No. Reporting a payment as late when it was made on time is inaccurate, and federal law requires furnishers to correct inaccurate information. You can dispute it with the creditor and with each credit bureau, and the creditor must investigate a bureau dispute.
A single late payment can lower your credit scores and affect loan terms, so a false one is worth fixing quickly.
Why on-time payments get reported late
- A payment was misapplied to another account or posted to the wrong date
- Autopay failed on the lender’s side, or a payment change was not processed
- The loan moved to a new servicer and your payment went to the old one
- A payment during an approved deferment, forbearance, or modification was not required at all
The legal requirement
Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(a), a furnisher may not report information it knows or has reasonable cause to believe is inaccurate, and must correct information it learns is inaccurate. When you dispute through a credit bureau, the furnisher must investigate, review the information the bureau sends, and modify, delete, or block the late payment if it is inaccurate or cannot be verified.
For mortgages after a servicing transfer
Federal mortgage servicing law (RESPA) provides that during the 60 days after a servicing transfer, a payment received by the old servicer before the due date may not be treated as late for any purpose (12 U.S.C. § 2605(d)).
How to dispute
- Gather proof: bank statements showing the payment cleared, confirmation numbers, autopay records, and account statements.
- Dispute directly with the creditor; payment history disputes must be investigated under Regulation V.
- Dispute with each bureau showing the late payment, and attach your proof.
- Keep copies of everything and note the dates you sent each dispute.
A late payment that was accurate is harder to remove; some lenders will consider a goodwill request, but they are not required to agree.
If a creditor keeps reporting a late payment you can show was on time, a free case review can help, with no fee unless we win.
Related
- How to Remove a Late Payment From Your Credit Report, and When You Can't
- Capital One lawsuit guide
- Chase lawsuit guide
- Synchrony lawsuit guide
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(a)(1)-(2) and (b) (Cornell LII)
- 12 CFR § 1022.43 (eCFR): direct disputes
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i (Cornell LII)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.