The claim deadline for the Equifax hard-inquiry settlement is November 29, 2026. You must submit a claim online or by mail by that date to receive payment, according to the official settlement site's Important Dates schedule. A hard inquiry is a record that a lender checked your credit, usually after an application. Equifax agreed to pay $30 million to settle four lawsuits — Hines, Rivera, Oblack and Neubauer — alleging violations tied to hard-inquiry disputes, the official settlement site says.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Ginsburglawgroup — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Read the official notice from Classactiontracker — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- Who Is Eligible to File?
- How Do You File a Valid Claim?
- How Much Could You Receive?
- What Other Deadlines Still Matter?
Who Is Eligible to File?
The main group covers U.S. residents whose Equifax records show a hard-inquiry dispute from August 31, 2021 to March 27, 2026, ClassActionTracker reports.
Your records must show that dispute period to qualify. A smaller Certified Group covers people who sent a mailed letter dispute from October 4, 2016, coded "not mine" or "unauthorized," with a "Cons Comm 664" response. ClassActionTracker describes that group as based on Equifax's own dispute coding.
How Do You File a Valid Claim?
Online filers must log in at the official site with the Claim Number and PIN from their mailed or emailed notice, the official claim form page says in its online filing instructions. You must finish every section, check a harm certification, and sign under oath. Use this quick check before you start:.
- Find your notice with Claim Number and PIN.
- Complete all claim-form sections.
- Check the harm certification and sign under oath.
- Submit online or mail by November 29, 2026.
How Much Could You Receive?
Class counsel estimates about $100 for the General Dispute Group, $300 for the Certified Group and $400 for the New York Subclass, Dapeer Law reported in its payment estimate summary. Payments are pro rata from the net fund after fees and administration costs.
That means final amounts can fall if many valid claims are filed. No money is paid until the court grants final approval and any appeals end, Ginsburg Law Group notes.
What Other Deadlines Still Matter?
The opt-out and objection deadline is November 20, 2026, the official settlement site says. The court will hold a final-approval hearing on December 10, 2026 in Brooklyn, New York.
Equifax denies wrongdoing. A mailed or emailed notice alone brings no payment; you must file a valid claim. Act by November 20 if you want to opt out or object.