CIBIL Score and Report: Free Check and How to Fix Errors
Independent guide. We are not part of RBI, NPCI or any bank, and we never ask for your account details, PIN or OTP.
CIBIL stands for Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited, now TransUnion CIBIL. It is one of four credit bureaus (CICs) registered with RBI. Lenders report your loans and cards to it. It turns that history into a credit report and a score from 300 to 900. You get one free full report a year from each bureau, and can get errors fixed within 30 days.
- Full form
- Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited
- Now called
- TransUnion CIBIL Limited
- Regulated by
- RBI, under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005
- Score range
- 300 to 900
- Free full report
- Once a year (Jan–Dec), from each bureau
- Error fixed within
- 30 days (lender 21 + bureau 9)
- Late-fix compensation
- ₹100 per day after 30 days
- Data updated
- Four times a month, since 1 Jul 2026
What CIBIL and a credit score are
A credit information company (CIC), or credit bureau, collects data on your loans and credit cards from banks, NBFCs and other lenders. RBI rules make lenders report it; your consent is not needed. Lenders then check your report before giving you a loan.
- Credit report (CIR): your personal details, every loan and card account, its repayment record, and the list of lenders who checked your report (enquiries).
- CIBIL Score: a three-digit number from 300 to 900 summarising that history. CIBIL says a higher score shows a lender more confidence that you will repay.
- "NH" or "NA": CIBIL shows these when there is no usable credit history, for example for a first-time borrower. CIBIL says they are not negative, though some lenders may still decline.
Lenders decide for themselves whether to lend. RBI requires them to check reports from one or more bureaus before deciding. The bureau does not approve or reject loans.
The four RBI-registered credit bureaus
| Credit bureau | Your free yearly report |
|---|---|
| TransUnion CIBIL Limited | Yes |
| Equifax Credit Information Services | Yes |
| Experian Credit Information Company of India | Yes |
| CRIF High Mark Credit Information Services | Yes |
Lenders must report your credit data to all four bureaus.
How your data reaches CIBIL
- Since 1 Jan 2025, lenders report your accounts at least fortnightly, as on the 15th and the last day of each month. From 1 Jul 2026, they report as on the 9th, 16th, 23rd and last day: mid-month updates within 4 days and the month-end full file by the 5th of the next month.
- Bureaus must load the data within 5 days of receiving it.
- Every repayment, including your last EMI, must be reported. So a paid-off loan can take a few weeks to show as closed.
- You get an SMS or email from the bureau when a lender pulls your report, and from your lender when it reports a default or days past due (DPD), if your contact details are on record.
Check your report or fix an error
Free once a year. Each bureau must give you one Free Full Credit Report, with your score, once every calendar year (January to December). The link must be on its home page. It is the same detailed report lenders see.
- Go to the bureau's official site, for CIBIL cibil.com/freecibilscore. Type the address yourself; don't use links in messages.
- Sign up and verify your identity as the site asks; the bureau must authenticate you before showing the report.
- Download the report. Repeat on the other three bureaus' sites; each gives its own free report.
What to look for
- Personal details: name, date of birth, PAN, addresses and phone numbers.
- Accounts: every loan and card should be yours. Look for unknown accounts, duplicates, or a closed loan shown as open.
- Payment history (DPD): the number of days each payment was overdue, month by month. Check any late entry against your bank statement.
- Status: "settled" should appear only if the lender waived part of your dues because you couldn't pay. A wrong debit or disputed charge must be shown as "disputed", not "settled".
- Enquiries: lenders who pulled your report. One you never applied to may signal fraud.
You can complain to the bureau or to the lender that reported the data. Only the lender can change what it reported; the bureau forwards your dispute to it.
- Check it's still wrong. CIBIL suggests refreshing your report first; a recent payment may simply not be reported yet.
- Raise the dispute online in your CIBIL login (the dispute centre), or with the lender. If several lenders reported wrong data, complain to the bureau; it coordinates with all of them.
- Track it. The lender has 21 days and the bureau must close it within 30 days of your complaint. Either must tell you the outcome, with reasons if rejected.
- Rejected? A bureau must send any wholly or partly rejected complaint to its Internal Ombudsman for review, and tell you if the Internal Ombudsman upheld the decision.
- Still unhappy, no reply in 30 days, or compensation wrongly denied? Complain to the RBI Ombudsman under RB-IOS at cms.rbi.org.in, or call 14448.
Timelines and compensation
| Stage | Time limit | Who pays if late |
|---|---|---|
| Lender sends corrected data | 21 days after it is told | Lender |
| Bureau resolves and sends corrected report | 30 days from your complaint | Bureau, if the lender was on time |
| Compensation for delay | ₹100 per calendar day beyond 30 days | Shared by those who caused the delay |
| Payment of compensation | Within 5 working days of resolution | To your bank account or UPI ID |
Not covered by the ₹100/day rule: complaints about how the score is calculated, matters already before a court or consumer commission, and a lender's commercial decisions such as refusing a loan.
Missed EMIs and settlements
- Missed or late EMI: the lender reports the days past due (DPD) and alerts you by SMS or email. A NACH debit that bounces for low balance is a missed payment.
- Settlement: if a lender accepts less than you owe because you cannot repay, it reports the account as "settled" with the reason. Lenders are meant to know about such waivers before giving fresh credit.
- Wrong debits or disputed charges must be reported as "disputed", not "settled". If yours shows as settled, dispute it.
Beware "score improvement" offers
- Only the lender that reported data can correct it, and only if it is wrong. No agent can delete correct late payments or settlements.
- You can dispute an error yourself, directly with the bureau or the lender. You don't need a paid middleman.
- Never share your OTP, card PIN or login with anyone offering to "fix" your score.
- An enquiry or loan you don't recognise may be identity fraud. Tell the lender at once. If you lost money, call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in.
History
Parliament passes the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, the law under which RBI registers and regulates credit bureaus.
Every bureau must give individuals one free full credit report, with score, each calendar year.
₹100-a-day compensation for late corrections and access alerts take effect (circulars of 26 Oct 2023, effective six months later).
Lenders must report to bureaus at least fortnightly instead of monthly.
RBI consolidates these rules into its Credit Information Reporting Directions, 2025.
Lenders report as on the 9th, 16th, 23rd and last day of each month (amendment of 4 Dec 2025).
RBI issues Internal Ombudsman directions for bureaus; rejected complaints get a second review.
FAQs
Is the CIBIL report free?
Yes, once each calendar year. Every RBI-registered bureau must give you one free full report with your score from January to December.
What is the CIBIL score range?
300 to 900. A higher score shows lenders more confidence that you will repay. Each lender sets its own lending criteria.
How long does a correction take?
Up to 30 days from your complaint: 21 days for the lender and the rest for the bureau. After that you get ₹100 for each day of delay.
Can CIBIL change my report directly?
No. The lender that reported the data must confirm the change. The bureau forwards your dispute and updates the report.
I repaid my loan. Why does it still show as open?
Lenders report on fixed dates each month, so it may take a few weeks. If the "date reported" is over two months old and it still isn't updated, raise a dispute.
Where do I complain if the bureau doesn't help?
To the RBI Ombudsman under RB-IOS, which covers credit bureaus, at cms.rbi.org.in or on 14448.
Official sources
- RBI – Commercial Banks – Credit Information Reporting Directions, 2025 (28 Nov 2025, updated 1 Jul 2026) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Credit Information Companies Directions, 2025 (updated 1 Jul 2026) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Framework for compensation for delayed updation/rectification of credit information, 26 Oct 2023 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Strengthening of customer service by CICs and credit institutions, 26 Oct 2023 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Frequency of reporting of credit information, 8 Aug 2024 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Commercial Banks – Credit Information Reporting Amendment Directions, 4 Dec 2025 (from 1 Jul 2026) (accessed 1 Nov 2026)
- RBI – Free Annual Credit Report to Individuals (from 1 Jan 2017) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Credit Information Companies – Internal Ombudsman Directions, 2026 (14 Jan 2026) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- RBI – Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- TransUnion CIBIL – Free CIBIL Score and Report (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- TransUnion CIBIL – Contact us FAQs (disputes) (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- TransUnion CIBIL – Understanding your CIBIL Score and Report (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- Ministry of Home Affairs – National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
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