Credit reports · checked 6 November 2026
How do I dispute something on my credit report?
Dispute it with each credit bureau that shows the error (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), and also with the company that reported it. It's free. The bureau generally has 30 days to investigate, and anything it can't verify must be fixed or removed.
Want the answer for your own case? Use the tool, then read on for the details.
Write my dispute letter1. Get your reports
You can check your report from each bureau free once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com, a program the bureaus have made permanent. Find the exact line that's wrong on each one: an error can appear at one bureau and not the others.
2. File the dispute with the bureau
| Bureau | Online | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equifax | myEquifax account, "File a dispute" | (866) 349-5191 | Use the address on Equifax's dispute page or form |
| Experian | Experian Dispute Center (free account) | (888) 397-3742 | Experian, P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013 |
| TransUnion | Online credit report dispute | (800) 916-8800 | TransUnion Consumer Solutions, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016-2000 |
Online is fastest. By mail, the FTC suggests certified mail with a return receipt.
3. What to send
- Your name, address and the report item, with the account number.
- What's wrong and what you want: corrected or removed.
- Copies, not originals, of proof: a paid-in-full letter, bank statement, police or FTC identity theft report, or court record.
- Keep a record of everything you send and when.
4. Dispute with the company that reported it too
The FTC says to contact both the credit bureau and the business that supplied the information (the bank, lender or collector). If that business keeps reporting the item after your dispute, the bureau must note that you dispute it.
What happens next
- Bureaus say results come within 30 days. TransUnion says the company that reported it has 30 days, in some cases up to 45, and if it doesn't respond in time TransUnion removes the item.
- Disputing doesn't lower your score. Accurate information can't be removed: most negative items stay for 7 years, bankruptcies for 10.
- TransUnion suggests waiting to apply for credit while a dispute is open.
If the bureau says no
- Dispute again with new documents, or go straight to the company that reported it.
- Add a statement of dispute to your file so future lenders see your side.
- If the bureau calls your dispute "frivolous", it must tell you why.
Is the error a charge you never made?
Fix the source too. Dispute the charge with your card company, and our free tool shows your deadline and writes the letter.
Related: complain about a bank · how to ask for a refund. Sources: FTC, "Disputing Errors on Your Credit Reports" (updated July 2026); Equifax, Experian and TransUnion dispute pages. Not affiliated with any credit bureau. General guidance, not legal advice. Read 6 November 2026.