Credit Report Error Lawsuits in Washington

Washington has its own Fair Credit Reporting Act, chapter 19.182 RCW. It works alongside the federal FCRA and in several places gives consumers more. Under RCW 19.182.040, a credit bureau may not report medical debt at all, and may not report juvenile records once the person is 21. Most other negative items, including paid tax liens and collection accounts, are limited to seven years, and bankruptcies to 10 years. Higher-dollar transactions and jobs are excepted from the time limits, but not from the medical-debt and juvenile-record bans.

Under RCW 19.182.090, a bureau must reinvestigate a dispute within 30 business days at no charge. It must delete information that is inaccurate or cannot be verified. Under RCW 19.182.160, a bureau must block information resulting from identity theft within 30 days after the consumer provides proof of identity and a police report. RCW 19.182.170 gives Washington residents security freeze rights. In most cases, a freeze must be lifted within 15 minutes of an electronic request during business hours.

Washington also gives these rights teeth. Under RCW 19.182.150, a violation of the state law is an unfair or deceptive act under the Consumer Protection Act. A consumer can recover actual damages, costs and attorney's fees, plus a $1,000 penalty for a willful violation. The state limitation period is generally two years. Washington claims are often filed together with federal FCRA claims against the bureau and the furnisher. Washington has two federal districts. The Western District sits in Seattle and Tacoma. The Eastern District sits in Spokane, Richland and Yakima.

Where Washington FCRA cases are filed

FCRA claims are federal, so they go to a United States District Court. Cases from Washington are heard in 2 federal districts:

Eastern District of WashingtonCourthouses: Spokane, Richland, Yakima.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
Western District of WashingtonCourthouses: Seattle, Tacoma.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.

Washington laws that add to the FCRA

Washington Fair Credit Reporting Act (RCW 19.182)
Washington's own credit reporting law. It covers permissible purposes, time limits on old information, disputes, identity theft blocks, security freezes and remedies. Read it
Limits on Reporting Old Information and Medical Debt (RCW 19.182.040)
Bars credit bureaus from reporting medical debt and from reporting juvenile records once the person is 21. Most other negative items are limited to seven years and bankruptcies to 10 years, with exceptions for larger credit, insurance and employment transactions. Read it
Dispute Procedures (RCW 19.182.090)
Requires a credit bureau to reinvestigate a dispute free of charge within 30 business days, notify the furnisher within five business days, and delete information that is inaccurate or cannot be verified. Read it
Remedies Under the Consumer Protection Act (RCW 19.182.150)
Makes a violation of the Washington FCRA an unfair or deceptive act under chapter 19.86 RCW. A consumer can recover actual damages, costs and attorney's fees, plus a $1,000 penalty for willful violations. Read it
Security Freeze (RCW 19.182.170)
Lets Washington residents freeze their credit files. A bureau must place a freeze within five business days and, in most cases, lift it within 15 minutes of an electronic request made during business hours. 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

Can medical debt appear on my credit report in Washington?

Under RCW 19.182.040, a credit bureau may not report medical debt as defined in Washington law. If a medical collection appears on your report, you can dispute it with the bureau and cite the Washington statute.

Can I sue under Washington law for a credit report error?

Yes. RCW 19.182.150 treats a violation of the Washington FCRA as a Consumer Protection Act violation. You may recover actual damages, costs and attorney's fees, and a $1,000 penalty if the violation was willful. The state claim generally must be filed within two years.

What does Washington law do for identity theft victims?

Under RCW 19.182.160, a credit bureau must block information that resulted from identity theft within 30 days after you provide proof of identity and a police report. The federal FCRA has a similar blocking right, and both can be used together.

How long do I have to file an FCRA lawsuit in Washington?

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

Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.