How long a debt agreement or bankruptcy stays on your credit report: timelines worked out

Under the credit reporting rules in Part IIIA of the Privacy Act 1988, as explained by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), a bankruptcy stays on your credit report for the later of 5 years from the date you became bankrupt or 2 years from the date it ended, and a debt agreement for the later of 5 years from when it was made or 2 years from when it ended (or was terminated or declared void). Defaults and court judgments stay for 5 years, repayment history for 2 years and financial hardship information for 1 year. Separately, the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII) keeps a public record of every bankruptcy and personal insolvency agreement with no removal date, while a debt agreement is removed from the NPII after the later of 5 years from when it was made or when it ends (2 years after termination if it fails). The worked timelines below show what that means in practice.

This guide is part of the debt option decision checklist.

Retention periods at a glance

Information	How long it stays (OAIC)
Bankruptcy	Later of 5 years from the date of bankruptcy or 2 years after it ends
Debt agreement	Later of 5 years from when it was made or 2 years after it ends, is terminated or is declared void
Court judgment	5 years
Default	5 years
Serious credit infringement	7 years
Credit enquiry	5 years
Repayment history	2 years
Financial hardship information	1 year
Consumer credit account information	2 years after the account closes

Personal insolvency agreements are also personal insolvency information drawn from the NPII; ask Equifax or Experian how a Part X agreement is recorded and for how long, as the OAIC page does not list a separate period.

Timeline 1: debt agreement completed on time

Alex's debt agreement is made on 1 November 2026 and runs for 3 years, ending on 1 November 2029.

Date	Event
1 November 2026	Agreement made
1 November 2029	Agreement completed
5 years from start	1 November 2031
2 years after end	1 November 2031
Removed from credit report	1 November 2031 — both dates coincide

The defaults that some of Alex's creditors listed before the agreement stay for their own 5 years from when they were listed, so some may drop off earlier.

Timeline 2: debt agreement that runs longer

Bec, a home owner, has a 5-year debt agreement made on 1 March 2027, finishing 1 March 2032.

	Date
5 years from start	1 March 2032
2 years after end	1 March 2034
Removed (later date)	1 March 2034

A longer agreement means a longer credit report listing — seven years in total here.

Timeline 3: bankruptcy with normal discharge

Chris becomes bankrupt on 15 January 2027, when his statement of affairs is filed. Discharge is 3 years and 1 day later, on 16 January 2030.

	Date
5 years from bankruptcy	15 January 2032
2 years after discharge	16 January 2032
Removed (later date)	about 16 January 2032

Timeline 4: bankruptcy extended to 8 years

If the trustee's objection extends Chris's bankruptcy to 8 years, it ends in January 2035. The listing stays until 2 years after that, about January 2037 — ten years after the bankruptcy began. Cooperating with the trustee matters for your credit file as well as for the bankruptcy itself.

The NPII: public, and permanent for bankruptcy

The NPII is a public register kept by AFSA. Anyone can search it for a fee, and lenders, landlords and some employers do. Under current law bankruptcies (including discharged ones) and personal insolvency agreements stay on it with no removal date. Debt agreements are different: under the Bankruptcy Regulations 2021 (s 82) AFSA removes a completed agreement within a month after the later of 5 years from when it was made or the day it ends, and a terminated agreement after the later of 5 years from when it was made or 2 years after termination. A proposal that was not accepted, was withdrawn or lapsed is removed within a year (s 83). Reducing the NPII listing period has been raised in reform consultation but was not law as at October 2026; see bankruptcy reform status.

Rebuilding credit after a listing

Get your free credit reports from Equifax and Experian, the main credit reporting bodies (Experian acquired illion in 2024). You can get a free copy every 3 months, and after being refused credit.
Check the dates. Make sure each insolvency listing and default shows correct dates and is removed on time.
Correct errors. Ask the credit reporting body or the credit provider to correct information that is wrong. They should resolve a correction request within 30 days unless you agree to a longer period, and you can complain to AFCA or the OAIC if they do not.
Build a new repayment history. Repayment history shows the last 2 years of on-time payments, which lenders weigh heavily.
Avoid credit repair firms that promise to remove accurate listings. Accurate information cannot be removed early, and you can request corrections yourself for free.

Frequently asked questions

Will paying a default remove it?

No. Paying updates the listing to show it has been paid, but it stays for 5 years from when it was listed. An incorrectly listed default can be removed through a correction request.

Does a rejected debt agreement proposal show on my credit report?

The proposal is recorded on the NPII when lodged, even if creditors reject it; a rejected, withdrawn or lapsed proposal is removed from the NPII within a year (Bankruptcy Regulations 2021 s 83). Ask the credit reporting bodies how they treat a rejected proposal on your file.

Can I get a home loan after bankruptcy?

Some lenders will consider applications after discharge and the end of the credit report listing, particularly with a good repayment history and deposit. Expect stricter assessment and possibly higher rates.

Sources

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner — what stays on a credit report and how to correct it
Australian Financial Security Authority — NPII searches and records
Equifax and Experian — free credit reports
Australian Financial Complaints Authority — credit reporting complaints