At a Glance

By learning when credit card companies report information to the credit bureaus, a person can make payments on their cards more strategically. This can help a person to bolster their credit score over time and become smarter with their debt.

In this article, you’ll learn:

When do card issuers report to credit bureaus?

Creditors are supposed to report to the credit bureaus on a monthly basis, most commonly on the same date that a billing cycle occurs. Therefore, to determine when a specific card issuer reports to the bureaus, you should look into your credit card account portal to see when the billing cycle occurs. Therefore, the answer to how often credit cards report to the bureaus is monthly, though the exact time can vary.

Is it important to know when your payments get reported?

Understanding when credit cards report to the bureaus is important for those taking an active position in improving their credit score. By knowing when credit card companies report to credit bureaus, a person can pay off their bill before that date to reduce the amount of their total credit that has been used, thus lowering their credit utilization along with having proof of payment. Both of these factors can help to improve a credit score.

When will a new credit card show on your credit reports?

Generally, in looking at when credit cards report to credit bureaus, many people wonder how long it takes a new card to show up on the report. It typically takes one billing cycle for a card to show up. Therefore, the first notice you receive for the billing cycle is the exact point in time during which it will show up on your report.

How does timing affect credit utilization?

Credit utilization is calculated at the time your credit information is reported to the bureaus. When looking at how often credit cards report to credit bureaus, making a payment right before the reporting date will lower your credit utilization by opening up the amount of credit a person has access to according to the bureaus. Credit utilization is one of the primary factors used in calculating a credit score, therefore the timing makes a major impact.

FAQs

No, creditors are not required legally to report information to the credit bureaus, with the practice being voluntary. However, in looking at how often credit card companies report to credit bureaus, the answer is monthly for the majority of card issuers.

Credit scores are updated on a monthly basis using the most recent information available to the credit bureaus at the time of calculation. 

Related: How Often Does Your Credit Score Change?

No, credit card companies will not change their reporting dates for a single individual. However, you can ask when credit card companies report so that you know when to start making more strategic payments.

The day of the month credit card companies report to the credit bureaus changes depending on the credit card you have.