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How Long Do Closed Accounts Stay on Your Credit Report?

5 min read

Published March 19, 2025

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

A closed credit card account can appear on your credit report and impact your credit score for several years.
If a closed credit card account is detrimental to your credit score, it may help to write a letter asking the creditor to remove it.
Closing a credit card could increase your credit utilization ratio and hurt your credit score.

A credit card account can affect your credit for years after you close the account. Its effect on your credit score, however, isn’t always straightforward. Read on to learn when closed accounts are negatively impacting your credit score on your credit report, and how you might address them when necessary.

How long does a closed account stay on your credit report?

The amount of time a closed account could stay on your credit report depends on the information it contains. According to the National Credit Union Administration, a closed account with negative information could stay on your report for seven years.

Positive information may stay on your credit report for a long time, according to the Georgia Attorney General’s office. Closing an account may not always be in your best interest, especially if you haven’t yet redeemed your rewards.

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A closed account with negative information, like late payments or a missed payment, may still affect your credit score.

How to remove a closed account from your credit report

You may not want to remove a closed account from your credit report if it contains information that bolsters your credit score. Nevertheless, if removing an old credit card from your credit report would improve your credit, you can

Dispute errors on your credit report. If inaccurate information about a closed account hurts your credit score, you may want to file a dispute with your credit card issuer or the credit bureau.

How to dispute errors on your credit report

Just like with open accounts, checking each closed credit account for incorrect information is crucial since even minor errors, like a single late payment, could hurt your credit score.

Identify inaccurate information on your credit report and provide documentation when applicable. Each of the major credit bureaus may have a slightly different process for reporting issues.

Creditors may allow you to dispute reporting errors online, call customer support, or write a letter. They typically request the same information as credit bureaus—an explanation for the dispute and supporting paperwork.

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the credit reporting bureau that receives your dispute letter has to investigate your dispute. They're also responsible for informing you about the results of the investigation. If they decide not to take action, they have to let you know within five days.

Does a closed account affect your credit score?

A closed account can affect your credit score for as long as the account appears on your credit report. Your credit score is calculated based on the following factors from your credit report: payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, credit mix, and new credit. Closing an account may affect your credit score by affecting those factors.

Did you know?

If negative information has brought down your credit score, a secured credit card may help you rebuild your credit with responsible use. This type of credit card requires a deposit. There’s no credit score required to apply.

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Should you pay off closed accounts on your credit report?

It’s generally a healthy financial practice to pay off all debts and keep your accounts in good standing, even after closing them. Repaying your debt on a closed account may not immediately improve your credit score, but the reduction in overall debt typically has a positive influence on your credit over time.

Does closing a credit card impact your credit utilization ratio?

Your credit utilization ratio refers to the total percentage of available credit you use at a given moment. High credit utilization ratios can lower your credit score. When you close a credit card account, you reduce your total available credit by that card’s credit limit. That change could increase your credit utilization ratio, especially if you carry a balance on your other credit cards. Before you close an account, it’s helpful to consider the impact.

Will your credit score go up if you close accounts?

Closing an account doesn’t automatically improve your credit score. The impact of a closed account on your score depends on various factors, including outstanding balances, previous account activity, and how many accounts you have open. In some circumstances, closing an account could even temporarily lower your credit score.

How does a closed account affect the length of your credit history?

Closed accounts may affect two metrics that determine the length of your credit history: the average age of your credit accounts and the overall amount of time you’ve had credit. When you close an old account, the average age of your credit cards decreases, reducing one metric of your credit history.

While closed accounts may remain on your credit report for a long time, they’re not always detrimental and may even help you maintain a high credit score. However, taking steps to improve your credit score, like using a secured card responsibly, could help offset any damage from closed accounts until they fall off your credit report.

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