Banking
South Africa — Banking: Credit History
Under the National Credit Act South Africans are entitled to one free credit report per bureau each year, and bureaus must answer disputes within 20 business days.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceNational Credit Regulator — free annual credit reportLast reviewed: 2026-10-23
Key facts
- Consumers are entitled to one free copy of their credit report a year from each registered bureau, including Experian and TransUnion.
- Bureaus must respond to a dispute within 20 business days; unresolved disputes can go to the Credit Ombud or the NCR.
- An NCR poster lists 14 registered bureaus, a 2025 newsletter 13, and the 2024/25 annual report 53 registrations, so the count is unclear.
- An older brochure says extra reports can cost up to R20 each.
Steps
- Obtaining a Credit Report — A person can obtain a credit report from a credit bureau by submitting a request in writing, along with proof of identity and address. The fee for a credit report is not specified in any known rule or regulation.
- Disputing a Credit Report — A person can dispute errors on their credit report by contacting the credit bureau directly, but the process and timeline for resolution are not clear.