A fitting for a vehicle seat has a first fitting part and a second fitting part in geared connection via a toothed wheel and a toothed ring, a circumferential eccentric, driven by a driver, for driving movement of the toothed wheel and the toothed ring, wherein the first fitting part receives the eccentric, which is supported on the second fitting part, wherein two wedge segments upon which a spring acts, define the eccentric, a retaining element which retains the eccentric in the non-driven state of the fitting by cooperating with at least one retaining lug of the retaining element via a toothing configured on the first fitting part, and which releases the eccentric, when it is driven by the driver, wherein the retaining element has at least one opening which is penetrated by the spring, the spring penetrates the retaining element at exactly one opening.