How to Fix an Error on Your Credit Report

A denied rental application or a rate quote that does not match the score sent you looking, and there it is: an account that is not yours, a paid debt still showing a balance, or a late payment that never happened. The part most people skip is the second dispute. The CFPB describes disputing with the credit reporting company and then separately with the company that supplied the information.

Get all three reports first

AnnualCreditReport.com describes itself as the only website authorized to provide the free reports required under federal law. As of September 2026 its FAQ says a report can be checked free once every week from each of the three agencies, and the FTC page Free Credit Reports says the same. Pull all three: the bureaus hold different data, and an error often sits on one report and not the others.

Dispute with every bureau that shows it

File at each bureau whose report carries the error. Equifax takes disputes through a free myEquifax account and says results come within 30 days. Experian takes them through a free Experian account with online status tracking. TransUnion takes them through its Service Center. The CFPB dispute guide says disputing is free and can be done online, by mail, or by phone.

Dispute with the business that reported it

This is the step that gets skipped. The FTC page Disputing Errors on Your Credit Reports says to contact the credit bureau and the business that reported the inaccurate information, and that both have to correct information that is wrong or incomplete. The FTC publishes a sample letter to that business alongside one to the credit bureaus.

Put the right things in a mailed dispute

The FTC dispute page says a mailed dispute should give your complete name and address, name each mistake and why it is wrong, and enclose copies rather than originals of supporting documents, plus a copy of the report with the mistakes circled. It says to send the letter by certified mail with a return receipt, so there is a record the bureau got it. Keep copies of everything sent.

Check the result and what follows

The FTC page says the credit bureau has 30 days to investigate, must give the results in writing, and must provide a free copy of the report if the dispute results in a change. The CFPB page says furnishers generally must investigate and respond within 30 days, and must update or remove information found wrong and notify the credit reporting companies. Where a dispute does not end in a change, both pages describe asking for a statement of dispute to be added to future reports.

If the dispute goes nowhere. As of September 2026 the CFPB complaint form loads and is accepting submissions. It says most companies respond within 15 days, and complaints can also be filed by phone at (855) 411-2372.

If a company offers to clean the report for a fee. The FTC page Fixing Your Credit FAQs says it is illegal for credit repair companies to lie about what they can do or to charge before they help, and that they cannot remove accurate, current negative information.

Sources. AnnualCreditReport.com, FTC free credit reports, FTC disputing errors, CFPB dispute guide, CFPB complaint, Equifax disputes, Experian disputes, TransUnion disputes.