Yes, but only if the furnisher certifies the information is complete and accurate. The bureau must then notify you in writing within 5 business days of the reinsertion, identify the furnisher, and tell you that you can add a statement to your file.
When an item is deleted after a dispute, the Fair Credit Reporting Act restricts when it can reappear. This is called reinsertion.
The rules for reinsertion
Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i(a)(5)(B):
- Certification required. Information deleted after a reinvestigation may not be reinserted unless the person who furnished it certifies that the information is complete and accurate.
- Notice within 5 business days. If the bureau reinserts the item, it must notify you in writing no later than 5 business days after the reinsertion.
- Contents of the notice. The notice must include a statement that the disputed information has been reinserted; the business name and address of the furnisher it contacted (and phone number, if reasonably available); and a notice that you have the right to add a statement to your file disputing the accuracy or completeness of the information.
Bureaus must also maintain reasonable procedures designed to prevent the reappearance of information that has been deleted (§ 1681i(a)(5)(C)).
Why deleted items reappear
Common reasons include a furnisher reporting the same account again in a later data update, a debt being reported by a different collector, or a duplicate entry under a different account number. Not every reappearance is a reinsertion of the same item, so compare the details.
What to do
- Compare the new entry with the deleted one: creditor, account number, dates, and balance.
- Check your mail for a written reinsertion notice. If the item came back without one, note the date you first saw it.
- Dispute the reappeared item and include the earlier results letter showing it was deleted.
- Keep copies of every report and letter.
An item that returns without a certification or the required notice may be an FCRA violation. A free case review can help you evaluate it, with no fee unless we win.
Related
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i(a)(5)(B)–(C) — Requirements relating to reinsertion (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2 — Responsibilities of furnishers (Cornell LII)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.