How to Check Your Credit Score in Australia

Your credit rating is basically your financial reputation. Lenders, landlords, and sometimes even employers use it to decide whether you’re trustworthy with money.

Here’s how to check yours — and what to do with the information.

💡 Why Should You Care?

Your credit rating affects:

🏠 Loan approvals — mortgages, car loans, personal loans
💳 Credit card interest rates — better scores = better deals
🏘️ Rental applications — landlords often check
👔 Some job applications — especially in finance

💡 Think of it as your financial DNA. It tells people how you’ve handled money in the past.

📋 Step-by-Step: Checking Your Credit Rating

1. Choose Your Bureau

Australia has three main credit reporting agencies:

Bureau	Website
Equifax	equifax.com.au
Experian	experian.com.au
illion	illion.com.au

Each might have slightly different information. For the full picture, check all three.

2. Provide Your Details

You’ll need:

Full name (as it appears on official docs)
Current address (and recent previous addresses)
Date of birth
Email address
Phone number

3. Verify Your Identity

To protect against identity theft, you’ll need ID:

Driver’s licence
Passport
Medicare card

This step is crucial — it’s the bouncer at the door of your financial information.

4. Get Your Report

Once verified, you’ll receive:

Payment history — how you’ve managed credit accounts
Credit applications — every time you’ve applied for credit
Your credit score — the magic number

📊 Understanding Your Score

Scores typically range from 0-1,000 or 0-1,200, depending on the bureau:

Score Range	Rating	What It Means
800+	Excellent 🌟	Lenders love you
700-799	Very Good 👍	Most lenders will be keen
625-699	Good 😊	Decent offers available
550-624	Fair 🤔	Some lenders might be cautious
Below 550	Poor 😬	Time to work on your credit health

Ranges vary slightly between agencies.

🔄 Why Check Regularly?

Regular checks help you:

🔍 Spot errors — mistakes happen, and they can hurt your score
🚨 Catch fraud — unauthorised applications in your name
📈 Track progress — watch your score improve over time
💪 Negotiate better — know your worth when shopping for loans

💡 Pro tip: You can get one free credit report per year from each agency. Set calendar reminders to check one every four months — that way you’re covered all year.

✅ Quick Actions You Can Take

✅ Fix errors immediately — dispute anything that looks wrong
✅ Pay bills on time — payment history is the biggest factor
⚠️ Don’t apply for too much credit — each application leaves a mark
💳 Keep old accounts open — length of credit history matters

🏁 The Takeaway

Checking your credit rating takes 10 minutes. Understanding where you stand financially? Priceless.

Your future self — the one trying to get a mortgage or negotiate a better rate — will thank you for staying on top of this.

Related guides:

Go check it. Today. 🦸‍♂️💰