Does a Clearance Certificate Remove Debt Review From Your Credit Record?
Yes. A Form 19 clearance certificate issued by your debt counsellor instructs the credit bureaux to remove the debt-review flag and related adverse debt-review records from your credit profile. The flag is removed by law once the certificate is submitted and processed. Other historical information is governed by separate credit-bureau retention rules.
Key Points
- The clearance certificate triggers removal of the debt-review flag.
- Adverse debt-review records are cleared by law.
- Other historical information is governed by separate retention rules.
- Confirm removal by checking your report after completion.
What the clearance certificate removes
Once your debt counsellor submits the Form 19 clearance certificate, the bureaux are required to remove the 'under debt review' indicator and the adverse debt-review records associated with the process. This restores your ability to apply for credit subject to normal affordability assessments.
This is a statutory requirement, not a discretionary update.
What remains on your record
Information that is not part of the debt-review flag — such as the conduct of accounts that continue after review (for example an ongoing home loan) — is retained in line with normal credit-bureau rules.
Historical defaults that predate or are unrelated to the debt-review flag are governed by their own retention periods and are not automatically removed by the clearance certificate.
Confirming the removal
After receiving your clearance certificate, check your credit report to confirm the flag has been removed. If it remains after the expected period, your debt counsellor can follow up with the bureaux.
Prompt confirmation ensures you can begin rebuilding without delay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Worried That Your Debt Has Become Unaffordable?
Debt Guidance can assess your income, essential expenses and debt commitments to determine whether debt review may be appropriate.
Reviewed by Carolina Guevara Harris
Registered Debt Counsellor · NCRDC3152
Last updated: 17 September 2025
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