How long does debt stay on your credit report?

Question

Accepted Answer

How long a debt stays on your credit report is governed by federal law — the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681c — not Arizona law, and none of the Arizona sources provided here set credit-reporting time limits, so this app cannot answer that question; please consult a licensed attorney or review the federal statute directly.

What the Arizona sources do address is a different concept: the deadline for a creditor to *sue* you on a debt, which is separate from credit reporting. In Arizona, an action on a debt evidenced by a written contract executed in this state, or on a credit card, must be commenced within six years after the cause of action accrues . For debts not evidenced by a written contract, or on stated or open accounts, the limitation period is three years . The expiration of these limitation periods does not itself dictate how long a debt may appear on a credit report — that reporting period is a federal matter outside the scope of these sources .

The remaining Arizona sources touch on credit reporting only in unrelated ways — for example, how delinquency days are calculated , disputing inaccurate items with a consumer reporting agency , and identity-theft protections in credit applications  — and none of them state how long a debt may be reported . For the actual reporting periods, consult a licensed attorney about the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.