The Three Australian Credit Bureaus

Australia has three main credit reporting agencies, each holding your credit file independently. You can request a free report from each once per year:

  • Equifax: getcreditscore.com.au or equifax.com.au — also shows your credit score
  • Experian: experian.com.au/free-credit-report
  • Illion: creditsimple.com.au (free ongoing access) or illion.com.au

How to Get Your Report

  1. 1

    Go to the bureau’s website and verify your identity

    Each bureau requires identity verification before releasing your report. You will need to provide: full name, date of birth, current address (and previous addresses if moved recently), and one or two identity document numbers (driver’s licence, Medicare card or passport). This is done online — no posting documents required.

  2. 2

    Access your report immediately or by email

    Most bureaus display your report online immediately after identity verification. You can also have it emailed as a PDF. The report shows: personal details, credit accounts (credit cards, loans, mortgages), payment history, credit enquiries, and any defaults or court judgements.

  3. 3

    Review for errors

    Check carefully for: accounts you did not open (potential identity theft), incorrect personal details (wrong address, name misspelling), defaults or late payments you do not recognise, credit enquiries you did not authorise, and debts that should have been removed (defaults stay on file for 5 years, most other negative information for 2 years).

  4. 4

    Dispute any errors

    If you find an error: contact the credit bureau directly to dispute it (each bureau has an online dispute form). The bureau must investigate and respond within 30 days. If the dispute involves a specific lender (e.g. an incorrect default from a bank), contact the lender directly as they are responsible for the listing. If unresolved, escalate to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) at afca.org.au.

Free ongoing monitoringCreditSavvy (creditsavvy.com.au — free) and Credit Simple (creditsimple.com.au — free) provide ongoing credit score monitoring with alerts when your score changes. Both use Illion data. Useful for tracking your score over time as you build credit.

Frequently Asked Questions

No — checking your own credit report is a soft enquiry and has zero impact on your credit score. Only hard enquiries (when a lender checks your report as part of a credit application) affect your score. You can check your own report as many times as you like without consequence.
In Australia: defaults (unpaid debts over $150 that went 60+ days overdue) remain for 5 years from the date listed. Court judgements: 5 years. Serious credit infringements: 7 years. Repayment history information (late payments): 2 years. Credit enquiries (applications for credit): 5 years. Bankruptcy: 5 years from date of bankruptcy or 2 years from discharge, whichever is later.