How to Dispute a Credit Report Entry: Official Forms and Steps

Start with the entry—and the exact field—you believe is wrong

Write down the credit reporting company, furnisher name, partial account number, and the field at issue. A balance, payment status, late-payment date, account-opening date, credit limit, ownership status, or personal-information field can each require different evidence.

Do not rely only on a creditor name that looks unfamiliar. Account names can change after a sale, transfer, or collection assignment. Compare the entry with your statements and records first. If you need help locating the fields, use How to Read a Credit Report and Credit Report Errors: What to Check First.

The CFPB recommends explaining in writing what you think is wrong and why, identifying each disputed account, requesting correction or removal, and including a marked copy of the relevant report portion plus copies—not originals—of supporting documents.

Official dispute forms for the three nationwide agencies

Use the agency's own website rather than a third-party form or lookalike page. These links take you directly to Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion; this site does not receive your dispute or the documents you submit through those services. Online account requirements, available fields, and upload instructions can change, so follow the current prompts on the official page.

Equifax: open the [official Equifax credit dispute page](https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute). Equifax instructs consumers to create or sign in to a free myEquifax account and select “File a Dispute.” For a downloadable Equifax Dispute form and mailing instructions, use [Equifax's official mail-in dispute guidance](https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/mail-in-credit-report-dispute).

Experian: open the [official Experian dispute page](https://www.experian.com/help/dispute-credit/) and choose the online dispute option. Experian's Dispute Center lets signed-in consumers select information to dispute and add pertinent documentation online. The same official page provides access to Experian's dispute form and instructions for submitting documents by mail.

TransUnion: open the [official TransUnion dispute page](https://www.transunion.com/credit-disputes/dispute-your-credit). TransUnion instructs consumers to create a free Service Center account, review the report, gather supporting documents, and submit and track the dispute online. For written submissions, use [TransUnion's official mail and phone instructions](https://www.transunion.com/credit-disputes/dispute-your-credit/mail-or-phone).

Step-by-step: submit through each agency online

Equifax: 1) Create or sign in to your free myEquifax account from the official dispute page. 2) Select “File a Dispute.” 3) Choose the report entry and specific information you believe is wrong. 4) Provide the explanation and supporting documents requested by the portal. 5) Review the submission, submit it, and save the confirmation and any dispute number provided.

Experian: 1) Open the official Experian dispute page and choose the online dispute option. 2) Sign in if prompted. 3) Select the entry and the reason that accurately describes your concern. 4) Add a clear explanation and upload pertinent documentation through the Dispute Center. 5) Review and submit, then retain the confirmation and check the official portal for updates or results.

TransUnion: 1) Create or sign in to a free TransUnion Service Center account through the official dispute page. 2) Review your report and determine what to dispute. 3) Gather and add supporting documents. 4) Follow the Service Center prompts to submit the dispute. 5) Save the confirmation and use the Service Center to check status and results.

Complete a separate submission for each agency whose report shows the disputed information. Do not assume that submitting to Equifax also starts an Experian or TransUnion investigation. If a portal cannot accept a necessary document, use the agency's current official mail instructions rather than sending sensitive records to an unverified address or service.

Step-by-step: submit a dispute by mail

1) Download the agency's current dispute form when one is offered, or use the CFPB's sample credit-report dispute letter. 2) Identify each disputed entry, explain why you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete, and request the appropriate correction or removal. 3) Attach a marked copy of the relevant report portion and copies—not originals—of supporting records. 4) Keep a complete copy of everything you send and record the mailing date. Certified mail with a return receipt is optional documentation, not a universal requirement.

Equifax's official mail-in guidance lists: Equifax Information Services, LLC, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0256. Its guidance also provides the downloadable Equifax Dispute form and explains what documentation may be required.

Experian's official dispute page provides access to its disputes form and mail instructions. The current mailing address shown in Equifax's nationwide-bureau guidance and the CFPB's dispute instructions is: Experian, P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013.

TransUnion's official mail instructions list: TransUnion Consumer Solutions, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016-2000. TransUnion requests your identifying information, the reporting company and partial account number, the reason for the dispute, and any personal-information corrections. Verify each address on the linked official page immediately before mailing in case instructions change.

Write a specific dispute

Use your own records to complete this wording: “I dispute the [specific field] on [furnisher name] account [identifier shown on the report]. The report shows [reported value], but my attached [document name] shows [supported value or fact]. Please investigate and [state the correction or removal requested]. Please send me the results.” Replace every bracketed prompt with accurate information from your own report and documents; do not copy a claim that does not match your situation.

This structure identifies the entry, disputed field, supporting record, and requested review. It avoids a generic claim such as “this account is wrong,” does not demand deletion of accurate history, and does not promise a particular outcome.

The CFPB's dispute instructions also recommend including your complete contact information, the credit report confirmation number if available, each account number involved, a clear explanation, and the correction or removal requested. The packet table below organizes those pieces.

Match each document to the claim it supports

A statement may support a due date or balance, a bank record may support a debit date and amount, and a payment confirmation may connect a payment to a particular account. A marked report excerpt identifies what you want investigated. Describe what each attachment actually establishes rather than assuming one document proves the entire dispute.

Use evidence that directly addresses the disputed field. A settlement letter may support a resolved balance but not prove that an earlier payment was on time. A payment confirmation may support a payment date but not establish who legally owns an account.

Organize copies in the order you reference them and add a short list describing each attachment. For a broader document checklist by dispute type, use the Credit Dispute Evidence Checklist.

Send the dispute to the right companies

Start with each credit reporting company whose report contains the disputed entry. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion maintain separate files, so a dispute submitted to one does not substitute for submitting it to another company showing the same issue. The CFPB provides online, mail, and telephone contact options for the nationwide companies.

The CFPB also generally recommends disputing with the company that furnished the information. Use the furnisher's current official dispute instructions and identify the same account, field, reason, evidence, and requested correction. Federal direct-dispute rules contain scope limitations and exceptions, so the available process can depend on the issue and recipient.

Choose a submission method that lets you provide the necessary documents and retain a complete copy. Certified mail with a return receipt is an optional way to document receipt; it is not a requirement for every dispute. Save portal confirmations, uploaded file names, letters, attachments, and mailing or delivery records.

If the entry involves identity theft, start with the federal government's Identity Theft Affidavit guide and IdentityTheft.gov. Identity-theft reports can involve specialized rights and processes beyond an ordinary disagreement about an account field.

Track receipt, the investigation, and the written results

Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, a credit reporting agency generally must conduct a free, reasonable reinvestigation before the end of the 30-day period beginning when it receives the dispute. The agency generally must notify the furnisher within five business days and forward all relevant information the consumer provided.

The 30-day period can be extended by up to 15 additional days when the agency receives relevant additional information from the consumer during that initial period. The CFPB also explains that a dispute filed after receiving a free annual credit report can have a 45-day investigation period. The extension rules have limitations, so avoid treating 45 days as the universal deadline.

After completing the reinvestigation, the agency generally has five business days to provide written notice of the results. If the dispute produces a change, the consumer is entitled to a free report reflecting the change. That report does not count as the free annual report.

If the information is inaccurate, incomplete, or cannot be verified, the statute requires the agency to promptly delete or modify the item as appropriate. If the information is verified, it may remain. A furnisher that corrects inaccurate information generally must notify each credit reporting company to which it furnished the incorrect information.

Read the outcome field by field

Compare the results with your original request. Did the company investigate the same account and month? Was the field corrected, deleted, or verified without change? Does the updated report match the outcome notice? Save the results and updated report with your original packet.

If you still believe the information is inaccurate or incomplete, review what evidence was considered and whether you have additional relevant records. Repeating the same dispute without new information does not guarantee another outcome, and dispute rules allow certain frivolous or irrelevant disputes to be declined with notice.

For escalation options after a verified result, read Dispute Verified but Still Wrong?. You can also submit a complaint to the CFPB or consider advice from a qualified consumer-law professional about your specific circumstances.

What this process does not mean

It does not mean every negative entry is inaccurate or that accurate information must be deleted because you disagree with it. The dispute process addresses accuracy and completeness; it is not a guaranteed credit-score improvement method.

It does not mean you must pay a company to dispute for you. Credit reporting agency reinvestigations are free, and the CFPB provides instructions and sample letters consumers can use themselves.

It does not mean one dispute automatically corrects every company's file. Submit to each reporting company showing the issue and generally to the furnisher, then review each response separately.

It does not mean a score will rise, a lender will reverse a decision, or an account will disappear. Any result depends on the information investigated and the correction, if any, that follows.

It does not mean you should send original records or unrelated sensitive documents. Send relevant copies and retain your originals and a complete record of what you submitted.

Where to go next

Use the Credit Dispute Evidence Checklist to organize records, or review How to Dispute a Credit Report Error for the broader process and next steps.

If you plan to mail a bureau dispute, see Where to Mail a Credit Dispute Letter. If the result is unchanged, use the verified-but-still-wrong escalation guide.

What to include in a credit report dispute packet

Step-by-step: submit a credit report dispute

1. STEP 1

   Check each relevant report

   Review Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately and identify which agencies show the information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.

2. STEP 2

   Record the entry exactly

   Write down the reporting company, furnisher, partial account number, disputed field, and the value shown on the report.

3. STEP 3

   Build the dispute packet

   Explain the conflict, state the correction or removal requested, and attach a marked report excerpt plus copies of records that directly support the disputed field.

4. STEP 4

   Open the official agency form

   Use the official Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion link in this guide. Avoid third-party submission services and verify the web address before entering personal information.

5. STEP 5

   Complete the agency-specific steps

   For an online dispute, create or sign in to the agency's free account if required, select the entry and accurate dispute reason, add your explanation and documents, and review the submission.

6. STEP 6

   Submit and save proof

   Submit through the official portal or mail the completed form or letter to the agency's current official address. Save the confirmation, dispute number, attachments, and mailing record.

7. STEP 7

   Repeat for other relevant agencies

   Submit separately to each credit reporting agency showing the issue; one agency's dispute does not automatically open a dispute with the others.

8. STEP 8

   Contact the furnisher

   Generally submit the same specific dispute and supporting records to the company that furnished the information, using its current official instructions.

9. STEP 9

   Track the applicable timeline

   Record receipt dates and review the 30-day reinvestigation rule and any limited extension that applies rather than assuming one universal deadline.

10. STEP 10

    Compare the results with your request

    Read the written results and updated report, confirm each field, and decide whether additional evidence, a complaint, or professional advice is appropriate.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

• CFPB — How do I dispute an error on my credit report?
• CFPB — How long does it take to repair an error on a credit report?
• Office of the Law Revision Counsel — 15 U.S.C. § 1681i (disputed accuracy)
• CFPB — Regulation V, 12 CFR § 1022.43 (direct disputes)
• CFPB — Sample letter to dispute information provided for your credit report
• Equifax — File a dispute on your Equifax credit report
• Equifax — Mail-in dispute instructions and downloadable dispute form
• Experian — Official online and mail dispute instructions
• TransUnion — Start and track a dispute through the Service Center
• TransUnion — Dispute by mail or phone
• AnnualCreditReport.com — Official source for free credit reports
• FTC — IdentityTheft.gov
• CFPB — Submit a complaint