When Does Mortgage Report to Credit Bureaus?

Hard inquiries often appear the day after you submit a mortgage application because lenders pull your credit as soon as they receive the request, and the credit bureaus usually post that pull within one business day. The inquiry shows up on your report even if the loan is later denied; it's simply a record that a lender checked your file.

Reporting timing can vary slightly - some lenders batch pulls, so the inquiry may show up 24 - 48 hours after the application - but the appearance the next day is normal and temporary (it stays on your file for up to two years). This early hard inquiry precedes the actual loan account that will be reported after closing, which we'll cover in the 'When Does Your Mortgage First Report?' section. For more detail on how hard inquiries affect scores, see FICO's guide to credit inquiries.

Your mortgage typically first appears on your credit report after the loan closes and the lender submits the new account, usually within the next 30 days (as the hard inquiry discussed earlier shows up the day after you apply).

• Closing date triggers the lender's initial report.
• Lender often sends the data at the end of its monthly reporting cycle.
• Credit bureaus process and post the account within 1 - 2 billing cycles, roughly 30 - 45 days after closing.
• Some lenders may delay up to 60 days, but most report sooner.
• If the account is not visible after about 45 days, contact your lender; see this mortgage reporting timeline for details.

A newly closed mortgage typically shows up on the credit bureaus within a few days after closing.

• Lender submits the new loan to the bureaus during the same reporting cycle that includes the closing date, often 1‑3 business days later.
• If the lender batches data nightly, the account may appear the next business day; if they batch weekly, expect up to 7 days.
• Some lenders wait until the first payment is posted before reporting, which can push the entry to the next month's cycle.
• You can verify the posting date by checking your credit reports for a 'new account' entry that matches the loan's closing balance.
• If the loan doesn't appear after 14 days, contact the lender; a brief reporting delay is common but should be resolved quickly.

Your first mortgage payment shows up on your credit report at the end of the lender's reporting cycle, typically 1 - 2 weeks after the payment posts.

1. Payment posts - The lender records the payment on the settlement date, usually the same day or the next business day.
2. Batch reporting - Most lenders bundle all activity from the month‑end reporting cycle and send it to the credit bureaus.
3. Bureau update - Credit bureaus process the batch and reflect the payment within 5 - 10 business days.
4. Timing variance - Because some lenders run cycles earlier or later, the update can take up to 30 days; see the next section on 'spot lender delays in reporting' for troubleshooting.

For a deeper look at the mechanics, check out how lenders report mortgage payments.

Your mortgage payment appears on your credit bureaus at the end of the lender's reporting cycle, typically about 30 days after the payment is posted. Once the cycle closes, the lender submits the updated balance, and the bureaus reflect the new payment status.

Because the cycle varies by institution, some lenders may report within a few weeks, while others wait until the next monthly batch. If a payment is late, the negative mark won't show until the cycle passes the 30‑day threshold, which ties directly into the next section on late-payment reporting.

Late payment on a mortgage typically shows up on your credit report once it passes the 30‑day mark in the lender's reporting cycle.

• Most lenders submit a delinquency to the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) after the payment is 30 days past due; some wait until 60 days, but 30‑day reporting is the norm.
• The account will appear as '30‑day late' (or '31‑60 days late' if the lender batches updates) and can cause a 60‑100‑point drop in your FICO score, depending on your overall credit profile.
• If the payment is later brought current, the lender usually updates the status to 'current' during the next reporting cycle; the late‑payment flag, however, remains on the report for up to seven years.
• Disputes are possible only if the lender reports an inaccurate date or fails to remove the late status after you've cured the delinquency; you can file a dispute with each bureau directly.

A 30‑day late entry is the first major red flag in the mortgage's credit‑reporting timeline, paving the way for the next topic - how a refinance can reset this reporting clock.

Refinancing a mortgage creates a brand‑new loan account, so the credit bureaus start a fresh reporting clock. Your original loan closes, the new loan opens, and the lender files a new hard inquiry shortly after you submit the refinance application.

From the lender's side, the new account appears on your credit file at the next reporting cycle, usually within 30 days of closing. Payment history begins with the first payment on the refinanced loan, while the closed original loan stays on the report with its past‑payment record intact.

Because the clock resets, any future monthly updates follow the same end‑of‑cycle timing described earlier, and when you eventually pay off the refinanced loan the 'pay off clears report when?' rules will apply to that new account.

Your mortgage disappears from the active portion of your credit report as soon as the lender sends a payoff notification, which most lenders do within 30 days after the final payment clears; the credit bureaus then incorporate that update at the next reporting cycle, typically a few weeks later, so you'll see a 'Closed - Paid in Full' status appear in about 30‑45 days (as covered in the 'first payment shows up when?' section).

Some lenders take up to 60 days, but the account stays on your report for up to ten years in its closed form.

Lender delays appear when the mortgage account that should have been added during the normal reporting cycle is absent or outdated on your credit‑bureau file.

If three weeks have passed since closing and neither Equifax nor TransUnion shows the new mortgage, or if the balance and payment history stop updating after the first payment, the lender has likely missed its monthly submission deadline. Compare the closing date and first‑payment date you see in your loan portal with the dates on your credit reports; a mismatch is a clear red flag.

When you spot such gaps, call the lender's servicing department and ask for the exact date they filed the mortgage with the credit bureaus. Request a copy of the submission confirmation and, if needed, file a dispute with the bureau referencing that confirmation.

Most lenders will correct the omission within the next reporting cycle, and you can verify the fix by re‑checking your report after 30 days. For background on typical reporting timelines, see understand credit reporting cycles.

You track reports matching your lender by pulling your credit reports from the three major bureaus and locating the mortgage entry that lists the lender's name.

Definition:

Tracking means reviewing each monthly update from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to confirm the lender's reporting aligns with the expected reporting cycle. Look for the line‑item that includes the loan amount, balance, and the lender's corporate name. This practice lets you spot gaps between the lender's internal posting date and the credit‑bureau update, a step that follows the 'when does your mortgage first report?' timeline discussed earlier.

Examples:

• Request your free annual reports at AnnualCreditReport.com, then sign up for a credit‑monitoring alert that flags any new mortgage‑related entry.
• In the 'mortgage' section, note the lender listed as 'ABC Bank' or 'XYZ Mortgage Co.'; compare the balance shown with your own statement to verify accuracy.
• If the balance hasn't changed after your first payment, note the date and wait until the end‑of‑cycle update (usually 30‑45 days) before questioning the lender.
• Use the lender's online portal to view the 'credit reporting' date; match it against the date the change appears on your report to catch any delay, which the next section 'spot lender delays in reporting' will cover.