How long does information stay on my Credit File?

This all depends on the type of data. Identity information including your name, date of birth, gender, driver’s licence and address history is held for the life of the credit report. For other information on your credit report, here are some of the typical timeframes.

Two years
Repayment history information

Five years
Any credit enquiry
Overdue accounts listed as a payment default
Overdue accounts listed as clearouts
Writs and summons
Court judgments

Seven years
Overdue accounts listed as a serious credit infringement

For some information the timeframe will vary

• Information about consumer credit accounts you have with credit providers (known as consumer credit liability information).  This information can be held for 2 years after the account has been terminated or ceases to exist.  This means that the account information will remain on file for the length of the loan plus 2 years.  
• Similarly, if you are bankrupt, have a debt agreement or personal insolvency the length of time this information remains on file could vary depending upon when the bankruptcy, debt agreement or personal insolvency agreement was entered into and when it ends.

At Equifax, we automatically delete information from your credit report on or just before its expiry date, calculated using the retention periods set out in the Privacy Act.