Late payments generally stay on your credit report for up to seven years from the date the payment first became late (the original delinquency date). This applies whether your account is open or closed

. Key details:

• A late payment usually is reported to credit bureaus only after it is at least 30 days past due

• If you pay the late amount before it is reported (within that 30-day window), it may not show up on your credit report

• The negative impact of a late payment on your credit score is greatest when first reported but tends to diminish over time, although the record itself remains for seven years

• Even if you bring an account current or close it, the late payment record still falls off after seven years, but the account itself may remain on your report longer (up to 10 years)

• Incorrect or fraudulent late payments can be disputed and removed, but legitimate late payments cannot be removed before the seven-year period ends

In summary, late payments stay on your credit report for seven years from when they first became late, affecting your credit score most strongly at first but less so as time passes