The Short Answer
The answer depends on whether the tradeline is positive or negative, and whether it is an authorized user (AU) rental tradeline or a primary account you own:
- Positive tradelines (you own the account): Remain while open; 10 years after closure for FICO
- Negative tradelines: 7 years from the date of first delinquency (Chapter 7 bankruptcy: 10 years)
- Authorized user tradelines (rented): Remain while the rental period is active; removed when rental ends or primary account closes
This is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) § 605, which sets maximum reporting periods for different types of information. No creditor or credit bureau can legally report accurate information beyond these periods. However, they can remove accurate information earlier - they just are not required to.
Positive vs. Negative Tradelines: Different Rules
The FCRA draws a fundamental distinction between positive credit information and negative credit information. This distinction drives the reporting periods:
Positive Credit Information
FCRA § 605(b) specifies that positive account information can be reported for an "unlimited" time - or more precisely, there is no statutory maximum. In practice, FICO scoring models only consider positive closed accounts for 10 years from the date of closure. After 10 years, the closed account continues to appear on the credit report but is no longer factored into FICO score calculations.
Negative Credit Information
FCRA § 605(a) specifies maximum reporting periods for negative information. These are firm limits - accurate negative information cannot be reported beyond these periods:
| Type of Negative Item | Maximum Reporting Period |
|---|---|
| Late payments (30-180 days delinquent) | 7 years from date of first delinquency |
| Collections accounts | 7 years from date of first delinquency on original account |
| Charge-offs | 7 years from date of first delinquency |
| Repossessions | 7 years from date of repossession or date account was settled |
| Chapter 13 Bankruptcy | 7 years from filing date |
| Chapter 7 Bankruptcy | 10 years from filing date |
| Tax liens (paid) | 7 years from date paid |
| Tax liens (unpaid) | 7 years from filing date (indefinitely if unpaid after 7 years in some states) |
| Civil judgments | 7 years from date entered in most states; varies by state |
Positive Account Reporting Rules
Open Positive Accounts
An account you are actively using and making on-time payments on - a credit card, auto loan, mortgage - remains on your credit report as long as it is open and the creditor continues to report. There is no maximum reporting period for open positive accounts because FCRA's reporting limits apply only to negative information.
The moment an account closes - whether by you or by the creditor - the 10-year clock starts for FICO. The account will continue to appear on your credit report for up to 10 years after closure (for FICO scoring purposes; VantageScore may keep it longer).
Closed Positive Accounts
A closed positive account (paid in full, closed in good standing) remains on your credit report for 10 years under FICO scoring model rules. This is a scoring model rule, not an FCRA requirement - FCRA technically allows longer reporting, but FICO's models only incorporate closed positive accounts for 10 years.
Why does this matter? A 15-year-old closed account that was paid in full still appears on your credit report (you can see it), but it no longer contributes to your FICO score after the 10-year mark. However, for VantageScore calculations and for manual underwriter review (e.g., a mortgage underwriter looking at your full credit history), the presence of old positive accounts is still a positive signal.
Negative Account Reporting Rules
The 7-year clock for negative information starts from the date of the first delinquency on the account - not the date the account was opened, not the date the account was charged off, not the date the collection agency picked it up. The first delinquency date is the date of the first missed payment that was never brought current.
Example: A credit card has a $500 minimum payment due January 1. You miss the payment and do not bring it current by the next billing cycle. That is the first delinquency date - January 1. The 7-year clock starts from January 1, regardless of when the creditor charges off the account, sends it to collections, or obtains a judgment.
If you bring the account current after a delinquency and then later it becomes delinquent again, the 7-year clock restarts from the new first delinquency date. This is important for understanding why a 7-year-old delinquency may suddenly reappear after you settle or brings an old account current - the new delinquency date resets the clock.
Authorized User Tradelines: Specific Rules
AU tradelines follow different rules from regular credit accounts because the authorized user does not own the account - they are added to it by the primary account holder. This affects how long the tradeline remains on the AU's report.
Active Rental Period
During the active rental period (typically 2-12 months), the AU tradeline appears on the authorized user's credit report exactly as it appears on the primary account holder's report - same payment history, same account age, same credit limit, same status. If the primary account is open and current, the AU tradeline shows as open and current.
After Rental Period Ends
When the rental period expires, the primary account holder (or the broker managing the relationship) removes the authorized user. The credit bureaus update the AU's report to show the authorized user status as removed. The account age and payment history remain on the AU's report as a closed account.
Under FICO scoring rules, the closed AU tradeline continues to count toward the AU's credit history for 10 years from the date the AU status was removed. However, after the AU status is removed, the account no longer updates - so if the primary account later goes delinquent, that delinquency does not flow to the AU's report (because the AU relationship has been terminated).
Primary Account Closure
If the primary account is closed by the primary cardholder or by the creditor (due to inactivity, default, or other reasons), the AU tradeline on the authorized user's report converts to a closed account. It will remain on the AU's credit report for 10 years from the closure date (FICO), similar to a closed positive account.
Factors That Affect How Long a Tradeline Stays
Credit Bureau Variation
All three major bureaus - Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion - follow FCRA § 605 guidelines. However, their automated deletion schedules can vary by a few days or weeks. Items are typically removed at the end of the month in which the reporting period expires. Some bureaus use "FCRA time" (measured from the delinquency date) while others use calendar time, creating minor discrepancies in when items disappear.
Debt Validation and Disputes
If a negative tradeline is disputed through the credit bureaus and found to be inaccurate, it must be removed immediately - regardless of how old it is. Under FCRA § 611, the bureaus have 30-45 days to investigate and correct or verify the information. An accurate negative item that is verified must remain until its statutory reporting period expires.
Partial Payments and Settlement
Paying off a collections account or settling it for less than the full balance does not reset the 7-year clock. The first delinquency date remains the same. A collections account that is paid or settled will show as "paid collections" - still a negative item - until the 7-year mark. After the 7-year mark, both the balance and the collections status disappear from the credit report.
How to Remove an Unwanted Tradeline
If the Tradeline Is Negative and Accurate
You cannot legally remove accurate negative information before its FCRA reporting period expires. The only legal paths are:
- Wait until the 7-year reporting period expires
- Negotiate a goodwill adjustment with the creditor (request they update the status to "current" and remove the late payment notations - this requires a strong relationship with the creditor and typically works only for isolated late payments on otherwise clean accounts)
- Dispute if there is any factual error in the tradeline (wrong balance, wrong payment dates, wrong account status)
If the Tradeline Is an Authorized User Tradeline You No Longer Want
As the authorized user, you cannot remove yourself from an account - only the primary account holder can do that. If you are renting an AU tradeline and want to end the relationship early, you must contact the broker or the primary account holder to request removal.
If the Tradeline Belongs to Someone Else (Identity Mix-Up)
If a tradeline appears on your credit report that does not belong to you - due to a clerical error, a name mismatch, or identity fraud - you can file an identity theft report with the credit bureau and request immediate removal under FCRA § 605B. The bureau must block the item within 4 business days of your request.
Frequently Asked Questions
See FAQ section at the bottom of this page for detailed answers.