Date of Delinquency

Date of delinquency summary:

• Most accounts can be reported to the credit bureau as delinquent when you're more than 30 days late on payments.

• If you miss multiple payments in a row, the date of delinquency is based on the first missed payment.

• It can take at least seven years for a delinquent account to drop off your credit report.

Date of Delinquency Definition and Meaning

In credit reporting, the date of delinquency is when the debt is reported to the credit bureau as delinquent, typically at 30 days past due. If you miss multiple payments in a row, the date of delinquency will be based on the first missed payment.

Creditors may count the date of delinquency as the point the account is past due, which would be when the first payment is missed. Since delinquent accounts can't be reported to credit bureaus until they are at least 30 days past due, the date of delinquency recorded by the creditor could be 30 days or more before the account is reported.

Date of Delinquency and Your Credit Report

The date of delinquency is important because it tells you when a negative item will age off of your credit report. 

Most negative accounts appear on your credit for seven years or less before dropping off. So, if your date of delinquency is March 2024, the account should be removed from your credit report by the end of March 2031. 

Accounts discharged in bankruptcy are slightly different. For one thing, the countdown starts from the date you file, and the time it can linger depends on the type of bankruptcy. Chapter 13 bankruptcy will stay on your credit report up to seven years from the filing date, while Chapter 7 bankruptcy can remain on your report for up to 10 years from the filing date.

When Does a Delinquent Account Hit Your Credit Report?

Although your account could be considered delinquent by the creditor as soon as your payment is overdue, your credit score won't be at risk yet. 

Creditors must wait until you're at least 30 days past due before the account can be reported as delinquent to the credit bureaus. (The exception is federal student loans, which must be 90 days past due before being reported.)

This means you won't suffer credit damage from being a few days or even a couple of weeks late as long as you bring your account current before the 30-day past-due mark. However, you may still be on the hook for a late fee from the creditor.

Delinquency vs. Default

Default is an extreme form of delinquency. Most accounts are considered in default when they're 90 days or more past due. 

Once an account is in default, the creditor may choose to take legal action, including repossession or initiating foreclosure. Additionally, a defaulted account can cause serious damage to your credit score.