Free Credit Report Australia: How to Get Yours

You do not have to pay to see your credit report in Australia. By law you are entitled to free access — and you should look at all three, because each credit reporting body holds a separate file and they do not always match.

The three credit reporting bodies

Body	Where to request
Equifax	equifax.com.au
Experian	experian.com.au
illion	illion.com.au

Request one from each. A default, an enquiry or a repayment marker can appear on one file and not another, and lenders do not all use the same body.

When it is free

You are entitled to a free copy:

• Once every three months, and
• Any time you have been declined credit in the last 90 days, and
• Any time a correction has been made to your file.

Free reports are typically delivered within 10 days of your request. Paid "instant" or subscription products exist, but you are not required to buy one to see your file.

What you need to request it

• Full name and any previous names
• Date of birth
• Current and previous addresses (usually the last two to three years)
• Identification, such as a driver licence or passport number

What to check when it arrives

Go through the report line by line:

1. Personal information — spelling, date of birth, addresses. Errors here can cause someone else's data to attach to your file.
2. Credit accounts — do you recognise each one? Check limits, open dates and whether closed accounts are shown as closed.
3. Repayment history — the rolling 24-month record on credit accounts.
4. Defaults — check the amount is $150 or more, that it was at least 60 days overdue, and that the listing date and notices line up.
5. Enquiries — every application in the last five years. Unfamiliar enquiries can be an early sign of identity theft.
6. Court judgements and insolvencies — sourced from public records, and worth checking carefully.

Use the retention timeline tool to work out when each item is due to drop off.

If something looks wrong

You can dispute it for free. Contact the credit provider or the credit reporting body in writing; they generally have 30 days to investigate and respond with reasons. If you are not satisfied, escalate to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) or the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) — both free to consumers. Free financial counselling is available through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.

A note on credit scores

Your score is calculated by each credit reporting body from the information on that file — so three files can produce three different scores. The score is a summary, not the source. What matters is the underlying information.

Frequently asked questions

Does checking my report lower my score? No. Accessing your own report is not a credit enquiry and has no effect.

How often should I check? At least once a year, and always before a major application such as a home loan.

Can I get a report if I have never had credit? Yes — the file may simply be thin or empty.

Next step

Once you have your reports, if a listing looks wrong or you are not sure what you are reading, ask for a free credit report assessment — or read the full credit repair Australia guide.

This article is general information only and does not take your personal circumstances into account.