What Is My Bankruptcy Discharge Date? - Upsolve

How Long Does It Take To Get a Bankruptcy Discharge? 

When you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it typically takes 3–6 months to get your debts discharged. This estimate starts from the day you file your bankruptcy petition and depends on how quickly you complete required steps and whether you experience any complications in your case. 

If you complete your required courses promptly and no objections or delays occur, you can expect your discharge closer to the three-month mark.

If you have complications — such as creditors filing objections or the court requiring additional information — your discharge might take longer. However, these situations aren’t common.

Here’s a simplified timeline*:

• Day 0: File your bankruptcy petition 

• Day 30–45: 341 meeting of creditors 

• Day 90–105: Objection period ends

• Day 95–115: Court issues discharge order 

Let’s break down the key steps and their associated timelines so you can better understand how long the process will take.

*Note that these timelines are general guidelines.

Pre-Bankruptcy Credit Counseling

Before filing your bankruptcy case, you must complete a pre-bankruptcy credit counseling course. This course generally takes around 1–2 hours and can often be completed online or by phone. Once you finish, you’ll receive a certificate that must be filed with your bankruptcy paperwork. While this step doesn’t add significant time to your case, it’s essential to do it before filing, as the court won’t accept your petition without the completion certificate.

After Filing: Complete the Post-Filing Debtor Education Course

After you file your bankruptcy petition, you must also complete a post-filing debtor education course. This is separate from the pre-bankruptcy counseling and usually takes about two hours to finish. It can be completed at any time after your case is filed but must be done before the court will issue your discharge order. Most people choose to take this course as soon as possible to avoid delaying their case.

Only providers approved by the U.S. Trustee Program (or state administrators in Alabama and North Carolina) can issue valid certificates for these courses. You’ll need to submit your completion certificate to the court as proof.

The 341 Meeting of Creditors

About 30–45 days after you file, the bankruptcy trustee assigned to your case will hold a meeting of creditors, also called a 341 meeting. This is a required step, and you must attend this meeting for your case to proceed. While creditors are invited to attend, they rarely do in consumer bankruptcy cases. The trustee will review your paperwork and ask questions to confirm your eligibility and the accuracy of your bankruptcy documents. This meeting usually takes no more than 15 minutes.

If everything checks out, the trustee will conclude the meeting, and the clock starts ticking on a 60-day waiting period. During this time, the trustee or any of your creditors can file objections to your discharge. If no objections are filed — and they rarely are in straightforward consumer bankruptcy cases — you’ll be eligible for a discharge as soon as the 60 days are up.

Once the 60-day objection period ends, the court can process and issue your discharge order. This typically takes a few days to one week. However, processing times can vary slightly depending on how busy the court is.