6 steps to get in the clear for a fresh credit start
Most South Africans have heard about their credit clearance certificate, but not everyone knows what to do to get one and the power position it can put you in.
Your certificate is not just another letter or form in your finance file. It’s proof that you’ve paid what you owe, updated your record, and taken the right steps toward credit score improvement.
Doing this admin really matters because when your record carries old judgments or defaults, it can stop you from getting new credit, renting a home, or even landing certain jobs. Credit bureau clearance helps remove any outdated listings once your debts are settled.
It’s a reset that shows credit providers and employers your financial story has changed for the better.
To help you see the path forward, here’s how the full credit clearance process works in South Africa, step by step.
Step 1: Check your credit report
Start by getting your free credit report with Finance365. Look for unpaid accounts, judgments or debt review flags that still appear even after you’ve paid.
Step 2: Confirm and pay what’s owed
A clearance certificate can only be issued once your debts are settled. Contact your creditors or work through a registered debt counsellor if you’re under debt review clearance. Once each account is paid, ask for a settlement letter or proof of payment.
Keep every document on file in the process.
Step 3: Notify creditors and counsellors
Your creditors must confirm that all your accounts are fully paid. If you’ve been under debt review, your counsellor will need to gather these confirmations and close the process legally under Section 71 of the National Credit Act.
Without these verifications, the credit bureaus cannot remove the listings.
Step 4: Get your credit clearance certificate
After all your accounts in your repayment plan have been paid, your debt counsellor will need to issue your official credit clearance certificate (also called Form 19). It proves that all your debts under review are now repaid and you are no longer over-indebted.
Don’t skip this next part: It must be sent to every major credit bureau, like TransUnion, Experian or XDS, who must then update your record and remove related negative listings.
Step 5: Follow up with the credit bureaus
Updates take time so give it a couple of weeks, then check your report again. If anything hasn’t changed, dispute the listing and ask for written confirmation once it’s fixed.
Finance365 can help you monitor your credit report and make sure everything reflects correctly.
Step 6: Keep your record right
Once your record is cleared, you’ll need to maintain it. This just takes some good habits like paying all your accounts on time, avoiding opening too many new accounts at the same time and using less than 20% of your credit limits.
Avoid quick-fix scams or “instant clearance” offers. Only registered debt counsellors and credit bureaus can issue and process legal clearance.
Remember: You can request a free credit report from any credit bureau every 12 months or use our free, unlimited monitoring tools to stay on top of changes.
These kinds of healthy credit habits will go a long way to keeping your name clear and your score rising.
Credit clearance is more than paperwork. It’s also about fairness. The process ensures your report reflects who you are now, not who you were when times were tougher.
Take your next step
Start by getting your free credit report with us.
From there, we’ll help you verify information in it, guide you through the real clearance steps, and be alongside to support you in keeping your record spotless for the future. Your next step is a big leap to a fresh financial start that you can earn easily.
Your strongest credit story is yours to tell. Just start with one small step.
