In a Nutshell
If a late payment on your credit reports is inaccurate or old, you can ask to have it removed by contacting the creditor or file disputes with the credit bureaus. If the late payment is accurate, it typically remains on your credit reports for up to seven years, though its impact can fade over time as you build positive history.Late payments are derogatory marks on your credit reports that can lower your credit scores. You may be able to remove a late payment if it’s reported in error or has exceeded the standard reporting period.
We’ll explain how to remove inaccurate late payments from your credit reports, what to expect if the information is accurate, how late payments may affect your credit, as well as practical ways to avoid them in the future.
- How do late payments affect your credit?
- How long do late payments stay on your credit reports?
- How to remove inaccurate late payments from your credit reports
- Can you remove accurate late payments?
- How to avoid late payments on your credit report
- FAQs about removing late payments
How do late payments affect your credit?
Late payments can lower your credit scores since payment history is a key factor in credit scoring models. The exact impact varies based on your overall credit profile and the scoring model used.
People with excellent credit often see a larger credit score drop from a first-time late payment than those who already have multiple delinquencies. You have many different credit scores, and lenders may check one or more of them when you apply for a new loan or credit card.
Keep in mind that each bureau may have slightly different data since not every lender reports to every credit bureau. Timing differences in when creditors report to each bureau can also lead to score variability.
How long do late payments stay on your credit report?
In general, an accurately reported late payment can remain on your credit reports for up to seven years from the original delinquency date, or the date of the first missed payment. If a late payment is more than seven years old but still appears, it may be an error worth disputing.
How to remove inaccurate late payments from your credit reports
If you spot a late payment that you believe is incorrect or older than seven years, use this step-by-step process.
1. Check your credit reports
Check your credit reports from the three main credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) and look closely at any accounts showing a late payment. Some reports may also indicate how late the payment was. Details can differ across bureaus so make sure to review each report for accuracy individually.
Credit Karma provides members with their VantageScore 3.0 TransUnion and Equifax credit reports for free.
2. Compare with your own records
Confirm whether you paid on time by reviewing statements, bank transactions and payment confirmations for both accounts — the one that made the payment and the one that received the payment and is reporting the late mark. If the date or status doesn’t match, you may have grounds to dispute.
3. Reach out to your creditor
Contact the lender, card issuer or servicer that reported the information. Explain what you believe is wrong and share supporting documents. Creditors who agree an item is incorrect must update or remove it and notify any bureaus they reported to.
4. Dispute with the credit bureaus
You should also file disputes with each bureau reporting the error. Provide clear evidence such as statements and screenshots and a brief explanation of what’s wrong. Bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate your dispute.
5. Track the results
Wait for responses from your creditor and the credit bureaus, then recheck your reports to confirm updates. Keep copies of everything you send and receive. Keep an eye on your credit reports and scores if the credit bureau agrees to remove the late payment.
Can you remove accurate late payments?
If the late payment is accurate, removal is unlikely. Over time, the impact of a late payment can lessen as you continue to make on-time payments and build positive payment history. You may hear about methods to erase accurate information, but those claims are often misleading.
- Goodwill letters — A goodwill letter asks a creditor to forgive a one-time late payment and to stop reporting the accurate late payment. But creditors must report information accurately and aren’t required to make adjustments, so results vary and aren’t guaranteed.
- Pay-for-delete — Some debt collectors advertise removing a collections entry if you pay your collections off. Collections typically stay on your credit report for up to seven years, plus 180 days from when the account first became past due. But the credit bureaus may decline to remove accurate information. Prioritize disputing inaccuracies instead.
How to avoid late payments on your credit report
- Set up autopay or reminders — Automate at least the minimum payment due or set up reminders through your calendar or an app a few days before your due dates to ensure you won’t miss payments.
- Contact your creditor before a missed payment — If you might be late, call before the due date to ask about a one-time courtesy adjustment. Early communication may prevent reporting a late payment.
- Catch up within 30 days — Most creditors don’t report a payment as late to the bureaus until it’s 30 or more days past due. Bringing the account current quickly may help you avoid a derogatory mark altogether, but you may still have to pay a late fee.
Next steps
Monitoring your credit reports can help you spot potential issues quickly and confirm that corrections have been made. Continuing to pay on time and keeping balances manageable can support credit score recovery after a late payment.
Credit Karma helps you keep track of your VantageScore 3.0 credit scores and reports from TransUnion and Equifax.
FAQs about removing late payments
A card issuer must report accurate information, so it generally won’t remove a correctly reported late payment. If there’s an error, the issuer should correct it and notify any bureaus it reports to. You can also ask for a one-time goodwill adjustment, but it isn’t guaranteed.
Yes, if the late payment is inaccurate or too old it’s worth disputing. Credit bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate disputes and must update information that is inaccurate. If the information is accurate, it typically stays on your credit reports for up to seven years, though its impact can diminish as you add positive history.
Keep the goodwill letter brief and factual. Explain the circumstance, note your prior history of on-time payments, confirm the account is now current, and politely request a courtesy adjustment. There’s no guarantee — creditors must report accurately — but some may choose to help long-standing customers.