Credit Repair Laws by State: Scores, Time Limits and Your Rights in 2026
Credit repair laws by state differ more than most people realize. Federal law sets the floor everywhere, but your state decides how long a creditor can sue, whether credit repair companies must register, and which homebuyer programs you can use. Here is every state side by side, with sources.
What Applies in Every State
Before looking at credit repair laws by state, know the federal rules that apply everywhere. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives every consumer the right to dispute inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or unverifiable information, and limits most negative items to seven years. The Credit Repair Organizations Act bans advance fees, requires a written contract and a three-day right to cancel, and prohibits false promises. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Regulation F govern how collectors behave.
CROA
No advance fees, written contracts, 3-day cancellation, no guarantees.
FDCPA and Reg F
No lawsuits on time-barred debt; validation and contact rights.
State law then adds a second layer. The three state-level differences that matter most to consumers are the statute of limitations on debt, state credit services organization laws, and state rules on medical debt reporting.
Average Credit Score and Debt Time Limits, All 50 States
Average FICO scores are Experian’s 2025 figures (national average: 713). Statute of limitations figures are for open accounts such as credit cards, as compiled by InCharge Debt Solutions. Limits can differ for written contracts and court judgments; confirm with your state attorney general before relying on them. Source for scores: Experian.
| State | Average FICO (2025) | Time to sue on credit card debt |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 689 ▼ | 3 years |
| Alaska | 720 ▲ | 3 years |
| Arizona | 709 ▼ | 6 years |
| Arkansas | 693 ▼ | 5 years |
| California | 721 ▲ | 4 years |
| Colorado | 729 ▲ | 6 years |
| Connecticut | 724 ▲ | 6 years |
| Delaware | 713 | 4 years |
| District of Columbia | 711 ▼ | 3 years |
| Florida | 704 ▼ | 5 years |
| Georgia | 692 ▼ | 6 years |
| Hawaii | 730 ▲ | 6 years |
| Idaho | 729 ▲ | 4 years |
| Illinois | 720 ▲ | 5 years |
| Indiana | 710 ▼ | 6 years |
| Iowa | 728 ▲ | 5 years |
| Kansas | 720 ▲ | 3 years |
| Kentucky | 704 ▼ | 10 years |
| Louisiana | 686 ▼ | 3 years |
| Maine | 731 ▲ | 6 years |
| Maryland | 714 ▲ | 3 years |
| Massachusetts | 731 ▲ | 6 years |
| Michigan | 717 ▲ | 6 years |
| Minnesota | 741 ▲ | 6 years |
| Mississippi | 677 ▼ | 3 years |
| Missouri | 712 ▼ | 5 years |
| Montana | 730 ▲ | 5 years |
| Nebraska | 728 ▲ | 4 years |
| Nevada | 699 ▼ | 4 years |
| New Hampshire | 735 ▲ | 3 years |
| New Jersey | 722 ▲ | 6 years |
| New Mexico | 701 ▼ | 4 years |
| New York | 719 ▲ | 3 years |
| North Carolina | 707 ▼ | 3 years |
| North Dakota | 730 ▲ | 6 years |
| Ohio | 713 | 6 years |
| Oklahoma | 693 ▼ | 3 years |
| Oregon | 730 ▲ | 6 years |
| Pennsylvania | 720 ▲ | 4 years |
| Rhode Island | 719 ▲ | 10 years |
| South Carolina | 699 ▼ | 3 years |
| South Dakota | 731 ▲ | 6 years |
| Tennessee | 703 ▼ | 6 years |
| Texas | 692 ▼ | 4 years |
| Utah | 728 ▲ | 4 years |
| Vermont | 737 ▲ | 6 years |
| Virginia | 721 ▲ | 3 years |
| Washington | 734 ▲ | 6 years |
| West Virginia | 699 ▼ | 5 years |
| Wisconsin | 737 ▲ | 6 years |
| Wyoming | 722 ▲ | 8 years |
Highest and Lowest Average Credit Scores by State
Five highest
| State | Avg FICO |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | 741 |
| Vermont | 737 |
| Wisconsin | 737 |
| New Hampshire | 735 |
| Washington | 734 |
Five lowest
| State | Avg FICO |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 692 |
| Texas | 692 |
| Alabama | 689 |
| Louisiana | 686 |
| Mississippi | 677 |
Lower-scoring states tend to have higher shares of residents with collections and past-due accounts, and lower average incomes. A state average says nothing about any individual file, but it does shape how many lenders in that market price loans.
State Detail: Laws, Programs and Local Guides
For the states where we publish local credit repair guides, here is the state credit repair law, the state housing finance agency that runs first-time homebuyer programs, and links to each local page. Program score minimums change often, so check the agency directly.
Alabama
Avg FICO 689 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. Federal CROA applies. Check with the Alabama Attorney General for any state registration rule.
Homebuyer programs: Alabama Housing Finance Authority
Local guides: Birmingham and Mobile
Arizona
Avg FICO 709 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. Federal CROA applies. Check with the Arizona Attorney General for any state registration rule.
Homebuyer programs: Arizona Department of Housing
California
Avg FICO 721 · Credit card debt: 4 years to sue. State credit repair law: the California Credit Services Act of 1984, on top of federal CROA. State law also restricts medical debt on credit reports.
Homebuyer programs: California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
Local guides: Chula Vista and Oceanside, Sacramento, California, Ontario, Riverside, Glendale, Santa Ana, Fresno, Long Beach, the San Francisco Bay Area
Colorado
Avg FICO 729 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. Federal CROA applies. Check with the Colorado Attorney General for any state registration rule. State law also restricts medical debt on credit reports.
Homebuyer programs: Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)
Local guides: Denver, Colorado Springs and Aurora
Connecticut
Avg FICO 724 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. Federal CROA applies. Check with the Connecticut Attorney General for any state registration rule.
Homebuyer programs: Connecticut Housing Finance Authority
Local guides: Stamford
The District of Columbia
Avg FICO 711 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. Federal CROA applies. Check with the District of Columbia Attorney General for any state registration rule.
Homebuyer programs: DC Housing Finance Agency
Local guides: Washington, DC
Florida
Avg FICO 704 · Credit card debt: 5 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Florida Credit Service Organizations Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Florida Housing Finance Corporation
Local guides: Fort Lauderdale, South Florida, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Miami
Louisiana
Avg FICO 686 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Louisiana Credit Repair Services Organizations Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Louisiana Housing Corporation
Local guides: New Orleans, Baton Rouge
Maryland
Avg FICO 714 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Maryland Credit Services Businesses Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Maryland Mortgage Program
Local guides: Baltimore
Michigan
Avg FICO 717 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Michigan Credit Services Protection Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Michigan State Housing Development Authority
Local guides: Detroit
Minnesota
Avg FICO 741 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. State credit repair law: Minnesota’s credit services organizations law, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Minnesota Housing
Local guides: Minneapolis
Nevada
Avg FICO 699 · Credit card debt: 4 years to sue. State credit repair law: Nevada’s credit service organizations law, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Nevada Housing Division
Local guides: Reno
New Jersey
Avg FICO 722 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. Federal CROA applies. Check with the New Jersey Attorney General for any state registration rule.
Homebuyer programs: New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency
Local guides: Newark
New Mexico
Avg FICO 701 · Credit card debt: 4 years to sue. Federal CROA applies. Check with the New Mexico Attorney General for any state registration rule.
Homebuyer programs: MFA Housing New Mexico
Local guides: Albuquerque
New York
Avg FICO 719 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. State credit repair law: New York’s credit services businesses law (General Business Law, Article 28-BB), on top of federal CROA. State law also restricts medical debt on credit reports.
Homebuyer programs: State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA)
Local guides: Rochester, New York City, Brooklyn, New York
North Carolina
Avg FICO 707 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. State credit repair law: the North Carolina Credit Repair Services Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: North Carolina Housing Finance Agency
Local guides: Charlotte, Greensboro
Ohio
Avg FICO 713 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. State credit repair law: Ohio’s credit services organizations law (Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4712), on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Ohio Housing Finance Agency
Local guides: Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Cincinnati
Oklahoma
Avg FICO 693 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Oklahoma Credit Services Organization Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency
Local guides: Oklahoma City
Pennsylvania
Avg FICO 720 · Credit card debt: 4 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Pennsylvania Credit Services Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency
Local guides: Pittsburgh
Tennessee
Avg FICO 703 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Tennessee Credit Services Businesses Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Tennessee Housing Development Agency
Local guides: Clarksville, Nashville
Texas
Avg FICO 692 · Credit card debt: 4 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Texas Credit Services Organizations Act (Texas Finance Code, Chapter 393), on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Local guides: West Texas, El Paso, Round Rock, Tyler, Richardson, Plano and Irving, Arlington, Garland and McKinney, San Antonio, Dallas
Utah
Avg FICO 728 · Credit card debt: 4 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Utah Credit Services Organizations Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Utah Housing Corporation
Local guides: Salt Lake City
Virginia
Avg FICO 721 · Credit card debt: 3 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Virginia Credit Services Businesses Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Virginia Housing
Local guides: Virginia Beach
Washington
Avg FICO 734 · Credit card debt: 6 years to sue. State credit repair law: the Washington Credit Services Organization Act, on top of federal CROA.
Homebuyer programs: Washington State Housing Finance Commission
Local guides: Seattle
How State Law Changes Your Strategy
Find your statute of limitations
If an old debt is past your state’s limit, a payment could restart it. Read statute of limitations vs credit reporting before paying.
Check medical debt rules
Some states go beyond the national bureau policies. See medical debt on your credit report.
Vet any credit repair company
Ask whether it complies with your state’s registration and bond rules as well as CROA.
Use your state housing agency
State homebuyer programs often have their own credit score minimums and down payment help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do credit repair laws differ by state?
Yes. Federal law (FCRA, CROA, FDCPA) applies everywhere, but states add their own rules on credit repair company registration, statutes of limitations on debt, and in some states medical debt reporting.
Which state has the highest average credit score?
Minnesota, at 741 in Experian’s 2025 data. Mississippi was lowest at 677. The national average was 713.
Does my state’s statute of limitations change how long debt stays on my credit report?
No. Credit reporting is controlled by the federal FCRA, generally seven years. The statute of limitations only controls how long a creditor can sue.
Can a credit repair company work with clients in any state?
It must comply with federal CROA everywhere and with the laws of each state where it serves clients, which can include registration and bonding.
Want a Second Pair of Eyes on Your Report?
Free consultation, nationwide. We review all three bureau reports with you and tell you honestly what is disputable, whether or not you hire us.
(726) 218-1852 · Info@legendarywayscreditsolution.com · Serving all 50 states
Educational information, not legal advice. Legendary Ways Credit Solution does not guarantee any score outcome and cannot remove accurate, timely, verifiable information from a credit report. Laws and bureau policies change; confirm details with the cited sources or an attorney for your situation.
