How Long Does Bankruptcy Stay on Your Credit Report?

How Long Does Bankruptcy Stay on Your Credit Reports?

Chapter 7 bankruptcy stays on your credit reports for 10 years. Chapter 13 bankruptcy stays on your credit reports for seven years.

Written by

Co-written by

Edited by

Edited by other Updated Feb 2, 2026 SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED

This page includes information about these cards, currently unavailable on NerdWallet. The information has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.

Bankruptcy can provide relief to people by erasing debt or creating a plan to restructure and repay it. It’s a tough situation because your credit will be affected for years, but you can take steps to rebuild it in time.

How long does bankruptcy stay on your credit reports?

If you file Chapter 7 bankruptcy — the most common type of consumer bankruptcy — it stays on your credit reports for up to 10 years from the filing date. With Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the negative mark will take up to seven years after the filing date to drop off your credit reports. Did you know... The two most common types of bankruptcy available to individuals are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 7: Known as “liquidation” bankruptcy, it involves the sale of your nonexempt property, such as housing, with the proceeds going to repay creditors. Chapter 7: Chapter 13: This form of bankruptcy allows you to keep property and make a plan to gradually pay debts over three to five years. Chapter 13: » MORE: Before you file. What to know about bankruptcy. » MORE:

How does bankruptcy affect your credit score?

As you might expect, bankruptcy will have a negative impact on your credit. Just how negatively depends on your specific situation. According to credit bureau Experian, though, a bankruptcy filing can cause your credit score to drop by up to 200 points. That said, you'll probably see your scores quickly start to recover in the months following a successful filing, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. You can positively influence the process by taking smart steps to improve your credit, such as making payments on time the best you can.

Stress less. Track more.

See the full picture: savings, debt, investments and more. Smarter money moves start in our app.

Can you remove a bankruptcy from your credit report?

You can’t remove a legitimate bankruptcy from your credit reports. But credit bureaus stop showing a bankruptcy seven years after the filing date for Chapter 13 and 10 years after the filing date for Chapter 7. If you notice that your bankruptcy hasn't been removed from the “public records” area of your credit reports after that time, you should dispute it with the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus are generally required to investigate within 30 days. Still, the accounts your bankruptcy allowed you to resolve won’t be erased from your report at the time of filing, according to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, the three major credit bureaus. You can expect closed accounts with delinquencies to be deleted from your credit history about seven years after the account went delinquent and was never brought current.

Do you need to disclose bankruptcy after it's over?

There are cases when you must disclose a bankruptcy, even after the seven or 10 year period. For instance, a previous bankruptcy may come up in applications for a credit card, new job or security clearance, as well as when securing or renewing a licensing requirement. It’s important to note that federal law prohibits a previous bankruptcy from being held against you in an employment decision.

How to help your credit recover after a bankruptcy

While both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies will remain on your credit report for a number of years, you can take steps to restore your credit to mitigate the damage. That means making on-time payments, using your credit sparingly and potentially getting a secured credit card or credit-builder loan.

Stress less. Track more.

See the full picture: savings, debt, investments and more. Smarter money moves start in our app. Explore more on Article sources NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines. Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Credit Access After Consumer Bankruptcy. Accessed Feb 2, 2026. About the authors Tommy Tindall is a lead writer and content strategist covering how to make money — and how to keep it. He’s recorded and written about his experience testing popular gig jobs like driving for Uber, delivering with DoorDash and full-service shopping for Instacart. He loves making an extra buck, but laments the hours of awkward silence he endured as an Uber driver (never again). Cool kids might call him a content creator because he makes YouTube videos for the NerdWallet channel and app, but he himself is no longer very cool. Ask him about budgeting apps — he's tried most of them, but still prefers a good ole Google sheet to track spending. Then be sure to smash that “like” and “subscribe” button. Before NerdWallet, Tommy held decidedly more boring jobs at Fannie Mae and Booz Allen Hamilton. Today, he feels super privileged to write for you, the consumer. Published in Amanda Barroso, Ph.D., is a writer and content strategist helping consumers navigate budgeting, credit building and credit scoring. Before joining NerdWallet, Amanda wrote about demographic trends at the Pew Research Center and earned a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Her work has been featured by the Associated Press, Washington Post and Yahoo Finance. Published in Sean Pyles, CFP®, is producer and host of NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast. On "Smart Money," Sean talks with Nerds across the NerdWallet Content team to answer listeners' personal finance questions. With a focus on thoughtful and actionable money advice, Sean provides real-world guidance that can help consumers better their financial lives. Beyond answering listeners' money questions on "Smart Money," Sean also interviews guests outside of NerdWallet and produces special segments to explore topics like the racial wealth gap, how to start investing and the history of student loans. Before Sean started podcasting at NerdWallet, he covered topics related to consumer debt. His work has appeared in USA Today, The New York Times and elsewhere. When he's not writing about personal finance, Sean can be found tending to his garden, going for runs and taking his dog for long walks. He is based in Portland, Oregon. Published in How Long Do Derogatory Marks Stay on Your Credit? Late Payment on Your Credit Report? A Goodwill Letter Could Help Fix It How to Dispute Credit Report Errors Credit Reports: What They Are and How To Read Them Credit Reports: What They Are and How To Read Them By Amanda Barroso, Bev O'Shea Credit Score vs. Credit Report: What’s the Difference? By Amanda Barroso, Bev O'Shea What is a Hard Inquiry and How Long Does It Affect Your Credit? By Bev O'Shea, Amanda Barroso How to Get Your Free Credit Reports From the Major Credit Bureaus By Bev O'Shea, Amanda Barroso Who Can Access Your Credit Report or Score? By Erin El Issa, Amanda Barroso