# Fair Credit Reporting Act

*Regulation & Compliance — Finicade finance glossary*

The Fair Credit Reporting Act governs what credit bureaus may hold, who may access it, and how errors are corrected. It gives you the right to a free report, to dispute inaccuracies with a roughly 30-day investigation window, and to know when a report was used against you. It's also the law that limits how long negative items may be reported — generally seven years.

**Also known as:** FCRA, credit reporting law

**Related terms:** [Credit Report](https://finicade.com/glossary/credit-report), [Credit Bureau](https://finicade.com/glossary/credit-bureau), [Credit Score](https://finicade.com/glossary/credit-score), [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau](https://finicade.com/glossary/consumer-financial-protection-bureau), [Hard Inquiry](https://finicade.com/glossary/hard-inquiry)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/fair-credit-reporting-act