There is no single answer, because bureaus in South Africa use different scales. Experian's score, for example, runs from 0 to 999. Published bands start "good" at anywhere from about 600 to 680, depending on the bureau, and each lender sets its own cut-offs.
So compare your score only with the scale it came from. This article is general information, not financial advice.
What a credit score is
A credit score is a number worked out from your credit report, which records your accounts, your payment history and any defaults or judgments. It estimates how likely you are to repay on time.
Credit bureaus keep this information, but they don't decide who gets credit. Lenders do, and they also look at your income and expenses. There is no official blacklist: a lender sees your record and makes its own decision. The exception is debt review, when new credit is restricted.
How to check your credit report for free
You are entitled to 1 free credit report a year. The National Credit Regulator lists Experian, TransUnion, XDS and Consumer Profile Bureau as the bureaus to ask.
That right covers your report, which is not the same as a score. Some bureaus also show a score at no cost: Experian, for one, offers free access to both through its own platform.
What affects your score
- Whether you pay your accounts on time.
- How much you owe compared with your credit limits.
- How long your accounts have been open.
- How many times you have applied for credit recently.
- Any defaults or judgments on your record.
How long information stays on your record
These are the periods the National Credit Regulator gives:
| Information | How long it stays |
|---|---|
| Enquiries | 1 year |
| Adverse classifications, such as default or slow payer | 1 year, or the period set by the Act |
| Payment profile | 5 years |
| Civil court judgments | 5 years, or until rescinded or abandoned if sooner |
| Maintenance judgments | Until rescinded by a court |
A judgment you have paid can come off sooner. A credit bureau must remove it within 7 days of receiving proof of payment.
If something on your report is wrong
You can challenge information you believe is wrong, free of charge, with the bureau that issued the report. The bureau has 20 business days to get evidence. If the credit provider can't prove the listing in that time, the bureau must remove it. If the bureau can't help, the next step is the National Financial Ombud Scheme, which took over the Credit Ombud in 2024.
What tends to improve a score
Paying every account on time builds a good record. Lower balances and fewer applications for new credit also help, and the effect builds over months rather than days.
If you are working through several debts, see how to pay off debt with the snowball or avalanche method, or run your numbers in the debt payoff calculator. If you can't meet your minimum payments, see how debt review works.
