How to Remove NTB/CBNA From Your Credit Report

NTB/CBNA on your credit report points to a National Tire and Battery credit card application that was processed through Citibank North America. The CBNA portion of the code is the giveaway: it stands for Citibank North America, which was the issuing bank behind the NTB store card for many years.

There’s an important update worth knowing before diving in. The NTB credit card has since transitioned away from Citibank to Comenity Bank, and the card is no longer available to new applicants. If you see NTB/CBNA on your credit report, it traces back to an older application that went through Citibank, not a recent one.

What Is NTB/CBNA on Your Credit Report?

NTB/CBNA stands for National Tire and Battery and Citibank North America. It appears on your credit report as a hard inquiry from when Citibank processed a National Tire and Battery credit card application in your name. The NTB card offered financing for tire purchases, auto services, and repairs at NTB locations across the country.

Because the card has since moved to Comenity Bank and is no longer open to new applicants, any NTB/CBNA entry on your credit report reflects a past Citibank inquiry rather than anything current.

Why NTB/CBNA Appears on Your Credit Report

This entry almost always traces back to an NTB credit card application that was processed through Citibank. Here’s how it typically came up:

• In-store application: NTB service centers promoted their credit card to customers financing tire purchases or repair work. Many people applied at the counter without fully thinking through the credit check that followed.
• Online application: Applying through the NTB website generated the same Citibank hard inquiry as an in-store application.
• Unauthorized application: If someone used your personal information to apply for an NTB card through Citibank without your knowledge, the hard inquiry still appears on your credit report.

How NTB/CBNA Affects Your Credit Score

A single hard inquiry from Citibank causes a small dip in your credit score, typically just a few points. That’s not a meaningful concern on its own. The impact fades significantly within the first 12 months and becomes negligible well before the entry drops off your credit report entirely.

If the inquiry has been on your credit report for a while, it’s likely already having little to no effect on your credit score.

How Long NTB/CBNA Stays on Your Credit Report

Hard inquiries remain on your credit report for two years from the date they were pulled. All three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, display the entry during that window. Once the two years are up, it drops off automatically with no action required.

What to Do If You Don’t Recognize the NTB/CBNA Entry

If NTB/CBNA is on your credit report and you have no memory of applying for an NTB credit card, here’s how to handle it:

• Contact Citibank directly: Even though the NTB card has since moved to Comenity Bank, the NTB/CBNA inquiry was processed through Citibank. Ask them to confirm what triggered the inquiry and whether an account was opened as a result.
• Contact Comenity Bank for existing accounts: If you have an active NTB account that transferred from Citibank to Comenity, reach out to Comenity for account-related questions.
• Dispute with the credit bureaus: If Citibank cannot verify that you authorized the inquiry, file a formal dispute with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Include your personal details and a written explanation of why the entry should be removed from your credit report.
• Place a fraud alert or credit freeze: If you suspect someone used your personal information to apply for credit, a fraud alert requires lenders to verify your identity before approving new applications. A credit freeze provides stronger protection by blocking new credit entirely until you lift it.

Contact Information

For questions about an NTB/CBNA inquiry processed through Citibank:

Citibank Phone: (800) 950-5114

Citibank Mailing Address: Citibank North America, P.O. Box 6500, Sioux Falls, SD 57117

For existing NTB account holders whose accounts transferred to Comenity Bank:

Comenity Phone: (888) 292-5650

Comenity Mailing Address: Comenity Bank, P.O. Box 650965, Dallas, TX 75265-0965

Bottom Line

NTB/CBNA on your credit report is a Citibank hard inquiry tied to a National Tire and Battery credit card application. The NTB card has since transitioned to Comenity Bank and is no longer open to new applicants, so any NTB/CBNA entry you see reflects a past inquiry through Citibank.

If you recognize the application, the entry is legitimate and will age off your credit report after two years. If you don’t, contact Citibank to find out what triggered it and dispute the entry with the credit bureaus if you can’t verify it was authorized.