How to check your credit score in NZ

You are entitled to a copy of your credit file, and it is free unless you ask for it within three working days. Centrix, Equifax and Experian each hold their own file, so check all three before you apply for car finance.

By the Editorial team · Updated 9 November 2026

You can see what a lender sees, and it costs nothing. In New Zealand there are three credit reporting companies: Centrix, Equifax and Experian. Experian took over the illion business here, so if an old guide tells you to ask illion, ask Experian. Each one keeps a separate file on you, so a mistake can be sitting on one and not the others. If a car loan is on your mind, getting all three is the best first move.

Why look before you apply

A lender will look at your credit file when you apply, but it is only one part of what they weigh. They also look at your income, your regular costs and the car you want. Still, a default you forgot about, a wrong address or an account that is not yours can change how that conversation goes.

Looking first lets you:

see which items are on your file and how old they are
spot anything that is wrong while there is still time to fix it
decide when to apply, instead of sending applications to several lenders and leaving an enquiry from each

Where to get each report

Type the address into your browser yourself. Do not follow a link from a text or an advert, because fake “credit report” sites exist.

Centrix. Use the online application form on Centrix’s My Credit Report page, with your identification details. There is also a paper form you can post. You can ask for the report to be sent to an adviser, such as a budgeter, if you want them to look at it with you.
Equifax. Use the free My Credit File order form. Equifax says the free report is dispatched within 10 business days. It also sells an express copy (3 business days) and a yearly alert product. Neither is needed to see your file.
Experian. Order through Experian’s credit report page. Experian says you can have your report free of charge at least quarterly. It says illion Credit Check accounts have moved across to Experian CreditConnect, so an old illion login may still work after you reset the password.

What “free” means

The rules come from the Credit Reporting Privacy Code 2020, which the Privacy Commissioner issues. Under clause 6 of the Code a reporter cannot charge you for answering your request. The one exception is if you ask for the information within three working days, when it can charge up to $10 including GST. The Code also says the reporter must reply within 10 working days. It must also check your identity first, which is why you are asked for ID.

Take the free route unless you need the report this week. If a screen asks for card details before you have seen your report, you have probably landed on a paid product.

What you will need

Your full name as it appears on your ID, and your date of birth
Your current address and any addresses from the last few years
A New Zealand driver licence or passport number, or a copy of the document
An email address you can open, because most reports arrive online

Will the free copy show a score?

It depends on the reporter, so check what you receive.

Centrix says your report features a score, and that the Centrix bureau score runs from 1 (very high risk) to 1,000 (very low risk). It groups scores into five bands, from Poor (1 to 512) to Excellent (above 819). Centrix gives no score at all if you have no credit history, are currently insolvent, or have a hardship status recorded.
Equifax says its score is out of 1,000 and is worked out at the time it is asked for. Its order page does not say whether the free copy carries a score, so read yours when it arrives. Equifax also says it does not score files with insolvency information on them.
Experian says its report includes a credit score. We could not find a published score range or band table for Experian in New Zealand, so we have not put one here.

One more detail: under the Code a reporter keeps a score for only two working days after it creates it. That is why a score you looked at last month is gone, and why checking again can give a different number.

If you want help reading the number once you have it, see what is a bad credit score and what is a good credit score.

What is on the report, and for how long

The Code’s Schedule 1 sets the longest time each kind of item can be reported. These are the ones that matter for a car loan.

Item	Longest it can be reported
Credit application	5 years from the application
Repayment history	2 years from the month after the payment was due
Account details (not repayment history)	2 years after the account closes
Default	5 years from the date of the default
Court judgment	5 years from the date of the judgment
Single bankruptcy or No Asset Procedure	4 years from discharge
More than one bankruptcy or No Asset Procedure	No time limit
Debt repayment order	5 years from the date of the order
Enquiry (a lender looked at your file)	4 years from the date of the enquiry

A default is only listed if the payment was at least $125 overdue by 30 days or more, you were notified, and the lender took other steps to recover it. A default that you have since paid is not wiped. The Privacy Commissioner’s summary of your rights explains that a report is a history, so the item stays, updated to show it was settled.

Every entry should have a date and the name of whoever listed it. If one does not, ask the reporter why.

Checking for mistakes

Common errors to look for:

a debt that belongs to someone with a similar name
a default that is still shown as unpaid after you settled it
an old address, or an account you closed long ago that still shows as open
an account you do not recognise, which can be a sign of identity theft

If something is wrong, work through these steps:

Write down the item, the date and the lender. Gather proof, such as a receipt, a bank statement or a letter.
Contact the lender that supplied the information. If it fixes the record, the change flows through to the credit reporters.
Also contact each credit reporter that shows the error. The reporter should flag your file as disputed while it checks.
Expect an answer as soon as the reporter can give one. If it needs longer than 20 working days it must tell you why.
If it will not correct the item, it must tell you why, and you can ask for a note of your request to sit on your file.

If you are still stuck, you can complain to the credit reporter first, then to the Privacy Commissioner. MoneyTalks (0800 345 123) will help you with the call or the letter for free.

If you think someone else is using your name

If you believe you are a victim of fraud, you can ask a credit reporter to suppress your file for 10 working days, and extend it if the fraud continues. Centrix says it can pass the request to Equifax and Experian so you do not repeat it three times. While your file is suppressed you can still ask the reporter to release it to a particular lender, which matters if you are applying for a loan yourself.

Does it hurt to look?

No. Requesting your own report is not an application for credit. Centrix says so directly: asking for your history is not the same as an enquiry from a lender. An enquiry only appears when a lender checks your file because you applied. Several of those in a short time can make a file look riskier, which is another reason to look first and apply once.

What to do with what you find

Fix mistakes first, because that is the quickest improvement.
Note the date each default or judgment will fall off your file.
Settle small unpaid amounts if you can, and keep every other payment on time.
Work out a weekly payment that fits your budget before you look at cars.
Wait before applying to several lenders, since each check leaves an enquiry.

When you are ready, you can use our four-question check. It is not a credit application, and a real person calls to talk through options. Lenders make their own decisions and nobody can promise approval. See how we are paid if you want to know how this service works.

Sources

Common questions

Yes. The Credit Reporting Privacy Code says a credit reporter cannot charge you for a copy of your information, except up to $10 if you want it within three working days. Centrix, Equifax and Experian all offer a free report. Paid monitoring products are optional extras, and you do not need them to see your file.

No. Centrix says that asking for your own report is not the same as a credit enquiry by a lender, and that you can see your score as many times as you like without it affecting the score. Only a lender checking your file after you apply for credit leaves an enquiry.

Each credit reporter holds its own file on you and works out its own score its own way. Centrix scores from 1 to 1,000 and Equifax scores out of 1,000, but the two numbers are not directly comparable. Compare each one only with its own earlier results.

A default can be reported for five years from the date of the default, even if you have paid it. A paid default stays on the file but is marked as settled. Your report shows the dates, so you can see when each item is due to drop off.

Tell the credit reporter and the lender that supplied the information, and give evidence. The reporter has to decide as soon as it can, and tell you why if it needs longer than 20 working days. If you are not happy, you can complain to the Privacy Commissioner.