How to Check Your Credit Report and Credit Score in Australia for Free

Your credit report is the file lenders look at when you apply for a home loan, a car loan, a credit card or even a phone plan. It lists your accounts, your repayment history and any defaults or enquiries, and your credit score is a number built from that file. The good news is that checking it costs nothing in Australia: you can get a free copy of your report from each credit reporting body once every three months.

This guide walks through the three bureaus, what you will find in the report, how to read the score, and what to do if something in the file is wrong. Checking your own report never lowers your score, so there is no reason to put it off.

Step 1: Know the three credit reporting bodies

Australia has three main credit reporting bodies: Equifax, Experian and illion. Each one keeps its own file on you, and the files are not identical. A lender might check one, two or all three, so it is worth looking at each of them over time.

You do not need to pay for any of this. Some sites will try to sell you a monthly monitoring plan or a paid report, so skip those. Under Australian privacy law you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each bureau once every three months, and a free copy within 90 days of being told you were refused credit.

Step 2: Request your free report from Equifax

Start with Equifax, the largest of the three bureaus. Go to the Equifax website and look for the free credit report request page. You will need to prove your identity, so have your driver's licence or passport nearby, plus details of your current and previous addresses.

Fill in the form with your full name, date of birth and address history. Equifax will ask some identity questions drawn from your file to confirm it is really you. Once the request is accepted, Equifax has up to 10 business days to send the report, though in most cases it arrives sooner. You can also use the free GetCreditScore service to see your Equifax score straight away.

Your Equifax score runs from 0 to 1200. A score above 800 is generally seen as excellent, 700 to 799 is very good, 500 to 699 is average, and below 500 is below average.

Step 3: Request your free report from Experian

Next, do the same with Experian. Its free report request works the same way: an online form, identity documents, and a short wait for the report to arrive. You can also sign up for CreditSavvy, Experian's free service, to see your score straight away.

Experian scores run from 0 to 1000. Roughly speaking, 800 and above is excellent, 700 to 799 is very good, 500 to 699 is average, and under 500 is below average. Because the two bureaus use different scales, do not compare the numbers directly. What matters is the band you sit in and whether the number is moving up or down.

Step 4: Request your free report from illion

The third bureau is illion. Its request process is the same again: an online form, identity verification, and the report delivered within 10 business days. Its free consumer service, Credit Simple, shows your illion score and a summary of your file. illion also scores from 0 to 1000, with similar bands to Experian. If you only ever check one bureau, you will miss things, because a default or an enquiry can appear on one file and not on another.

Step 5: Read the report carefully

When the reports arrive, read every section. A credit report usually contains your personal details, your credit accounts such as home loans, personal loans, credit cards and buy now pay later accounts, your repayment history month by month, any defaults or overdue debts, credit enquiries from the past five years, and any court judgments or bankruptcies.

Pay close attention to the repayment history. A single late payment can sit on your file for two years, and a default can stay for five years, so mistakes here are worth chasing. Check that every account listed is actually yours, that the balances and limits look right, and that there are no enquiries you do not recognise. An enquiry you did not make can be a sign of identity theft.

Step 6: Fix errors for free

If you find something wrong, you can ask the credit reporting body to correct it, and the correction is free. Contact the bureau in writing, explain what is wrong, and include any proof you have, such as a payment receipt or a letter from the lender. The bureau must investigate and reply within 30 days.

If the bureau or the lender refuses to fix something you believe is wrong, you can take the matter to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority if it involves a lender, or to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner if it involves a credit reporting body.

Step 7: Keep your score healthy over time

A good score is mostly the result of steady habits. Pay bills and loan repayments on time, keep credit card balances low relative to their limits, and avoid applying for lots of credit in a short period, since each application leaves an enquiry on your file.

If you are struggling with repayments, talk to your lender early about hardship arrangements. A formal hardship variation is generally not listed as a default and will not hurt your score the way a missed payment does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really free to check my credit report in Australia?

Yes. Under Australian privacy law you can get a free copy of your credit report from Equifax, Experian and illion once every three months each. You can also get a free copy within 90 days of being refused credit.

Does checking my own credit report lower my score?

No. Checking your own report or score is a soft enquiry and has no effect on your credit score. Only applications for credit, such as a loan or a credit card, leave a hard enquiry that lenders can see.

How long do defaults and late payments stay on my credit report?

A late payment can stay on your file for two years, while a default, a credit enquiry and a court judgment generally stay for five years. A bankruptcy stays for five years from the date you became bankrupt, or two years from discharge, whichever is later.