like if you’re on vacation, for example.

Setting up account alerts can help, too. This can help you stay on track of upcoming due dates and get notified faster if there’s any fraudulent activity in your account.

If you simply don’t have the money for your payment, reaching out to your creditor before the due date may help. Credit card companies in some cases may offer a payment plan or lower interest rate. The key is to be proactive.

What’s next?

Missing a credit card payment isn’t the end of the world, but it’s something to avoid if at all possible. Bringing your account current as soon as you can, proactively communicating with your card issuer, and using tools like autopay or account alerts can get you back on track and continuing to build good credit.

FAQs about missed credit card payments

You can be charged a late payment fee as soon as you miss your payment, and credit card companies might roll back some of your benefits. But it’s unlikely that you’ll see any credit impact until you’re at least 30 days late.

In general, late payments won’t impact your credit until they’re past due by 30 days or more. That’s the point at which companies start reporting them to the credit bureaus, but you may face other consequences — like late payment penalties — as soon as the first day it’s late.

Yes, it’s possible for a single missed payment to impact your credit if it’s overdue by 30 days or more. Missed payments can stay on your credit report for up to seven years, although their negative impact will fade over time.

Late payments generally stay on your credit report for seven years. Anyone can see them during this time, but as time passes, the negative impact of those marks on your credit score will start to lessen.