R1 to R9 credit report codes are payment ratings: the letter shows the type of credit and the number shows how late the payments are, with 1 best and 9 worst. The sources I checked describe this scale as the one used on Canadian credit reports, so if you saw an R1 or R9, this post decodes it. It also covers how long negative items stay and how to dispute a mistake under the US rules the CFPB describes.
What R1 to R9 Credit Report Codes Mean
Legalline and Prosper Canada both describe the same scale, which Legalline says the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada lists as the “North American Standard Account Ratings.” The first letter is the credit type: R for revolving (a credit card), I for installment (a car loan) and O for open credit. The number is the payment status, from 1 (best) to 9 (worst). The R ratings are:
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| R0 | Too new to rate |
| R1 | Paid as agreed |
| R2 | 30 to 60 days late |
| R3 | 60 to 90 days late |
| R4 | 90 to 120 days late |
| R5 | 120+ days late |
| R7 | Payment arrangement |
| R8 | Repossession |
| R9 | Bad debt or collection |
R6 is listed as not existing. The two sources word R1 to R4 slightly differently: one counts days past the due date, the other counts missed payments (for example, up to one payment past due for R2). Prosper Canada says the number scale applies to every account type, and I found no separate definitions for I and O numbers, so I don’t assign any.
I found no definition of this R1-to-R9 scale from the CFPB or FTC, so on a US report the legend printed with your report is the authority for its codes. The review steps, time limits and dispute process below follow the CFPB’s US guidance.
Step 1: Find Every Account’s Status
Where to Look
You can request your reports from AnnualCreditReport.com. In the account history section, look at each account’s status, payment history and any code or note, and compare it against the key that comes with the report.
Why Each Account Gets Its Own Entry
Each account is listed with its own payment history. In my view, that means a clean record on one card doesn’t hide a problem on another, so check them one by one.
Step 2: Know Why Payment History Matters
According to myFICO, payment history is the largest category in a FICO score, at 35%. That’s the reason I’d treat any late-payment marking as the first thing to check for accuracy.
Step 3: Check the Dates on Any Negative Item
The Seven-Year Rule
The CFPB says a credit reporting company generally can report most negative information for seven years. It lists longer limits for some items, such as up to ten years for bankruptcies, and says lawsuits and judgments can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer.
Look at the Dates
For each negative item, note the dates shown: when it was opened, last reported and, if listed, when the delinquency began. In my view, a date that doesn’t match your own records is worth a dispute. The CFPB page above doesn’t say when the seven-year clock starts, so I won’t claim a specific start date here.
Step 4: Compare the Highest Balance to the Credit Limit
A $0 current balance doesn’t show how high the balance once got. If your report lists a high balance and a credit limit, compare the two. That’s my own habit for seeing an account’s history at a glance, and it’s a way to catch a limit or balance that was reported wrongly.
Step 5: Dispute Anything That Looks Wrong
How the CFPB Says to Do It
The CFPB says you can dispute with the credit reporting company (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) online, by mail or by phone. For a written dispute it suggests including your name, address and phone number, each error with the account number, a clear explanation of why it’s wrong, a request that it be removed or corrected, and a copy of the relevant part of your report with the items highlighted. Send copies, not originals, and keep copies of everything. You can also dispute with the furnisher, which is the company that reported the information, in writing.
What Happens Next
The CFPB says the credit reporting company must investigate and forward your dispute to the furnisher, and that furnishers generally must investigate and respond within 30 days of receiving it. If the information turns out to be wrong or can’t be verified, it must be updated or removed. If the furnisher says it’s accurate, you can ask for a statement about your dispute to be added to your file.
How Common Are Errors?
In an FTC study of 1,001 consumers, 206 of them (21%) had at least one credit report modified after the dispute process, which the report treats as a confirmed material error. That’s a result from one study sample, not a rate for every report today, but it supports checking your own.
Matching an Action to What You Find
- Everything on time and matches your records. → Nothing to fix. Keep paying on time.
- A late-payment marking you think is wrong. → Dispute it with the credit reporting company and the furnisher, using the CFPB steps above.
- An old negative item. → Check its dates against the seven-year general limit.
- A balance or limit that doesn’t match your records. → Dispute it with documentation.
- You can’t tell what a code means. → Check the R-rating list above, then the key printed with your report.
Questions People Actually Ask About This
What do R1 through R9 mean? They are payment ratings: R1 is paid as agreed, R2 to R5 step up from 30 to 120+ days late, R7 is a payment arrangement, R8 is repossession and R9 is bad debt or collection, per the Canadian sources above.
How long do negative items stay? The CFPB says generally seven years for most negative information, with longer limits for some items such as bankruptcies.
How do I dispute an error? Contact the credit reporting company and the furnisher in writing, as described above.
How much does payment history matter? myFICO lists it as 35% of a FICO score.
One Thing Worth Doing Today
Request your reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and read the status line on every account against your own records. If something doesn’t match, start a dispute with the steps above.
This article offers general information and my own opinions, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Laws, tax rules, and products change and can differ by location, so check current official sources and talk to a qualified professional about your own situation.
Sources:
- CFPB: How do I dispute an error on my credit report?
- CFPB: How long can negative information stay on my credit report?
- FTC: Report to Congress under Section 319 of the FACT Act (Sixth Interim Final Report)
- myFICO: What’s in my credit score
Related reading: 6 Credit Score Myths That Are Quietly Costing You Money in 2026 and The Number That Quietly Controls Your Interest Rates.