Obsolete information is negative information too old to be reported under the FCRA. Most negative items, including collections and charge-offs, must come off after about seven years; bankruptcies after 10. Reporting it past the limit is an error you can dispute.
Also called: outdated information, 7-year rule, how long things stay on a credit report, 15 U.S.C. 1681c
What it means
Negative information doesn’t stay on your report forever. Section 605 of the FCRA, 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a), lists items a consumer report may not include once they are too old. The CFPB’s summary of rights puts the general rule in one line: in most cases, negative information more than seven years old, or a bankruptcy more than 10 years old, may not be reported.
The time limits
Under § 1681c(a):
- Bankruptcies: 10 years from the order for relief or adjudication.
- Civil suits, civil judgments, and arrest records: 7 years from entry, or until the statute of limitations runs, whichever is longer.
- Paid tax liens: 7 years from payment.
- Collection accounts and charge-offs: 7 years (see below for when the clock starts).
- Other negative items: 7 years. Records of criminal convictions are not covered by this limit.
When the clock starts for collections and charge-offs
The seven years does not restart when a debt is sold or sent to a new collector. Under § 1681c(c), the period runs from 180 days after the delinquency began that led to the collection or charge-off. That’s why the date of first delinquency matters so much. Furnishers must report that date (month and year) within 90 days of reporting a charged-off or collection account, under § 1681s-2(a)(5).
Exceptions
The limits in § 1681c(a)(1) through (5) don’t apply to reports used for a credit transaction of $150,000 or more, life insurance with a face amount of $150,000 or more, or a job paying $75,000 a year or more (§ 1681c(b)).
Common errors
- Re-aging: a debt buyer reports a later delinquency date, so the account stays years longer than allowed.
- A collection agency lists the date it bought the debt as the start date.
- An old judgment or eviction case still appears on a tenant or background report.
- A discharged bankruptcy account keeps showing derogatory history past the limit.
How to dispute it
Use our credit report time limit calculator to estimate when an item should come off. Then dispute it with each bureau, attaching proof of the original delinquency date, such as old statements or a charge-off letter.
When it can be an FCRA violation
Reporting obsolete information breaks § 1681c, and agencies must keep reasonable procedures to avoid doing so (§ 1681e(a)). A furnisher that reports a false delinquency date to keep an account on your report can also face liability once you dispute through the bureau.
If an item past its time limit stays on your report after you dispute, FCRA Attorneys offers a free case review, and you pay no fee unless we win.
Related
- Date of first delinquency
- Re-aging
- Charge-off
- Collection account
- Public records
- Included in bankruptcy / discharged
- Credit report time limit calculator
- How Long Does Bankruptcy Stay on Your Credit Report? Chapter 7, Chapter 13 and Discharged Debts
- How Far Back Does a Background Check Go? The 7-Year Rule, Convictions and the $75,000 Exception
- How to Dispute Credit Report Errors With Equifax, Experian and TransUnion
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, requirements relating to information contained in consumer reports (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2, responsibilities of furnishers (Cornell LII)
- CFPB, Key Dimensions and Processes in the U.S. Credit Reporting System (2012)
- CFPB, A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act
Updated November 2026. This glossary is written by FCRA Attorneys from public sources. It is general information, not legal advice, and is not affiliated with any credit bureau or industry association.