15 USC § 1681o - Civil liability for negligent noncompliance

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s1681o"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "15 USC § 1681o - Civil liability for negligent noncompliance"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
section_number: "1681o"
section_name: "Civil liability for negligent noncompliance"
chapter_number: 41
chapter_name: "CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 90–321, title VI, § 617, as added Pub. L. 91–508, title VI, § 601, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1134; amended Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title II, § 2412(d), (e)(2), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–446, 3009–447; Pub. L. 108–159, title VIII, § 811(e), Dec. 4, 2003, 117 Stat. 2012.)"
---


# § 1681o. Civil liability for negligent noncompliance

**(a)** **In general** Any person who is negligent in failing to comply with any requirement imposed under this subchapter with respect to any consumer is liable to that consumer in an amount equal to the sum of—

**(1)** any actual damages sustained by the consumer as a result of the failure; and

**(2)** in the case of any successful action to enforce any liability under this section, the costs of the action together with reasonable attorney’s fees as determined by the court.

**(b)** **Attorney’s fees** On a finding by the court that an unsuccessful pleading, motion, or other paper filed in connection with an action under this section was filed in bad faith or for purposes of harassment, the court shall award to the prevailing party attorney’s fees reasonable in relation to the work expended in responding to the pleading, motion, or other paper.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 90–321, title VI, § 617, as added Pub. L. 91–508, title VI, § 601, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1134; amended Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title II, § 2412(d), (e)(2), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–446, 3009–447; Pub. L. 108–159, title VIII, § 811(e), Dec. 4, 2003, 117 Stat. 2012.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2003—Subsec. (a)(1).  inserted “and” after semicolon at end.

1996—Subsec. (a). , designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and substituted “Any person who” for “Any consumer reporting agency or user of information which”.

Subsec. (b). , added subsec. (b).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2003 Amendment

Amendment by  subject to joint regulations establishing effective dates as prescribed by Federal Reserve Board and Federal Trade Commission, except as otherwise provided, see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 365 days after , with special rule for early compliance, see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date

Section effective upon the expiration of one hundred and eighty days following , see , as added by , set out as a note under .