source:
  type: regulation
  id: reg-v-1022.43
  authority: 12 CFR §1022.43 — Direct disputes (Regulation V)
  description: 12 CFR §1022.43 — Direct disputes.
  coverage_tier: operative
obligations:
- id: reg-v-1022.43-full
  canonical_id: reg-v-1022.43-full
  section: 12 CFR §1022.43 — Direct disputes
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - fcra
  - corpus-expansion
  - tier-operative
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: 12 CFR §1022.43 — Direct disputes (Regulation V)
    source_class: cfpb-regulation
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/12/1022.43
    snapshot_id: d981ab704500e1c2
    fetched_at: '2026-06-17T19:30:43Z'
    content_hash: sha256:e0289f531e5c5eb6dac2cb942fc76c61bf78967cf9e7585422114a06d21d4759
    paragraph_quote: '§ 1022.43 Direct disputes. (a) General rule. Except as otherwise
      provided in this section, a furnisher must conduct a reasonable investigation
      of a direct dispute if it relates to: (1) The consumer ''s liability for a credit
      account or other debt with the furnisher , such as direct disputes relating
      to whether there is or has been identity theft or fraud against the consumer
      , whether there is individual or joint liability on an account, or whether the
      consumer is an authorized user of a credit account; (2) The terms of a credit
      account or other debt with the furnisher , such as direct disputes relating
      to the type of account, principal balance, scheduled payment amount on an account,
      or the amount of the credit limit on an open-end account; (3) The consumer ''s
      performance or other conduct concerning an account or other relationship with
      the furnisher , such as direct disputes relating to the current payment status,
      high balance, date a payment was made, the amount of a payment made, or the
      date an account was opened or closed; or (4) Any other information contained
      in a consumer report regarding an account or other relationship with the furnisher
      that bears on the consumer ''s creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity,
      character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living.
      (b) Exceptions. The requirements of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply
      to a furnisher if: (1) The direct dispute relates to: (i) The consumer ''s identifying
      information (other than a direct dispute relating to a consumer ''s liability
      for a credit account or other debt with the furnisher , as provided in paragraph
      (a)(1) of this section) such as name(s), date of birth, Social Security number,
      telephone number(s), or address(es); (ii) The identity of past or present employers;
      (iii) Inquiries or requests for a consumer report; (iv) Information derived
      from public records, such as judgments, bankruptcies, liens, and other legal
      matters (unless provided by a furnisher with an account or other relationship
      with the consumer); (v) Information related to fraud alerts or active duty alerts;
      or (vi) Information provided to a consumer reporting agency by another furnisher
      ; or (2) The furnisher has a reasonable belief that the direct dispute is submitted
      by, is prepared on behalf of the consumer by, or is submitted on a form supplied
      to the consumer by, a credit repair organization, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 1679a(3)
      , or an entity that would be a credit repair organization, but for 15 U.S.C.
      1679a(3)(B)(i) . (c) Direct dispute address. A furnisher is required to investigate
      a direct dispute only if a consumer submits a dispute notice to the furnisher
      at: (1) The address of a furnisher provided by a furnisher and set forth on
      a consumer report relating to the consumer ; (2) An address clearly and conspicuously
      specified by the furnisher for submitting direct disputes that is provided to
      the consumer in writing or electronically (if the consumer has agreed to the
      electronic delivery of information from the furnisher); or (3) Any business
      address of the furnisher if the furnisher has not so specified and provided
      an address for submitting direct disputes under paragraphs (c)(1) or (2) of
      this section. (d) Direct dispute notice contents. A dispute notice must include:
      (1) Sufficient information to identify the account or other relationship that
      is in dispute, such as an account number and the name, address, and telephone
      number of the consumer , if applicable; (2) The specific information that the
      consumer is disputing and an explanation of the basis for the dispute; and (3)
      All supporting documentation or other information reasonably required by the
      furnisher to substantiate the basis of the dispute. This documentation may include,
      for example: a copy of the relevant portion of the consumer report that contains
      the allegedly inaccurate information; a police report; a fraud or identity theft
      affidavit; a court order; or account statements. (e) Duty of furnisher after
      receiving a direct dispute notice. After receiving a dispute notice from a consumer
      pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, the furnisher must: (1)
      Conduct a reasonable investigation with respect to the disputed information;
      (2) Review all relevant information provided by the consumer with the dispute
      notice; (3) Complete its investigation of the dispute and report the results
      of the investigation to the consumer before the expiration of the period under
      section 611(a)(1) of the FCRA ( 15 U.S.C. 1681i(a)(1) ) within which a consumer
      reporting agency would be required to complete its action if the consumer had
      elected to dispute the information under that section; and (4) If the investigation
      finds that the information reported was inaccurate, promptly notify each consumer
      reporting agency to which the furnisher provided inaccurate information of that
      determination and provide to the consumer reporting agency any correction to
      that information that is necessary to make the information provided by the furnisher
      accurate. (f) Frivolous or irrelevant disputes. (1) A furnisher is not required
      to investigate a direct dispute if the furnisher has reasonably determined that
      the dispute is frivolous or irrelevant. A dispute qualifies as frivolous or
      irrelevant if: (i) The consumer did not provide sufficient information to investigate
      the disputed information as required by paragraph (d) of this section; (ii)
      The direct dispute is substantially the same as a dispute previously submitted
      by or on behalf of the consumer , either directly to the furnisher or through
      a consumer reporting agency, with respect to which the furnisher has already
      satisfied the applicable requirements of the Act or this section; provided,
      however, that a direct dispute is not substantially the same as a dispute previously
      submitted if the dispute includes information listed in paragraph (d) of this
      section that had not previously been provided to the furnisher ; or (iii) The
      furnisher is not required to investigate the direct dispute because one or more
      of the exceptions listed in paragraph (b) of this section applies. (2) Notice
      of determination. Upon making a determination that a dispute is frivolous or
      irrelevant, the furnisher must notify the consumer of the determination not
      later than five business days after making the determination, by mail or, if
      authorized by the consumer for that purpose, by any other means available to
      the furnisher . (3) Contents of notice of determination that a dispute is frivolous
      or irrelevant. A notice of determination that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant
      must include the reasons for such determination and identify any information
      required to investigate the disputed information, which notice may consist of
      a standardized form describing the general nature of such information.'
  judgment: false
