How Long Before an Eviction Falls Off Your Record?

An eviction can stay on your tenant screening report for up to seven years from the date the case was filed in court, whether or not you were actually evicted.¹ So the short answer to how long before an eviction falls off your record is seven years, but that limit only governs what tenant screening companies can put in a report. The underlying court file can sit in the public record indefinitely unless a court formally seals or expunges it.² That gap is where most of the confusion lives.

The Seven-Year Rule on Tenant Screening Reports

Tenant screening reports are the background checks landlords order from specialty consumer reporting agencies when you apply to rent. They’re separate from your credit report. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, an eviction case can appear on one of these reports for up to seven years.² The statute measures the seven years “from date of entry,” which for an eviction lawsuit means the date the case was filed with the court.³

Here’s the part that catches most people off guard: a dismissed case still counts. If your landlord filed and later dropped the case, or a judge ruled in your favor, the filing itself can still show up for the full seven years.¹ The clock starts at filing and a dismissal doesn’t restart or shorten it.⁴ The screening company does have to include any available outcome information, so the report should reflect that the case was dismissed rather than listing it as an active eviction.

Once the seven-year window closes, a screening agency can no longer include the eviction in any report it generates about you. If it does, that’s a violation of federal law and you can dispute it.

Court Records Outlast Screening Reports

The seven-year limit is a cap on what tenant screening companies may report. The court record itself, meaning the case filing, docket entries, and any judgment, stays in the public court system indefinitely unless it is formally sealed or expunged.² A landlord who searches court records directly, instead of relying on a screening service, can find an eviction from a decade ago. Smaller landlords sometimes do exactly that.

This is why sealing or expungement still matters even after seven years have passed. The screening report may be clean, but the court file is still sitting there for anyone who looks.

What About Your Credit Report?

Evictions do not appear on your credit report from the three major bureaus. The only public records those bureaus include are bankruptcy filings, so an eviction judgment by itself will not directly lower your credit score.

The indirect damage happens when unpaid rent, fees, or a money judgment gets sent to a collection agency. That collection account can land on your credit report and remain there for up to seven years from the date the payment first became past due. Paying the collection off doesn’t remove it early, though it will show as paid rather than outstanding.

Getting an Eviction Off Your Record Sooner

Sealing or expunging the eviction is the only way to clear the underlying court file. Once sealed, the record is hidden from public view and screening companies should no longer be able to find or report it. You file a petition with the court that originally handled the case.

Courts are most likely to grant expungement when the tenant won, the landlord voluntarily dismissed the case, or the parties settled and the tenant met all the terms. Some jurisdictions also allow sealing after a set number of years regardless of outcome. Rules vary widely by state and even by county, so checking with your local court clerk or a tenant rights organization is the practical first step.

Expect the process to take a few months from filing to final order. Court filing fees for eviction sealing petitions generally run from around $40 to $350, depending on the jurisdiction. If the former landlord has to be formally notified through a process server, that typically adds another $30 to $150.

If you lost the case and still owe money on the judgment, paying the balance and filing a “satisfaction of judgment” with the court won’t erase the record, but it does update the file to show the debt is resolved. You can then ask the screening company to update its records too.¹ A satisfied judgment looks significantly better to a prospective landlord than an outstanding one.

States That Seal Records Automatically or Early

A growing number of states seal certain eviction records without requiring the tenant to file anything. California and Colorado seal eviction records at the time of filing, limiting public access before any judgment is entered. Utah automatically seals eviction records after three years, or sooner if the judgment is satisfied or vacated. Idaho automatically seals records three years after filing when the case was dismissed or resolved by agreement. Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia require sealing when a case is resolved in the tenant’s favor. If you live in one of these states, your record may already be sealed or eligible for sealing well before the federal seven-year window runs out.

Fixing an Old Eviction That Won’t Disappear

If it’s been more than seven years since the case was filed and the eviction is still showing on a screening report, the report is wrong. Other common errors include an eviction that belongs to someone with a similar name, or a dismissed case listed as an active judgment. The FCRA gives you the right to dispute the error directly with the screening company.¹

First, get a copy of your file. Every consumer reporting agency, including tenant screening companies, must give you one free copy of your file per year on request.⁵ The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau maintains a list of the major consumer reporting companies, including tenant screening agencies.⁶ Request your file from the largest ones before you start apartment-hunting so you know what a landlord will actually see. Most tenant screening companies won’t have a file on you unless you’ve previously authorized a landlord to pull a report.

Submit your dispute in writing, describe the specific error, and include copies of any supporting documents. The screening company generally has 30 days to investigate and respond, though some states set shorter deadlines.¹ If the investigation confirms the information is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable, the agency must correct or delete it. Ask them to send the corrected report to any landlord who recently received the bad version. If the company refuses to fix a confirmed error, you can file a complaint with the CFPB.⁷

A Separate Protection for Domestic Violence Survivors

The federal Violence Against Women Act protects survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking who are applying for or living in federally subsidized housing. Under VAWA, a housing provider in a covered program cannot deny admission or terminate assistance because of an eviction record, criminal history, or bad credit history that resulted from the abuse.⁸ The protection covers public housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, and more than a dozen other HUD-funded programs. It does not apply to private-market rentals, but it’s a real shield for survivors seeking subsidized housing who might otherwise be screened out by an eviction connected to abuse.

Renting While the Record Is Still There

Waiting seven years isn’t always realistic. If you need housing now and there’s an eviction in your file, a few practical moves improve your odds.

Be upfront about it. Prepare a short written explanation of what happened and what has changed. A landlord who hears your version first is more receptive than one who fills in the blanks after finding the record.
Show financial stability. Bring recent pay stubs, bank statements, or tax returns that demonstrate steady income.
Offer a larger deposit or prepaid rent where your state allows it. Extra money upfront gives the landlord a cushion.
Get references. A letter from a previous landlord carries real weight. If a former landlord isn’t an option, an employer or professional reference helps.
Use a co-signer. A family member or friend with strong credit who co-signs takes on shared liability, which lowers the landlord’s risk.
Look for individual landlords. Private owners who manage their own properties are far more likely to hear you out than corporate management companies running every applicant through automated screening.
Search for second-chance rental programs. Some nonprofits and local housing agencies run programs specifically for tenants with eviction histories.

1
Federal Trade Commission. Disputing Errors on Your Tenant Background Check Report
2
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Long Can Information, Like Eviction Actions and Lawsuits, Stay on My Tenant Screening Record?
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c – Requirements Relating to Information Contained in Consumer Reports
4
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Fair Credit Reporting – Background Screening
5
Federal Register. Fair Credit Reporting Act Disclosures
6
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Companies List – Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
7
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Consumer Reporting Companies – Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
8
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)