FCRA section 611: how disputes are investigated
Last updated: Sources checked: September 2026
Section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, at 15 U.S.C. 1681i, is the dispute section. It tells a bureau what to do when you say information in your file is inaccurate or incomplete.
The main points
| Provision | What it says |
|---|---|
| 611(a)(1) | The bureau must investigate at no charge within 30 days of receiving your dispute. It may take up to 15 more days if you send relevant information during that period. |
| 611(a)(2) | Within 5 business days of receipt, the bureau must notify the furnisher and pass along the information you sent. |
| 611(a)(3) | The bureau may decide a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, such as one that lacks enough information. It must tell you within 5 business days and say what is needed. |
| 611(a)(5) | If the information is found inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable, the bureau must delete or modify it. A deleted item cannot be reinserted unless the furnisher certifies it is accurate, and the bureau must notify you. |
| 611(a)(6) | The bureau must send you written results within 5 business days of finishing, with an updated report if it changed. |
| 611(a)(7) | On request, the bureau must provide a description of the procedure it used, within 15 days. |
| 611(b) | If a dispute is not resolved, you may add a brief statement to your file. |
| 611(c) | The bureau may limit the statement to 100 words if it helps you write a clear summary. |
| 611(d) | At your request, the bureau must send notice of a deletion or your statement to certain people who recently received your report. |
What to take from it
The 30 days start on receipt. Specific disputes with proof are more likely to be investigated. A verified result is not the end. See the 30-day timeline and what to do when a dispute comes back verified.
Related
- Section 609: your right to see your file, which is not a dispute
- Section 623: what furnishers must do