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How to Check Your Credit Score for Free in Australia (2026 Guide)

Check your credit score for free in Australia in under 10 minutes. Step-by-step guide to Equifax, Experian & Illion — plus what to do if you find a default or error on your file. Updated February 2026.

Elisa Rothschild
Elisa Rothschild
Principal Solicitor & Director | BA/LLB | ACL 532003
Published: 1 June 2024Updated: 28 February 20268 min read

Key Takeaway

You can check your credit score for free in Australia through all three credit bureaus — Equifax (equifax.com.au), Experian (experian.com.au), and Illion (creditreport.com.au). Checking your own score is completely free, takes under 10 minutes, and does not affect your credit score. You're also entitled to one free full credit report per year from each bureau under Australian law.

Quick Answer: You can check your credit score for free in Australia through all three credit bureaus — Equifax (equifax.com.au), Experian (experian.com.au), and Illion (creditreport.com.au). Checking your own score is completely free, takes under 10 minutes, and does not affect your credit score. You're also entitled to one free full credit report per year from each bureau under Australian law.


If you've been knocked back for a home loan, car finance, or even a phone plan — the very first thing you need to do is check your credit file. Most Australians have never looked at theirs. And a surprising number have defaults, errors, or outdated listings sitting on their file that they have no idea about.

The good news: checking is free, fast, and tells you exactly where you stand. Here's exactly how to do it.


Australia Has Three Credit Bureaus — You Need to Check All Three

Unlike some countries with a single credit registry, Australia has three separate credit reporting bureaus. Each operates independently, uses its own scoring model, and receives data from different lenders.

A default with Telstra might only appear on Illion. A bank default might show on Equifax and Experian but not Illion. Checking just one bureau gives you an incomplete — and potentially dangerous — picture.

Here's a breakdown of each:

Equifax

  • Formerly: Veda Advantage
  • Score range: 0–1,200
  • Used by: Most major banks, mortgage lenders, credit card providers
  • Free access: equifax.com.au — free score anytime, free full report once per year
  • Best for: Checking before a home loan or major finance application

Experian

  • Score range: 0–1,000
  • Used by: Many non-bank lenders, fintech lenders, car finance providers
  • Free access: experian.com.au — free score updated monthly, free annual report
  • Best for: Checking if you've been declined by a non-bank lender

Illion (formerly Dun & Bradstreet)

  • Score range: 0–1,000
  • Used by: Telcos (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone), utility providers (AGL, Origin), some lenders
  • Free access: creditreport.com.au — free credit report
  • Best for: Anyone who's had issues with a phone company or utility provider

💡 Pro tip: If you've recently been refused credit, you're entitled to a free copy of your full credit report within 90 days of the refusal — even if you've already used your annual free report. Ask the lender which bureau they used, then request your report from that bureau directly.


Step-by-Step: How to Check Your Credit Score for Free

1. Check Equifax (equifax.com.au)

Go to equifax.com.au and create a free account. You'll need your full name, date of birth, address history for the last two years, and a form of ID — driver's licence or passport number works.

Account setup takes about 3–5 minutes. Your Equifax credit score is displayed immediately after verification. To get your full credit report (which shows all your defaults, enquiries, repayment history, and court judgements), request it from within your account. This full report is free once per year under the Privacy Act 1988.

2. Check Experian (experian.com.au)

Create a free Experian account at experian.com.au using the same details. Your Experian score will show immediately. Request the full Experian credit report to see which lenders have been reporting data to this bureau specifically. Experian updates your score monthly and sends email alerts whenever something changes on your file — worth keeping active.

3. Check Illion (creditreport.com.au)

Illion's free report portal is creditreport.com.au. This bureau is especially important if you've ever had a dispute or unpaid account with a telco or utility provider. Many Australians discover defaults on their Illion report that don't appear on Equifax or Experian at all.

4. Review Every Section of Every Report

Don't just look at the number. Read every section of each report carefully. You're specifically looking for:

  • Defaults — unpaid debts listed as overdue (most damaging item)
  • Credit enquiries — each loan or credit application creates a hard enquiry
  • Court judgements — recorded when a creditor wins a court order against you
  • Repayment history — late or missed payments now visible under Comprehensive Credit Reporting
  • Personal details — incorrect addresses or names can sometimes indicate identity fraud
  • Accounts you don't recognise — could indicate someone has opened credit in your name

5. If You Find Anything Wrong, Act Immediately

Found a default you don't recognise? An enquiry from a lender you never applied to? A debt amount that doesn't match what you actually owed? These are potential grounds for dispute and early removal from your file.

Get a free assessment from Australian Credit Solutions → Our legal team reviews your file at no cost and tells you exactly what can be removed and on what grounds.


What Do the Numbers Actually Mean? Credit Score Ranges in Australia

Credit scores in Australia work differently to the US system. There's no universal "700 is good" benchmark here — each bureau uses a different scale. Here's how to read your numbers:

Equifax Credit Score Ranges (0–1,200)

ScoreRatingWhat It Means for Loan Applications
0–459Below AverageHigh risk of refusal. Most lenders will decline. Defaults or judgements very likely present.
460–660AverageApproval possible but expect higher interest rates or stricter conditions.
661–734GoodReasonable approval chances. Standard rates generally accessible.
735–852Very GoodStrong borrower profile. Good rates available from most lenders.
853–1,200ExcellentTop-tier borrower. Best available rates and most competitive products.

Experian Credit Score Ranges (0–1,000)

ScoreRatingWhat It Means
0–549Below AverageSignificant issues present. Refusal likely from most mainstream lenders.
550–624FairBelow average. Limited options. Specialist lenders may help.
625–699GoodAverage borrower. Standard products accessible with some conditions.
700–799Very GoodAbove average profile. Good approval odds and rates.
800–1,000ExcellentExceptional credit history. Best rates and terms from all lenders.

⚠️ Important: Your score alone doesn't tell the full story. A score of 600 with no defaults is very different from a score of 600 with a default. Lenders look at the detail in your credit report — not just the number. A single default will often trigger an automatic decline regardless of your score.


What Lowers Your Credit Score in Australia?

Understanding what's hurting your score is the first step to fixing it. These are the most common causes, ranked roughly by impact:

Defaults are the most damaging item on any Australian credit file. A default is recorded when a debt of $150 or more is at least 60 days overdue and the creditor has followed the required notification process. Defaults stay on your file for five years from the date they were listed — even after the debt is paid. A paid default is still a default. The only way to remove one before five years is if it was listed incorrectly or in breach of the Privacy Act 1988.

Court judgements are recorded when a creditor wins a court order against you for an unpaid debt. Also listed for five years and extremely damaging to mortgage approval in particular.

Multiple credit enquiries are recorded every time you apply for credit — a loan, credit card, phone plan, buy-now-pay-later account. Multiple enquiries in a short period signals financial stress to lenders and can drop your score significantly. Each enquiry stays on your file for five years.

Late or missed repayments are now reported under Comprehensive Credit Reporting (CCR), introduced in Australia in 2018. Lenders can now see 24 months of repayment history — not just negative events. Consistently paying late chips away at your score over time.

Bankruptcy or debt agreements — a Part IX Debt Agreement or formal bankruptcy is recorded for five to seven years and severely impacts approval for any form of credit.


Real Case Study: Mitchell Found a Default He Didn't Know About

Mitchell, 34, from Sydney, applied for a home loan after saving a 15% deposit over three years. The bank declined him citing his credit file. He'd never checked it.

When he finally checked his Illion report, he found a $340 Telstra default from 2021 — an account he'd cancelled but that had apparently been re-billed after cancellation without his knowledge. He'd never received any notice about it.

He contacted Australian Credit Solutions. Our team reviewed the listing and identified that Telstra had failed to issue the required written notice before listing the default — a clear breach of the Credit Reporting Code.

We lodged a formal dispute under the Privacy Act 1988 on Mitchell's behalf.

Result: Default removed within 47 days. His Equifax score jumped from 511 to 734. He was approved for his home loan three months later.


Found a Default on Your File? Here's What to Do

Finding a default on your credit file isn't necessarily permanent. Under Australia's Privacy Act 1988, defaults can be removed before their five-year expiry if the credit provider failed to follow the correct procedures when listing them.

The most common grounds for removal include:

Failure to issue proper pre-listing notices — credit providers are legally required to give you written notice (a Section 21D notice) before listing a default, with a 30-day opportunity to respond. Failing to do this correctly is the most common compliance breach and the most common grounds for removal.

Incorrect default amounts — if the amount listed doesn't match what was actually owed, the listing is inaccurate and can be disputed.

Statute-barred debts — in most states, debts older than six years that are no longer legally enforceable cannot be listed or maintained as a default.

Disputed debts — if you were in a genuine dispute about whether the debt was valid when the default was listed, this may be grounds for removal.

Identity fraud — if the default relates to an account you never opened, the listing must be removed.


How to Improve Your Credit Score After Checking It

Once you know your score and what's in your file, you can take targeted action.

Remove inaccurate listings first. Before trying to build positive history, fix what's actively dragging you down. A single default can cost 100–200 points. Removing it has an immediate and dramatic impact on your score. This is the fastest way to improve your credit score in Australia — not years of slow rebuilding, but targeted removal of what shouldn't be there.

Pay all current accounts on time, every time. Under CCR, every on-time payment is now reported and builds your positive history. Set up direct debits for minimum repayments on every account so you never accidentally miss one.

Don't apply for multiple credit products in a short period. Each application creates a hard enquiry. If you're being declined, stop applying — every rejection adds another enquiry and makes the next application harder. Fix your file first, then apply.

Keep existing credit accounts open. Closing old credit card accounts can actually lower your score by reducing your available credit limit and shortening your average credit history length.

Check your file every six months. Errors can appear at any time. A lender might list an incorrect default. An identity thief might open accounts in your name. Regular checking means you catch these early.

For a deeper dive on this topic, read our guide: How to Improve Your Credit Score in Australia →


Does Checking Your Credit Score Affect It?

No — and this is one of the most common myths about credit scores in Australia.

Checking your own credit score or credit report is recorded as a soft enquiry and has absolutely no impact on your score. You can check it every day if you want and it won't move the needle.

What does affect your score is a hard enquiry — which is when a lender or credit provider checks your file because you've applied for credit with them. Even that is a relatively minor and temporary impact (typically 5–10 points) unless you're making multiple applications in a short period.

So there's no reason not to check. The only thing worse than having a bad credit score is having a bad credit score and not knowing about it.


Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check my credit score for free in Australia? Through all three credit bureaus: Equifax (equifax.com.au), Experian (experian.com.au), and Illion (creditreport.com.au). Each offers free credit scores and free annual credit reports. The process takes under 10 minutes per bureau and doesn't affect your score.

Does checking your own credit score affect it in Australia? No. Checking your own credit is a soft enquiry and has zero impact on your score. Only hard enquiries — when a lender checks your file during a credit application — can temporarily affect your score.

What is a good credit score in Australia? It depends on the bureau. For Equifax (0–1,200 scale), a score of 661–734 is good, 735–852 is very good, and 853+ is excellent. For Experian (0–1,000), 625–699 is good, 700–799 is very good, and 800+ is excellent.

How often can I check my credit score for free? As often as you like — it doesn't affect your score. For full credit reports, you're entitled to one free report per year from each bureau under Australian law, plus a free report within 90 days of a credit refusal.

Why do I have three different credit scores in Australia? Because Australia has three separate credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and Illion — and each uses its own scoring model and receives data from different lenders. Not all lenders report to all three bureaus, so your reports can differ significantly. Always check all three.

What do I do if I find an error on my credit report? You have the right under the Privacy Act 1988 to dispute inaccurate information. You can contact the credit bureau or credit provider directly, or engage an ASIC-licensed credit repair specialist like Australian Credit Solutions (ACL 532003) who can identify and remove inaccurate listings on a No Win No Fee basis.

Can a default be removed from my credit file before 5 years? Yes — if the credit provider breached the Privacy Act or Credit Reporting Code when listing the default. Australian Credit Solutions specialises in identifying these breaches and has successfully removed thousands of defaults before their five-year expiry.


Get Your Free Credit Assessment Today

Found something on your credit file you're not sure about? Been declined for finance and want to understand why? Our ASIC-licensed legal team will review your situation at no cost and tell you exactly what options you have.

Australian Credit Solutions — led by Principal Solicitor Elisa Rothschild (BA/LLB, Monash University) — has helped over 5,000 Australians remove defaults and fix their credit files since 2014. We hold ASIC Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003 and operate on a No Win No Fee basis.

Get My Free Assessment → 📞 0489 265 737 🛡️ ASIC Licensed ACL 532003 | ⭐ 4.9/5 from 976+ Reviews | 🏆 Award Winner 2022–2024


Australian Credit Solutions Pty Ltd holds Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003. Credit repair services are subject to individual assessment. Results may vary. This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.

Related reading: Default Removal Services → | How to Improve Your Credit Score → | What Is a Credit Default? →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Through all three credit bureaus: Equifax (equifax.com.au), Experian (experian.com.au), and Illion (creditreport.com.au). Each offers free credit scores and free annual credit reports. The process takes under 10 minutes per bureau and doesn't affect your score.
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Elisa Rothschild - Principal Solicitor & Director

Elisa Rothschild

(BA/LLB)

Principal Solicitor & Director

With over 12 years of experience in credit law, Elisa has helped thousands of Australians remove unfair credit listings and rebuild their financial futures. She leads Australian Credit Solutions' legal team with a focus on consumer advocacy and regulatory compliance.

ASIC Licensed
12+ Years Experience
970+ Clients Helped

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Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results vary depending on individual circumstances. Australian Credit Solutions Pty Ltd holds Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003. Always seek professional advice before making financial decisions.
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