Every Denial Reason, Decoded.

FICO score reason codes

The numbered reason codes FICO-based letters print — the most common set in circulation.

“Amount owed on accounts is too high”Quick Fix “Level of delinquency on accounts”Service Case “Proportion of loan balances to loan amounts is too high”Build Phase “Lack of recent installment loan information”Build Phase “Too many accounts with balances”Quick Fix “Too many consumer finance company accounts”Build Phase “Account payment history is too new to rate”Build Phase “Too many inquiries last 12 months”Build Phase “Too many accounts recently opened”Build Phase “Proportion of balances to credit limits on bank/national revolving or other revolving accounts is too high”Quick Fix “Amount owed on revolving accounts is too high”Quick Fix “Length of time revolving accounts have been established”Build Phase “Time since delinquency is too recent or unknown”Service Case “Length of time accounts have been established”Build Phase “Lack of recent bank/national revolving information”Build Phase “No recent non-mortgage balance information”Quick Fix “Number of accounts with delinquency”Service Case “Time since derogatory public record or collection is too short”Service Case “Amount past due on accounts”Service Case “Number of revolving accounts”Build Phase “Too few accounts currently paid as agreed”Service Case “Number of established accounts”Build Phase “Time since most recent account opening is too short”Build Phase “Amount owed on delinquent accounts”Service Case “Serious delinquency, and public record or collection filed”Service Case “Serious delinquency”Service Case “Derogatory public record or collection filed”Service Case “Length of time consumer finance company loans have been established”Build Phase “Too few bank revolving accounts”Build Phase “Too many bank or national revolving accounts”Build Phase “Number of bank or national revolving accounts with balances”Quick Fix “Length of time installment loans have been established”Build Phase “Too few accounts with recent payment information”Build Phase “Payments due on accounts”Quick Fix “Amount owed on mortgage loans is too high”Build Phase

VantageScore reason codes

The VantageScore model’s reason statements — same idea, different scoring engine.

“The balances on your accounts are too high compared to loan amounts”Build Phase “Too many of the delinquencies on your accounts are recent”Service Case “You have too many accounts that were opened recently”Build Phase “You have too many delinquent or derogatory accounts”Service Case “The date that you opened your oldest account is too recent”Build Phase “Lack of sufficient credit history”Build Phase “The total of all balances on your open accounts is too high”Quick Fix “No open accounts in your credit file”Build Phase “Too many of your open bankcard or revolving accounts have a balance”Quick Fix “Too few of your bankcard or other revolving accounts have high limits”Build Phase “Balances on bankcard/revolving accts too high compared to credit limits”Quick Fix “You have either very few installment loans or too many with delinquencies”Service Case “The balance amount paid down on your open installment accounts is too low”Build Phase “The number of inquiries was also a factor, but effect was not significant”Build Phase “You have too many inquiries on your credit report.”Build Phase “Your credit report contains too many derogatory public records”Service Case “Too few discharged bankruptcies”Service Case “You have too many collection agency accounts that are unpaid”Service Case “There is a bankruptcy on your credit report”Service Case

Common ECOA denial reasons

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act requires lenders to state these — the classic application-side reasons.

“Credit application incomplete”Quick Fix “Insufficient number of credit references provided”Build Phase “Temporary or irregular employment”Build Phase “Unable to verify employment”Quick Fix “Length of employment”Build Phase “Income insufficient for amount of credit requested”Quick Fix “Excessive obligations in relation to income”Build Phase “Unable to verify income”Quick Fix “Length of residence”Build Phase “No credit file”Build Phase “Limited credit experience”Build Phase “Poor credit performance with us”Service Case “Delinquent past or present credit obligations with others”Service Case “Collection action or judgment”Service Case “Foreclosure or repossession”Service Case “Bankruptcy”Service Case “Number of recent inquiries on credit bureau report”Build Phase “Value or type of collateral not sufficient”Quick Fix “We do not grant credit to any applicant on the terms and conditions you request”Quick Fix

Common issuer denial reasons

The phrasings card issuers and lenders write in their own voice.

“Unable to verify identity”Service Case “Unable to obtain a credit report”Quick Fix “Fraud alert on credit file”Service Case “Too many recent requests for credit with us”Build Phase “Previous unsatisfactory relationship with this institution”Service Case