Arkansas does not have a broad state credit reporting act. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) provides most of the rights Arkansans have when a credit report is wrong. It requires credit bureaus to follow reasonable procedures for accuracy and to reinvestigate disputes, usually within 30 days. It also requires the lenders, collectors and servicers that report data to investigate disputes the bureaus send them, and to correct or delete information they cannot verify.
Arkansas does have a security freeze law, Ark. Code § 4-112-101 et seq. A freeze blocks new creditors from seeing your file unless you lift it. Since 2018, federal law has made placing and lifting freezes free at the nationwide credit bureaus, and parents can freeze the file of a child under 16. Arkansas has not passed a law keeping medical debt off credit reports, unlike some other states. The three nationwide bureaus say they leave off paid medical collections and medical collections under $500, but other medical debts can still appear. A federal court vacated a 2025 CFPB rule that would have removed most medical debt from credit reports.
Arkansas has two federal judicial districts. An FCRA lawsuit by an Arkansas resident can be filed in the Eastern District of Arkansas, which holds court in Little Rock, Jonesboro and Helena, or in the Western District of Arkansas, which holds court in Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Texarkana, El Dorado and Hot Springs. The FCRA also allows suit in state court. A claim generally must be filed within two years after the consumer discovers the violation and within five years after it happened.
Where Arkansas FCRA cases are filed
FCRA claims are federal, so they go to a United States District Court. Cases from Arkansas are heard in 2 federal districts:
- Eastern District of ArkansasCourthouses: Little Rock, Jonesboro, Helena.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
- Western District of ArkansasCourthouses: Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Texarkana, El Dorado, Hot Springs.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
Our attorneys are licensed in Texas, California, and Georgia. Where they aren't admitted in your local federal court, we work with local or cooperating counsel who are. You may also be able to sue where the company that reported you is based, in a court where our attorneys are admitted:
- Experian: HQ in C.D. California · Dispute Processing in E.D. Texas · Offices in N.D. Illinois
- Equifax: HQ in N.D. Georgia
- TransUnion: HQ in N.D. Illinois
- Santander Consumer: HQ in N.D. Texas
Which court is right depends on your facts. We'll tell you at your free case review.
Arkansas laws that add to the FCRA
- Arkansas consumer report security freeze law (Ark. Code § 4-112-101 et seq.)
Lets Arkansas consumers place a security freeze that stops a credit bureau from releasing their credit report to new creditors without permission. Federal law now makes freezes free at the nationwide bureaus. Read it
Common credit report errors
- Accounts that aren't yours, including mixed-file and identity theft accounts
- Late payments you didn't make, or payments not credited
- Paid, settled or discharged debts still shown as owed
- Collections reported past the seven-year limit or re-aged
- A deceased indicator on a living person's file
Learn how these cases work on our credit report lawsuits page, or read our lawsuit guides for Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Frequently asked questions
Does Arkansas have its own credit reporting law?
Arkansas has a security freeze statute but no general state law on credit report accuracy or disputes. Those rights come from the federal FCRA, which applies fully to Arkansas residents and can be enforced in federal or state court.
Can medical debt appear on my Arkansas credit report?
It can. Arkansas has no state ban on reporting medical debt, and the federal rule that would have removed it was vacated in 2025. The nationwide bureaus say they do not report paid medical collections or those under $500, so a report that shows one may be worth disputing.
How do I fix an error on my Arkansas credit report?
You can dispute the error in writing with each credit bureau that shows it, and also with the company that reported it. Explain what is wrong and include copies of proof. If the error is not fixed, the FCRA may allow a lawsuit for damages, and successful consumers can recover attorney fees.
How long do I have to file an FCRA lawsuit in Arkansas?
FCRA deadlines are the same everywhere: generally two years from when you discover the violation, and no more than five years from when it happened (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). Waiting can cost you the claim.
Sources
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
- 28 U.S.C. § 83 (Arkansas judicial districts)
- NCSL, Consumer Report Security Freeze State Laws
- FTC, What To Know About Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
- National Consumer Law Center, What States Can Do on Medical Debt Credit Reports (Nov. 2025)
- Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, proposed federal rule on medical debt
- Collateral Consequences Resource Center, Arkansas profile
- Legal Aid of Arkansas, Sealing Criminal Records in Arkansas
- Backgroundchecks.com, Arkansas background check laws (local ban-the-box policies)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i (FCRA reinvestigation)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681p (FCRA jurisdiction and time to sue)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.