How Long Does Information Stay on Your Credit Report?

Your credit report doesn’t forget quickly — but it doesn’t hold onto everything forever either. Whether you missed a payment, closed an account, or paid off a debt, each action has a shelf life.

Here’s how long different types of information stay on your credit report in Canada, and what you can do to limit the damage of negative entries.

Positive Information: Up to 20 Years

Good credit behaviour can help you long term. For example:

• Open accounts in good standing (like a credit card you use responsibly): Stay on your report indefinitely or as long as the account is open and active.

• Closed accounts in good standing: Remain for up to 10–20 years, depending on the bureau.

This history helps build your score — so don’t rush to close old accounts unless you have a good reason.

Late Payments: 6 Years

Missed or late payments hurt your credit score, but they’re not permanent.

• Late payments (30+ days overdue) stay on your report for 6 years from the date of the missed payment.

• This applies whether the payment was eventually made or not.

One or two slip-ups won’t destroy your credit, but frequent ones will drag your score down for years.

Collections: 6 Years

If an account is sent to collections, it stays on your credit file for 6 years from the date of the last payment or when it was first reported delinquent (whichever came first).

Even if you pay off the debt in full, the record still stays on your report — it will just be marked as “paid.”

Bankruptcies and Consumer Proposals

• First-time bankruptcy: Removed 6 years after discharge (not filing date).

• Second bankruptcy: Can remain on your report for up to 14 years.

• Consumer proposal: Stays for 3 years after you finish making payments or 6 years from the filing date — whichever comes first.

These are major red flags for lenders and have long-lasting effects.

Hard Credit Inquiries: 3 Years (But Usually Less Impact)

• Every time you apply for credit, it triggers a hard inquiry. These stay on your report for 3 years, but usually only affect your score for 12 months.

• Checking your own credit (a soft inquiry) has no impact on your score and doesn’t show up to lenders.

Tip: Space out your credit applications to avoid looking like you’re desperate for credit.

Debts That Never Show Up

Some items don’t appear on your credit report at all:

• Your income

• Your bank account balance

• Your criminal record

• Parking tickets or municipal fines (unless sent to collections)

That said, even things like unpaid cell phone bills can wind up hurting your score if they get sent to collections.

You Can’t Erase History — But You Can Rebuild

Negative information will fall off your report eventually. In the meantime:

• Keep making on-time payments

• Use credit responsibly

• Limit new credit applications

• Monitor your report regularly

Over time, good habits carry more weight than old mistakes. And once the bad stuff falls off? You’ll be in a much stronger position to qualify for lower rates and better terms.