
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 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.
