§ 1681j. — Charges for certain disclosures.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC1681j]
TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 41--CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION
SUBCHAPTER III--CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES
Sec. 1681j. Charges for certain disclosures
(a) Reasonable charges allowed for certain disclosures
(1) In general
Except as provided in subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this
section, a consumer reporting agency may impose a reasonable charge
on a consumer--
(A) for making a disclosure to the consumer pursuant to
section 1681g of this title, which charge--
(i) shall not exceed $8; and
(ii) shall be indicated to the consumer before making
the disclosure; and
(B) for furnishing, pursuant to section 1681i(d) of this
title, following a reinvestigation under section 1681i(a) of
this title, a statement, codification, or summary to a person
designated by the consumer under that section after the 30-day
period beginning on the date of notification of the consumer
under paragraph (6) or (8) of section 1681i(a) of this title
with respect to the reinvestigation, which charge--
(i) shall not exceed the charge that the agency would
impose on each designated recipient for a consumer report;
and
(ii) shall be indicated to the consumer before
furnishing such information.
(2) Modification of amount
The Federal Trade Commission shall increase the amount referred
to in paragraph (1)(A)(i) on January 1 of each year, based
proportionally on changes in the Consumer Price Index, with
fractional changes rounded to the nearest fifty cents.
(b) Free disclosure after adverse notice to consumer
Each consumer reporting agency that maintains a file on a consumer
shall make all disclosures pursuant to section 1681g of this title
without charge to the consumer if, not later than 60 days after receipt
by such consumer of a notification pursuant to section 1681m of this
title, or of a notification from a debt collection agency affiliated
with that consumer reporting agency stating that the consumer's credit
rating may be or has been adversely affected, the consumer makes a
request under section 1681g of this title.
(c) Free disclosure under certain other circumstances
Upon the request of the consumer, a consumer reporting agency shall
make all disclosures pursuant to section 1681g of this title once during
any 12-month period without charge to that consumer if the consumer
certifies in writing that the consumer--
(1) is unemployed and intends to apply for employment in the 60-
day period beginning on the date on which the certification is made;
(2) is a recipient of public welfare assistance; or
(3) has reason to believe that the file on the consumer at the
agency contains inaccurate information due to fraud.
(d) Other charges prohibited
A consumer reporting agency shall not impose any charge on a
consumer for providing any notification required by this subchapter or
making any disclosure required by this subchapter, except as authorized
by subsection (a) of this section.
(Pub. L. 90-321, title VI, Sec. 612, as added Pub. L. 91-508, title VI,
Sec. 601, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1132; amended Pub. L. 104-208, div. A,
title II, Sec. 2410, Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-442.)
Amendments
1996--Pub. L. 104-208 amended section generally. Prior to amendment,
section read as follows: ``A consumer reporting agency shall make all
disclosures pursuant to section 1681g of this title and furnish all
consumer reports pursuant to section 1681i(d) of this title without
charge to the consumer if, within thirty days after receipt by such
consumer of a notification pursuant to section 1681m of this title or
notification from a debt collection agency affiliated with such consumer
reporting agency stating that the consumer's credit rating may be or has
been adversely affected, the consumer makes a request under section
1681g or 1681i(d) of this title. Otherwise, the consumer reporting
agency may impose a reasonable charge on the consumer for making
disclosure to such consumer pursuant to section 1681g of this title, the
charge for which shall be indicated to the consumer prior to making
disclosure; and for furnishing notifications, statements, summaries, or
codifications to person designated by the consumer pursuant to section
1681i(d) of this title, the charge for which shall be indicated to the
consumer prior to furnishing such information and shall not exceed the
charge that the consumer reporting agency would impose on each
designated recipient for a consumer report except that no charge may be
made for notifying such persons of the deletion of information which is
found to be inaccurate or which can no longer be verified.''
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 104-208 effective 365 days after Sept. 30,
1996, with special rule for early compliance, see section 2420 of Pub.
L. 104-208, set out as a note under section 1681a of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 1681m of this title.
