Section 20WPrivacy Act 1988 (Cth)

Retention period for credit information—general

The following table sets out the retention period for credit information:

(a) that is information of a kind referred to in an item of the table; and

(b) that is held by a credit reporting body.

Retention period

Item

If the credit information is ...

the retention period for the information is ...

1

consumer credit liability information

the period of 2 years that starts on the day on which the consumer credit to which the information relates is terminated or otherwise ceases to be in force.

2

repayment history information

the period of 2 years that starts on the day on which the monthly payment to which the information relates is due and payable.

2A

financial hardship information

the period of 1 year that starts on the day on which the monthly payment to which the information relates is due and payable.

3

information of a kind referred to in paragraph 6N(d) or (e)

the period of 5 years that starts on the day on which the information request to which the information relates is made.

4

default information

the period of 5 years that starts on the day on which the credit reporting body collects the information.

5

payment information

the period of 5 years that starts on the day on which the credit reporting body collects the default information to which the payment information relates.

6

new arrangement information within the meaning of subsection 6S(1)

the period of 2 years that starts on the day on which the credit reporting body collects the default information referred to in that subsection.

7

new arrangement information within the meaning of subsection 6S(2)

the period of 2 years that starts on the day on which the credit reporting body collects the information about the opinion referred to in that subsection.

8

court proceedings information

the period of 5 years that starts on the day on which the judgement to which the information relates is made or given.

9

information of a kind referred to in paragraph 6N(l)

the period of 7 years that starts on the day on which the credit reporting body collects the information.

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 17 May 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au. Verify the current text against the official source before relying on it.

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