How Long Does a Dismissed Eviction Stay on Record?

A dismissed eviction can stay on tenant screening reports for up to seven years from the date the landlord filed the case, and the underlying court record stays publicly accessible indefinitely unless a court seals or expunges it. So how long a dismissed eviction stays on your record depends on which record you mean: the screening report has a federal expiration date, the courthouse file does not.

The Seven-Year Clock on Screening Reports

The Fair Credit Reporting Act bars consumer reporting agencies, including tenant screening companies, from reporting civil suits and civil judgments that are more than seven years old. The clock runs from the date the case was filed, not the date it ended.¹ That window applies no matter how the case resolved. A dismissal, a settlement, and a judgment against the tenant all follow the same seven-year rule.²

That is the ceiling, not the floor. A screening company can stop reporting a dismissed case sooner, and some do. But the law lets them keep it in reports for the full seven years.

Where the Record Actually Lives

Two separate systems hold eviction information, and they operate on different timelines.

The court file sits with the local court that handled the case. Most courts publish docket information online, and anyone willing to search can find it. These records remain accessible indefinitely unless a court order seals or expunges them. The docket should show how the case ended, though not every court updates disposition information promptly or clearly.

Tenant screening companies are the bigger practical problem. They pull data from court records across the country, compile it, and sell reports to landlords. When a screening company scrapes a filing from a courthouse database, it captures the fact that an eviction was filed against you. These companies frequently rely on cached data rather than rechecking the courthouse, so a dismissal entered after they scraped the record may not show up in later reports.

One boundary worth knowing: a dismissed eviction does not appear on your standard credit report from Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. If your landlord sent unpaid rent or fees to collections during the dispute, that collection account can show up on your credit report for up to seven years from the date you first fell behind.³ That is a separate issue from the eviction filing itself.

Disputing a Dismissed Eviction on Your Report

The FCRA requires every consumer reporting agency to follow reasonable procedures to ensure the maximum possible accuracy of its reports.⁴ Reporting a filing without noting that it was dismissed, or continuing to report a record a court has sealed, raises compliance concerns under that standard. The Federal Trade Commission has flagged the reporting of expunged or sealed records as a practice that calls FCRA compliance into question.⁵

If a screening report shows your filing without the dismissal, or lists wrong details, you can dispute it directly with the screening company. The company has 30 days to investigate and must notify you of the results in writing.⁶ Having a copy of the court’s dismissal order makes the process much faster. If the company cannot verify the information, it must correct or remove the entry.

Using the Adverse Action Notice

When a landlord denies your application, charges you a higher deposit, requires a co-signer, or takes any other negative step based partly or entirely on information in your screening report, federal law requires them to tell you.⁷ This adverse action notice must include the name and contact information of the screening company, a statement that the screening company did not make the rental decision, and notice of your right to a free copy of the report if you request it within 60 days.⁸

That 60-day free report window matters. It lets you see exactly what the landlord saw, including whether your dismissed eviction was reported accurately. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau maintains a list of tenant screening companies you can contact to request your report.⁹

Cutting the Seven Years Short: Sealing and Expungement

Sealing or expunging the court record is the only way to stop the data pipeline before the seven-year clock runs out. Sealing hides the record from public view; expungement destroys it. Either one cuts off the source screening companies pull from.

A growing number of states let tenants seal or expunge eviction records, though the rules vary significantly.¹⁰ Two models exist:

Automatic sealing. Some states seal dismissed cases without any action from the tenant. Indiana, for example, allows courts to seal eviction filings automatically when the case is dismissed, the tenant wins, or the judgment is reversed on appeal.
Motion-based sealing. In most states with sealing laws, the tenant must file a motion with the court that handled the case. A judge reviews the request, and the landlord may have a chance to object. Eligibility often depends on the outcome, how much time has passed, and whether any outstanding debts have been resolved.

Filing fees are generally modest and vary by jurisdiction. An attorney adds cost but is not always necessary for a straightforward dismissed case, and legal aid organizations help tenants with eviction record sealing at no charge in many areas.

Once a court grants the seal or expungement, keep a certified copy of the order. Send it to any screening company you know has the record and follow up to confirm removal. A screening company that keeps reporting a sealed record after being notified is on shaky ground under the FCRA’s accuracy requirements.⁵

What a Dismissed Case Still Costs You

Even a dismissed case creates friction in the rental market. Many landlords use automated screening tools and apply blanket policies that flag any eviction filing, regardless of outcome. A tenant who won can end up treated like one who lost.

In 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued guidance stating that eviction records without a negative outcome are not relevant to tenant screening. HUD’s position is that housing providers and screening companies should not deny housing based on proceedings where the tenant prevailed, a settlement was reached, or the case was dropped. If a court record does not provide enough information to determine who prevailed, HUD says it should be disregarded.¹¹ The guidance does not have the force of a statute, but it signals the direction enforcement is moving. Raising it in a conversation with a landlord, alongside your dismissal paperwork, gives you a response to an automated flag.

Steps to Take Right Now

Get a copy of the court’s dismissal order from the clerk’s office at the court that handled your case. Then request your tenant screening report. You are entitled to a free copy within 60 days of any housing denial based on that report.¹² If the report is inaccurate or incomplete, dispute it in writing with the screening company and include the dismissal order; the company has 30 days to investigate.⁶

Check whether your state allows sealing of dismissed eviction records. If it does, filing sooner prevents the record from generating more screening hits while you wait. The seven-year federal clock will eventually close on its own. For most people looking for housing now, that is not fast enough.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c – Requirements Relating to Information Contained in Consumer Reports
2
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Long Can Information, Like Eviction Actions and Lawsuits, Stay on My Tenant Screening Record
3
Experian. How Long Does an Eviction Stay on Your Record
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681e – Compliance Procedures
5
Federal Trade Commission. What Tenant Background Screening Companies Need to Know About the Fair Credit Reporting Act
6
Federal Trade Commission. Tenant Background Checks and Your Rights
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681m – Requirements on Users of Consumer Reports
8
Federal Trade Commission. Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know
9
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Is a Tenant Screening Report
10
National Center for State Courts. Removing Housing Barriers Through Record Relief
11
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Guidance on Application of the Fair Housing Act to the Screening of Applicants for Rental Housing
12
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Should I Do if My Rental Application Is Denied Because of a Tenant Screening Report