How to Dispute an Equifax Credit Report

What you can dispute on an Equifax report

A dispute is for report information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete—not for removing accurate information simply because it is unfavorable. Start by comparing the report with your own records and identifying the exact field that appears wrong.

• Accounts or balances you do not recognize
• Payment status, dates, balances, or limits that appear incorrect
• Duplicate accounts or collection entries
• Personal information that may be mixed with another file
• Accounts that do not reflect a documented correction
• Hard inquiries you believe were unauthorized or misreported

Not sure what each section means? Read our credit report walkthrough before filing.

1. 1Open Equifax's official credit-dispute page and enter the myEquifax dispute process.
2. 2Review the report information shown and select the specific account, inquiry, or personal-information entry you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
3. 3State what appears wrong and the correction you are requesting. Keep the explanation factual and specific.
4. 4Upload relevant copies of supporting records when the portal permits them. Do not submit unrelated documents.
5. 5Review the submission, save the confirmation or dispute number, and retain copies of the explanation and files you provided.
6. 6Return through Equifax's official dispute page to check status and view results when available.

1. 1Download Equifax's current U.S. dispute form or prepare a clear written request using its current instructions.
2. 2Identify each disputed entry separately, explain what appears inaccurate or incomplete, and state the correction you are requesting.
3. 3Include the identity, address, report, and supporting-document copies requested by Equifax. Do not send irreplaceable originals.
4. 4Mail the completed request to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374 after verifying the current address on Equifax's official page.
5. 5Keep a complete copy of the package and consider a trackable mailing method so you can document delivery.

Follow Equifax's current identity and address requirements. For the disputed item itself, choose records that directly support the correction requested.

• The identifying information Equifax requests, such as a copy of an accepted identity document and proof of current address
• A copy of the relevant report page with the disputed entry clearly identified
• Statements, payment records, account correspondence, cancellation notices, or court records that directly support your position
• An identity-theft report or related documentation when an account or inquiry may result from identity theft
• A concise explanation connecting each document to the exact field you want reviewed

Send copies, retain your originals, and redact unrelated sensitive information when Equifax does not require it.

First confirm whether the inquiry matches an application, account review, or other activity you recognize. If you believe a hard inquiry was unauthorized or reported inaccurately, document the company name and inquiry date, contact the company that accessed the report when appropriate, and submit the concern through Equifax's official dispute channel with supporting records.

An accurate hard inquiry is not automatically removable, and no dispute guarantees a deletion or score change. If the inquiry may involve identity theft, use the bureau's official fraud-alert or credit-freeze resources as appropriate. Our hard-inquiry education walkthrough explains how to organize the review.

Keep the confirmation or dispute number from your submission. Use the status and results options available from Equifax's official dispute page to follow an online case or retrieve results. For a mailed request, retain your delivery record and copies of the entire package.

Credit reporting agencies generally investigate within 30 days. Some circumstances can extend that period to 45 days, including when additional relevant information is provided during the investigation or when the dispute follows a free annual report. Identity verification, delivery time, and the details of the submission can affect the practical timeline.

After the review, read the results carefully and compare the updated report with the correction you requested. A result may update, delete, or leave information unchanged depending on the investigation; outcomes are not guaranteed.

If the information still appears inaccurate

Review Equifax's explanation and your original submission first. If relevant records were missing, organize them before deciding whether a new, non-duplicative submission is appropriate. You may also contact the company that furnished the information and explain the specific reporting concern directly.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains the credit-report dispute process. If you have completed the applicable dispute steps and still need assistance, review the CFPB's guidance before using its official complaint process. This is general education, not legal advice.

Equifax dispute FAQs

Continue your credit report review