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Consumer Credit Protection Act: Congress passed these laws to protect you — the FCRA, FDCPA, CROA, ECOA and TILA are all part of it.
FCRA § 611: You have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information, and the credit bureau generally must investigate within 30 days — free of charge.
FCRA § 605: Most negative information must come off your report after 7 years. Most bankruptcies: 10 years.
FCRA § 605B: Identity theft victims can have fraudulent accounts blocked from their credit reports.
FCRA § 612: You are entitled to free copies of your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
FCRA § 615: If you are denied credit because of your report, you must be told and told which bureau was used.
FDCPA § 809: Dispute a debt in writing within 30 days and the collector must stop collecting until it verifies the debt.
FDCPA § 805: You can tell a debt collector in writing to stop contacting you.
FDCPA § 806–807: Debt collectors may not harass you, threaten you or lie to you.
CROA § 404: No credit repair company may charge you before its services are fully performed.
CROA § 407: You have 3 business days to cancel a credit repair contract without penalty.
ECOA: Creditors may not discriminate against you for race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or receiving public assistance.
TILA: Lenders must clearly disclose the true cost of credit — including the APR — before you sign.
SCRA: Active-duty servicemembers can cap interest at 6% on many debts taken on before service.

Consumer Credit Protection Act: Congress passed these laws to protect you — the FCRA, FDCPA, CROA, ECOA and TILA are all part of it.
FCRA § 611: You have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information, and the credit bureau generally must investigate within 30 days — free of charge.
FCRA § 605: Most negative information must come off your report after 7 years. Most bankruptcies: 10 years.
FCRA § 605B: Identity theft victims can have fraudulent accounts blocked from their credit reports.
FCRA § 612: You are entitled to free copies of your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
FCRA § 615: If you are denied credit because of your report, you must be told and told which bureau was used.
FDCPA § 809: Dispute a debt in writing within 30 days and the collector must stop collecting until it verifies the debt.
FDCPA § 805: You can tell a debt collector in writing to stop contacting you.
FDCPA § 806–807: Debt collectors may not harass you, threaten you or lie to you.
CROA § 404: No credit repair company may charge you before its services are fully performed.
CROA § 407: You have 3 business days to cancel a credit repair contract without penalty.
ECOA: Creditors may not discriminate against you for race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or receiving public assistance.
TILA: Lenders must clearly disclose the true cost of credit — including the APR — before you sign.
SCRA: Active-duty servicemembers can cap interest at 6% on many debts taken on before service.

Consumer Law Library

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)

The ECOA guarantees that you are judged on your creditworthiness — not on who you are.

By Richie Barrett · Published September 26, 2026

What the ECOA prohibits

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. § 1691 et seq.), Title VII of the Consumer Credit Protection Act, makes it illegal for a creditor to discriminate in any part of a credit transaction on the basis of:

Race or color
Religion
National origin
Sex
Marital status
Age (if you are old enough to enter a contract)
Receiving income from a public assistance program
Having exercised, in good faith, your rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act

Your rights when you apply

A decision and notice: creditors generally must notify you of action on a completed application within 30 days.
Specific reasons: if you are denied, you have the right to the specific reasons, or to request them within 60 days. “You didn’t meet our standards” is not enough.
Your own credit: a creditor generally may not require your spouse’s signature if you qualify on your own.
All income counts: creditors must consider reliable income from part-time work, alimony, child support and public assistance.

Remedies

An applicant may recover actual damages, punitive damages of up to $10,000 in an individual action, and attorney’s fees. Lawsuits generally must be filed within 5 years. You can also file complaints with the CFPB.

Sources: Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1691–1691f; Regulation B, 12 C.F.R. part 1002.

Put the law to work for your credit

Our free assessment shows you which of these protections apply to your reports.

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Common questions

What if I was denied and not told why?

You have the right to a statement of specific reasons. Request it in writing within 60 days of the denial notice.

Know where to go — the credit bureaus and the agencies that protect you

Links go to each organization’s official website. Kaironeek Financial is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.