No. The FCRA requires a creditor that regularly reports to credit bureaus to report that an account was closed voluntarily by the consumer. If you closed the account yourself, you can dispute a report that says the creditor closed it.
Whether an account was closed by you or by the lender can matter to people who review your credit. A “closed by credit grantor” note can suggest the lender ended the relationship because of a problem, even when you closed the card yourself.
The legal requirement
Section 1681s-2(a)(4) of the FCRA says that when a consumer voluntarily closes a credit account, a furnisher that regularly reports to credit bureaus must notify the bureaus of the closure in the information it reports for the period when the account was closed. In other words, the report should reflect that you closed it.
When a creditor-closed notation can be accurate
- The lender closed the account for inactivity, a change in its own terms, or a missed payment before you asked to close it.
- The account was closed as part of a charge-off, settlement, or bankruptcy.
- You asked to close it, but the lender had already closed it.
How to fix an incorrect notation
- Find proof that you requested the closure: a confirmation letter, email, secure message, or notes of the date and person you spoke to.
- Dispute with the creditor directly. Disputes about account status are among those a furnisher must investigate under Regulation V.
- Dispute with each credit bureau showing the wrong notation and attach your proof. The bureau must forward the dispute to the creditor, which must investigate under § 1681s-2(b).
What the closure notation does not change
Closing an account does not remove its payment history. An account in good standing can remain on your report after it is closed, and late payments on it can be reported for up to 7 years.
If a creditor keeps reporting that it closed an account you closed after you dispute, a free case review can help, with no fee unless we win.
Related
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(a)(4) (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(b) (Cornell LII)
- 12 CFR § 1022.43 (eCFR): direct disputes
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.