How Long Collections Stay on Your Credit Report

A collection account can be reported for seven years plus 180 days from the date of first delinquency (DOFD) on the original account. Nothing restarts that clock — not the sale of the debt, not a new collector, not even payment.

The date that controls everything

The DOFD is the date you first fell behind and never caught up. Every subsequent collector must report the original DOFD. When a debt buyer reports a newer date — stretching the seven years — that's illegal re-aging, one of the most common FCRA violations.

How to spot re-aging

• Compare the collection's DOFD to the original creditor's tradeline
• Watch for "date opened" being presented as the delinquency date
• Check all three bureaus — re-aging often appears on only one

Reporting time vs. lawsuit time

The seven-year reporting window and your state's statute of limitations for lawsuits are different clocks. A debt can be sue-able but off your report, or on your report but time-barred from suit.