How to Dispute a Credit Report Error

Your Right to Dispute

The FCRA gives consumers the right to dispute information they believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable directly with the credit bureau reporting it, or with the company that furnished the information.

How to File a Dispute

1. Identify the specific inaccurate item and gather any supporting documentation
2. Submit your dispute directly with the credit bureau reporting the error, in writing, describing exactly what's wrong
3. Keep copies of everything you submit and any confirmation of receipt

Where to File: Each Bureau's Dispute Page

Each nationwide bureau takes disputes online, by phone, and by mail. If the same error shows up on more than one report, dispute it with each bureau separately, since they don't share corrections with each other.

• Experian: experian.com/disputes
• Equifax: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute
• TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-disputes/dispute-your-credit

Online is fastest, but mailing your dispute with tracking gives you a paper record of what you sent and when it arrived, which matters if you need to escalate later. Our DIY credit repair guide walks through the mail option step by step, and our dispute letter templates give you a starting format.

What Happens After

Under the FCRA, the bureau must generally investigate your dispute within a set window of time rather than an indefinite period, check current CFPB guidance for the exact timeframe, since we intentionally avoid stating a specific number of days here to ensure accuracy. If the disputed item can't be verified as accurate, it must be corrected or removed.

What to Do If the Dispute Is Denied

You can add a statement of dispute to your file, request the bureau's specific method of verification, or file a complaint with the CFPB if you believe the investigation wasn't handled properly. A CFPB complaint is forwarded directly to the company, which generally has 15 days to respond. You can also report the problem to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or through IdentityTheft.gov if identity theft is involved.

One more step that helps before you dispute: smaller bureaus like Innovis, LexisNexis (which includes SageStream), ChexSystems, and NCTUE also keep consumer files, and freezing them can keep corrected items from resurfacing. Our DIY credit repair guide walks through the freeze links and the full sequence.