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We're the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a U.S. government agency that makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly.

Learn how the CFPB can help you

When is my credit card payment considered to be late?

Answer:

Under the law, a credit card company generally cannot treat a payment as late if it was received by 5 p.m. on the day that it was due. If the due date was not a day on which the card company receives or accepts mail (for example, Sunday or a holiday), the card company cannot treat a mailed payment as late if it was received by 5 p.m. on the next business day.

Sometimes payments that you make may get delayed in the mail. Card companies consider the day the payment was received and not the date it was mailed. You should contact your card company and ask it to waive the late fee.

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The content on this page provides general consumer information. It is not legal advice or regulatory guidance. The CFPB updates this information periodically. This information may include links or references to third-party resources or content. We do not endorse the third-party or guarantee the accuracy of this third-party information. There may be other resources that also serve your needs.