Credit law tracker

Laws about credit reports change every year, and the rules can differ from one state to the next. This tracker explains, in plain English, the state and federal laws that affect what can appear on your credit reports and what rights you have.

It is here for education and to help you monitor your own credit with confidence. We do not offer credit repair. Everything on these pages is something you can do yourself, for free, using the official source linked on each entry.

123

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Jurisdictions with entries

Took effect in the last 12 months

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Federal laws and rules

The Fair Credit Reporting Act and federal rules from the CFPB and the FTC apply in every state.

1 entry

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Recently effective and upcoming

Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act of 2026 (D.C. Law 26-172)

Enacted

Jurisdiction: District of Columbia
Citation:: D.C. Law 26-172; D.C. Code 28-3814
Effective:: Aug 20, 2026

This law bars health care providers and debt collectors from reporting the amount or existence of a patient's medical debt to a consumer reporting agency, and adds limits on medical debt collection. The law became effective August 20, 2026, but its requirements apply only after its cost is funded in an approved budget, and the official D.C. Code notes say the credit reporting change has not been implemented yet.

What you can do

Keep copies of medical bills and check your reports; watch for the date these rules start to apply.

Official sources

Source checked Sep 29, 2026

SB 605 (2025): medical debt reporting

In effect

Jurisdiction: Oregon
Citation:: Or. Rev. Stat. 646A.677
Effective:: Jan 1, 2026

In Oregon, medical service providers may not report the amount or existence of medical debt to a consumer reporting agency, and a consumer reporting agency may not include an item it knows or should know is medical debt. The 2025 law also widened the definition of medical debt beyond hospital bills.

What you can do

Pull your free reports and dispute any medical debt that your state says should not be reported.

Official sources

Source checked Sep 29, 2026

Senate Bill 156 (153rd General Assembly): medical debt excluded from credit reports

In effect

Jurisdiction: Delaware
Citation:: Del. S.S. 1 for S.B. 156 (2025)
Effective:: Oct 27, 2025

Delaware law prohibits medical debt from appearing on consumer credit reports.

What you can do

Pull your free reports and dispute any medical debt that your state says should not be reported.

Official sources

Source checked Sep 29, 2026

HB 1020 (2025), Fair Medical Debt Reporting Act (Chapter 121)

In effect

Jurisdiction: Maryland
Citation:: Md. Code, Com. Law 14-1213
Effective:: Oct 1, 2025

A Maryland consumer reporting agency may not make or furnish a report containing adverse information it knows or should know relates to medical debt, or any collection action to collect medical debt. It also may not keep information about that medical debt in your file.

What you can do

Pull your free reports and dispute any medical debt that your state says should not be reported.

Official sources

Source checked Sep 29, 2026

This is general education, not legal advice. Laws change; check the official source linked on each entry.