Disclosure regarding our editorial content standards.
If you’ve noticed a mistake on your credit report, you’re probably looking forward to disputing it and getting it removed so your credit score can improve. But you might also be wondering, “How long does it take for a dispute to be removed from your credit report?” After all, the dispute has to be filed, approved and updated. So, how often does your credit score update? Will you see an immediate change?
The answer is a bit complicated. Ultimately, how long it will take depends on several factors. This includes what kind of items you’re disputing, how long the dispute takes, if the dispute is successful and how quickly your reports update.
In theory, if everything goes according to plan, the process can take anywhere from one to three months.
What errors can negatively affect your credit reports?
You can file a dispute for any incorrect information on your credit report. But that doesn’t mean all disputes will impact your score. For example, errors that are small, like misspelled names, incorrect addresses or wrong birth dates, won’t qualitatively affect your report or score. These errors should still be fixed, because they can cause delays with future lending applications.
Unfortunately, though, they likely won’t impact your score. This is because these errors are more of an identification issue than a credit history issue.
The exception to the above is if your misspelled name or incorrect birth date resulted in another person’s debts being added to your report. For example, if another Jane Doe’s collection account were added to your report incorrectly, it could significantly lower your score.
On the other hand, inaccurate or unverified information on your report related to credit can significantly impact your score. Examples include inaccurate hard inquiries, incorrect loan amounts, missed or late payment information and false judgments. You’ll want to dispute these errors right away, but approval can take some time as it’ll require verification from a data furnisher.
How does the credit dispute process work?
You’ll want to file your dispute with the bureau that shows the error on your report. If all three bureaus have the same mistake on file, technically speaking, you only have to make one dispute. If the dispute is successful, the furnisher legally should provide the correct information to all bureaus.
However, experts recommend that it’s best practice to dispute with each bureau that shows the error. This will ensure the mistake is fixed quickly without relying on the furnisher to reach out to all bureaus.
You can choose between filing your dispute online or mailing it in. When you file your dispute, you’ll need to clearly state what’s incorrect and provide supporting documents.
If your dispute applies to information provided by a furnisher, the bureau has to notify that furnisher within five days of receiving the dispute. The furnisher must respond quickly so that the bureau can meet the 30-day investigation deadline set by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
If the consumer provides additional documentation after the initial dispute is filed, the FCRA allows for a 15-day extension on the investigation.
This means bureaus have a maximum of 30 – 45 days to respond to your dispute, although many disputes are resolved much faster.
If your dispute is deemed frivolous, the bureau has the right to reject it without investigation. For this reason, it’s important to be careful and detailed when submitting a credit dispute.
What to do if you disagree with the outcome
If your dispute is rejected and you disagree with the outcome—like, for example, they reject your dispute after their investigation and continue to report the item in question—you have two options. The first is to reach out to the data furnisher directly.
Ultimately, the credit bureau relies on the furnisher to look into the dispute, so if they have incorrect information, it’s best to go to the source. You can provide them with proof so they can update their records and notify the credit bureau.
The second alternative is to refile a dispute with the bureaus. If you resubmit the exact dispute with no new information, it’s unlikely you’ll get a different judgment.
Ideally, you’d want to find new supportive evidence that backs your dispute. Additionally, you might want to consider working with a professional credit repair service to resubmit your dispute. These companies understand what credit bureaus want to see and can improve your chances of having a dispute judged in your favor.
A bureau would again have 30 – 45 days to investigate the new dispute.
If the above options don’t work out, your last option is to request that a statement of dispute be added to your file. This won’t improve your credit score, but future lenders will see the note that you disagree with the entry in your report. This may lead the lender to ask you for more details rather than immediately denying you over the item.
You’ll need to contact each bureau individually to add a note to your file.
How often do credit reports update?
So, assuming your dispute is successful, you might see this reflected on your report straightaway. TransUnion states, “When information is received by the credit reporting agencies, it’s typically added to your credit reports immediately.”
But remember that your score isn’t included in your credit report. You’ll have to review your credit score elsewhere—such as your online banking platform. Many online score providers only update monthly, so you might have to wait a few weeks to see the change.
Also note that, in general, credit reports typically update every 30 – 45 days. This is because lenders are expected to provide updated information to the credit bureaus this often, if not more regularly. So, while the new information might be shared with the bureau, it can take several weeks before your credit report and credit score show the update.
Plus, lenders often don’t provide their data to all three credit bureaus at the same time—so you might see the change reflected with one bureau a little sooner than the others.
The timelines may seem vague, but the general rule of thumb is to expect to wait several weeks. If you still don’t see the change reflected on your credit report (and therefore, score) after the dispute has been completed and another month or so has passed, you should contact the relevant bureaus.
You can get professional help with your dispute
Reviewing your credit report and filing disputes—when necessary—should be part of your regular financial routine. Senior Director of Public Education and Advocacy at Experian Rod Griffin encourages consumers not to be afraid of disputes. He states, “If you find information you believe is fraudulent, dispute it and get it corrected right away. Disputing information is free and does not hurt your credit scores.”
You can increase the chances of your dispute being approved by using a credit repair service. CreditRepair.com, for example, offers credit repair services that will review your credit report and file disputes on your behalf.
Additionally, don’t forget there are other ways you can improve your score. For example, taking an interest in credit education can help you build healthy financial habits that will increase your credit score. And a strong credit score can open the door for many other economic opportunities.
