You can get your credit report free from both of Canada’s main credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, online or by mail. Equifax’s credit score is free in every province and territory; TransUnion’s comes free with the Consumer Disclosure for Quebec and Ontario residents; TransUnion says residents of other provinces currently don’t get a free score with theirs. Looking at your own report or score does nothing to your score. More on which checks do count: hard inquiries and soft checks.
How do I get my free credit report?
Your credit report is a summary of how you’ve used credit in the past, and the bureaus update it at least once a month. TransUnion calls its free report the Consumer Disclosure, and every consumer in Canada can get one. Equifax says you can get a free copy online, by phone, by mail or in person. Why your two scores may not match is covered in how credit scores work.
| How | Equifax | TransUnion | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Free report | Free Consumer Disclosure | Download or print it; the information is updated every month |
| By mail | Free | Free | The bureau’s request form, mailed with photocopies of 2 valid pieces of ID |
| By phone | 1-800-465-7166 | 1-800-663-9980 | Answer identity questions and follow the instructions |
| In person | At an office, where available | At an office, where available | Offered in some parts of Canada; bring 2 or more pieces of ID |
Equifax says that by phone you have to enter your Social Insurance Number; if you’d rather not, Equifax’s mail and in-person routes let you leave it out. Equifax says that once your identity is validated, it mails the report to your home address by Canada Post within 5 to 10 days.
How do I get my free credit score?
Bureaus update your score at least once a month.
| Bureau | Free online? | Free by phone or mail? |
|---|---|---|
| Equifax | Yes, in all provinces and territories | Yes, a non-electronic score, with ID |
| TransUnion | Yes in Quebec and Ontario, with your Consumer Disclosure; currently no in other provinces | Yes in Quebec and Ontario, with ID |
Equifax’s online score and report are each updated once a month. What your number means is on the credit score ranges page.
What about other free score services and bank apps?
Companies other than the bureaus may also give you a score or report at no cost, though some want you to join a paid plan first. Some federally regulated banks show a free score in their banking app.
You can also go to Equifax or TransUnion directly, using the routes above.
Before you give a company your details
FCAC warns that some free report or score offers are scams set up to collect your personal and financial details. Before you sign up, FCAC suggests you:
- look into the company first, to be sure it’s real.
- go through its terms and its privacy policy carefully.
- check how it will store and use your information, and whether it sells your data to third parties. A company that sells it may lead to offers you didn’t expect.
- check the site’s address starts with “https”, not “http”.
Found something wrong on your report?
FCAC explains what to do in checking your credit report for errors and fraud. Once you’ve seen your score, how to improve your credit score covers what moves it.
More guides are on the credit card basics page.