Last updated: 21 August 2026 · Reviewed by the UrgentLoans.co.za editorial team
You can check your credit for free four times a year in South Africa — one free annual report from each of the four NCR-registered bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, XDS, Compuscan) is your legal right under the NCA. Checking yourself never lowers your score. Do it before any loan application: you'll see what lenders see, catch errors, and avoid wasted enquiries.
The Four Free Reports — Where and How
| Bureau | Where | You'll need |
|---|---|---|
| TransUnion | transunion.co.za | SA ID number + identity verification questions |
| Experian | experian.co.za | SA ID number + registration |
| XDS | xds.co.za | SA ID number + verification |
| Compuscan | compuscan.co.za (TransUnion group) | SA ID number |
Lenders may pull any bureau — your data can differ between them, which is why checking all four annually matters. Free score-tracking apps are a useful supplement between annual reports.
How to Read What You Find
- Score band — 650+ good, 580–649 fair, below 580 impaired (TransUnion scale; bands vary by bureau)
- Active accounts and arrears — current arrears are the #1 loan-decline trigger; settle before applying
- Adverse listings — defaults (2 years after settlement), judgments (5 years), debt-review flags (until clearance)
- Enquiries — many recent hard enquiries signal distress to lenders; space out applications
Turn the Report into Approvals
- Dispute errors immediately — 20-business-day investigation deadline; removals genuinely change outcomes.
- Settle small arrears first — the cheapest score repair available.
- Then apply where your profile fits — our who-accepts-whom matrix and lender reviews map acceptance criteria so the enquiry you spend is one you can win. Longer-term improvement: credit score guide.
Four Credit-Report Myths That Cost People Money
- "Checking hurts my score" — self-checks are soft enquiries; they never count. Not checking is what costs you, via surprises at application time
- "Paid-off means removed" — settled defaults still show (for 1–2 years) but marked settled; lenders read them very differently from active ones. Settlement is worth it even though the line remains
- "One bureau covers me" — lenders pull different bureaus; an error at XDS can sink an application even when TransUnion is clean. Check all four annually
- "Score chasing beats behaviour" — the score follows exactly two things you control: paying on time and keeping enquiries rare. Everything else is noise
How Long Things Stay on Your Report
| Listing | Duration |
|---|---|
| Enquiries | 1–2 years |
| Late payments (brought up to date) | 1 year |
| Defaults (settled) | 2 years from settlement |
| Court judgments | 5 years (or until rescinded/paid + rescission) |
| Debt review flag | Until clearance certificate |
| Sequestration | Up to 10 years (rehabilitation-dependent) |
Prescribed retention periods under the NCA and its regulations. Where a listing has expired but still shows, that itself is a dispute the bureau must fix.
Checked Your Report? Now Match Smart
One free application against 4 NCR-registered lenders — no impact on your score.
Get Matched Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Every consumer is legally entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the four major bureaus: TransUnion (transunion.co.za), Experian (experian.co.za), XDS (xds.co.za), and Compuscan. That's four free checks a year. Several apps — ClearScore and similar services — also offer free ongoing score tracking funded by advertising.
No. Checking your own report is a "soft" enquiry and never affects your score. Only "hard" enquiries — full credit applications made by lenders — are recorded against you. Check as often as you like.
On the common TransUnion scale: 650+ is good, 700+ excellent, 580–649 fair, below 580 impaired. Each bureau scores differently, so compare yourself against the band descriptions on your own report, not a single universal number.
Dispute directly with the bureau holding the error — all four have online dispute processes. They must investigate within 20 business days and correct or justify the entry. Include proof (statements, settlement letters). Errors are common after paid-up accounts and identity mix-ups, and removing one can shift a decline to an approval.
