What happens to your credit score after late payments?

Late payments can significantly damage your credit score, with the impact depending on how late the payment is. A payment 30 days late causes noticeable damage, while 60 or 90 days late causes progressively more harm. A single late payment can drop your score by 50 to 100 points or more, especially if you had a high score to begin with. The negative mark stays on your credit report for seven years, though its impact lessens over time as you build a positive payment history. Paying on time consistently after a late payment helps your score recover gradually. Lenders consider payment history the most important factor in credit scoring, making up about 35 percent of your FICO score.