Last reviewed: 2 October 2026
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How long bankruptcy stays on your credit report, and what to check afterward
Federal law says a credit reporting agency may not report a bankruptcy case that is more than 10 years old, counted from the date of the order for relief,[1] and the CFPB says bankruptcies "can stay on your report for up to ten years."[2] The 10-year limit does not apply to reports used for a credit transaction of $150,000 or more, life insurance underwriting of $150,000 or more, or a job paying $75,000 a year or more.[1] This page explains those rules and what the sources say about the rest of your report. It does not predict how any lender or score will treat a bankruptcy, and it is general information, not legal advice.
The 10-year rule
| Item | Federal reporting limit |
|---|---|
| Cases under title 11 of the U.S. Code (bankruptcy) | More than 10 years after the date of entry of the order for relief or the date of adjudication, as the case may be.[1] |
| Civil suits, civil judgments and records of arrest | More than seven years from the date of entry, or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is longer.[1] |
| Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss | More than seven years.[1] |
| Any other adverse item (other than records of convictions of crimes) | More than seven years.[1] |
These limits are in 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a), part of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.[1] For debts placed for collection or charged off, the seven years begins 180 days after the start of the delinquency that preceded that action.[1] The CFPB gives the general version: negative information about account payment history can generally be reported for up to seven years, and bankruptcies for up to ten.[2] Even after these periods a reporting company may still keep your information on file.[2]
When the 10-year limit does not apply
The statute says the limits do not apply to a consumer credit report used in connection with:[1]
- a credit transaction involving, or reasonably expected to involve, a principal amount of $150,000 or more;
- the underwriting of life insurance involving, or reasonably expected to involve, a face amount of $150,000 or more; or
- the employment of an individual at an annual salary that equals, or is reasonably expected to equal, $75,000 or more.
The CFPB states them in plain terms as "more than" those amounts: a job that pays more than $75,000 a year, or an application for more than $150,000 worth of credit or life insurance.[2]
What your report should show about the case
- A reporting agency that furnishes a report containing a title 11 case must include an identification of the chapter of the bankruptcy code under which the case arises, if the source of the information provided it.[1]
- If a case was withdrawn by the consumer before a final judgment, the agency must include in the report that it was withdrawn, once it receives documentation certifying the withdrawal.[1]
This page does not explain differences between chapters; see Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 and reaffirmation agreements. It also does not report how long each credit bureau in practice keeps a case on a report; the sources above set a statutory outer limit.
What the CFPB says about the rest of your credit history
- Positive information, meaning an on-time payment history on a credit card, mortgage or other loan, may show up on your report as long as you pay on time, and may be reported after a loan is paid off or the account closed.[2]
- Credit reporting companies commonly use length of credit history as a factor in a credit score, so the more experience and the longer the history of managing credit well, the better.[2]
- Credit reporting companies must follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy.[2]
- No one has the right to remove accurate negative information from a report; you can only get a report fixed if it contains errors, which you can do on your own at no cost. The CFPB advises against paying fees to "repair" your credit history.[2]
A checklist for after your case
- Get your free reports. The FTC says you can get a free report from each of the three major bureaus once every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com.[3]
- Find the bankruptcy entry on each report and write down the date it lists. Compare it with the 10-year rule above, and check that the chapter and any withdrawal are shown correctly.
- Check each debt your case covered. Our reading: an account that should reflect the case but shows something else is worth checking against your case papers.
- If something looks wrong, follow the dispute steps in our credit report audit checklist.
For options for building a positive history, see secured cards and credit-builder loans, and for the debtor education course that is part of a bankruptcy case, bankruptcy credit counseling and debtor education. Our explainer on judgments and tax liens covers judgments and tax liens.
How to verify this yourself
- Read 15 U.S.C. § 1681c, subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d).[1]
- Read the CFPB's answer on how long information stays on a report.[2]
- Read your own reports and your bankruptcy case papers; ask the court or your attorney about the dates of your case.
What this page does not cover
It does not cover how a bankruptcy affects a credit score, what lenders will do, how to rebuild step by step, or whether to file. The sources we used for this page do not give rebuilding steps beyond what is above. The CFPB's page says its content is general consumer information, not legal advice.[2] Our Standard applies to companies; any company that offers to "fix" a bankruptcy entry should be checked against its points 1 and 2.
When we will update this page
We revisit it if 15 U.S.C. § 1681c is amended or the CFPB changes its answer. Sources last read 2 October 2026.
What you can do next
- Find a company — see which specific US companies we checked and what we could verify.
- How we check — the rules and sources behind each result.
- More credit help guides
- Report an error on this page or in a result.