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Key Facts
- Federal level: An Equifax dispute is free and concerns information in an Equifax credit file that a consumer believes is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Federal level: A consumer reporting agency generally has 30 days after receiving a dispute to complete a reasonable reinvestigation, with a limited extension of up to 15 days in some circumstances.
- Federal level: The agency generally must give written notice of the result within five business days after completing the reinvestigation.
- Federal level: The dispute process is for information a consumer identifies as inaccurate or incomplete; submitting a dispute does not itself establish an error.
An Equifax dispute asks Equifax to investigate specific information in its credit file. It is a correction process, not a negotiation to erase accurate history. A useful submission identifies the exact item, explains what is wrong, states the correction requested, and supplies copies of records that support the explanation.
Start with the report that contains the error
Review the Equifax report itself and note the account name, partial account number, date, balance, status, inquiry, or personal information at issue. Reports can differ among the nationwide credit bureaus, so an error appearing only at Equifax generally needs an Equifax dispute; an error appearing elsewhere should also be disputed with each bureau displaying it.
For the broader federal framework, see the guides to credit bureaus and the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Choose Equifax’s online or mail channel
Equifax provides an online dispute portal. The federally authorized AnnualCreditReport.com dispute page also lists Equifax’s mail address as P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0256. Because operational addresses can change, verify the address on a current Equifax report or Equifax’s official dispute materials before mailing.
A mailed dispute should clearly identify every challenged item and include copies—not originals—of supporting documents. The FTC recommends keeping records of everything sent and suggests certified mail with return receipt requested to document delivery.
Equifax’s dispute form includes categories for account ownership, payment status, balance-related information, fraud, mixed files, and inquiries. Depending on the issue, useful documents may include account statements, payment confirmations, creditor letters, identity-theft reports, canceled checks, bankruptcy schedules, or court records.
Dispute the same error with the furnisher
The FTC recommends contacting both the credit bureau and the business that supplied the disputed information. A direct furnisher dispute should identify the account and error, explain the basis, request a correction, and include supporting copies. Use the dispute address shown on the report or supplied by the business.
When Equifax receives a non-frivolous dispute, federal law generally requires it to notify the furnisher within five business days and provide the relevant dispute information received from the consumer. Furnishers have their own investigation and correction duties under the FCRA and its regulations.
What the federal investigation timeline means
The FCRA generally requires a consumer reporting agency to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation without charge and determine whether disputed information is inaccurate, record its current status, or delete it within 30 days of receiving notice. The period may extend by up to 15 days if the consumer supplies relevant information during the initial period, subject to statutory limits.
If the agency reasonably determines that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, it may stop the reinvestigation, but it generally must notify the consumer within five business days and explain the determination and what information is needed. Sending a clear, item-specific dispute with records helps avoid ambiguity.
After completion, the agency generally must provide written results within five business days. If information is found inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable, the FCRA prescribes deletion or modification. A free copy of the revised report accompanies certain changes and does not count as the consumer’s free annual report.
A hard inquiry dispute needs a factual basis
Equifax’s form permits a consumer to identify an inquiry by company and date and select “Inquiry Removal” as the requested correction. As with another dispute, identify the specific inquiry and explain why the record is inaccurate; submitting the request does not by itself establish that the inquiry must be removed.
If identity theft may be involved, FTC guidance directs consumers to IdentityTheft.gov for an Identity Theft Report and recovery plan. The FTC identity theft report guide explains that route.
If the result does not resolve the issue
Read the result notice and updated report carefully. If material evidence was omitted, submit it through the indicated channel and retain the confirmation. A consumer may ask for a brief statement of the dispute to be included in the file when a reinvestigation does not resolve the disagreement, subject to the FCRA’s statement rules.
Preserve the report, dispute, supporting documents, delivery proof, confirmation number, and result notice so the submission and response can be reviewed together.
