FCRA 605(a) lists each type of adverse item of information that can be reported to a CRA, and the respective exclusion period for that item.
Specific and common items are identified in subsections (a)(1)-(a)(4), and any other item is covered under subsection (a)(5).
First, look up the exclusion period for each different adverse item. For example, collections and charge-offs must become excluded no later than 7 years plus 180 days from the date the debt first became delinquent (see FCRA 605(a)(4), as clarified by 605(c)), civil judgements no later than 7 years from date of entry of the judgment if paid (FCRA 605(a)(2)), paid tax liens no later than 7 years from the date paid (FCRA 605(a)(3)); and monthly delinquencies each individually not later than 7 years from their dates of occurence (FCRA 605(a)(5))
As for what you must do to have the item(s) excluded, the answer is generally nothing if the reporting is accurate.
The CRAs are required to track the period of each derog and exclude from any credit reports they issue once the exclusion period for that derog has expired. It is rare that the CRAs will fail to exclude derogs by their defined max exclusion date. In fact, they normally exclude collections and charge-offs early, at approx 7 years from the reported DOFD rather than waiting for the full 7 years plus 180 days.
If you have a monthly delinquency that has a currently reported date of delinquency that is prior to December, 2010, it should have now been excluded by the CRA. If the CRA has failed to exclude, which is rare, then you can informally contact the CRA or file a dispute with the CRA to get it removed.
