A debt review clearance certificate, officially Form 19, is the document that formally ends your debt review and triggers the removal of the flag from your credit record. Your registered debt counsellor must issue it within seven days of your request once your restructured debts are settled. That is the rule. What most guides skip is what happens when a debt counsellor refuses or drags their feet, because you have real legal remedies there too. This guide covers how to get your clearance certificate, how long it takes, and what to do when the process stalls.
For most people who finish debt review, the clearance certificate is the finish line. It is also where a lot of frustration lives, because the person who has to sign it is not always quick to do so. Knowing your rights here is the difference between a clean exit and months of chasing.
How do I get a clearance certificate from debt review?
You get a clearance certificate by requesting it from your registered debt counsellor once you have satisfied your restructured debts, and the debt counsellor is then legally obliged to issue Form 19. The certificate confirms that all the debts placed under review have been paid in full, with one important exception. A long-term agreement such as a home loan does not have to be settled in full, provided it is up to date and not in arrears. Once issued, the certificate goes to the credit bureaus, which must remove the debt review information from your profile.
The certificate is issued under Section 71 of the National Credit Act, and it is one of the routes explained in our debt review removal guide. It becomes available as soon as your restructured debts are settled, whether that happens before a debt review court order is granted or after one is in place. Where an order has already been granted, it cannot be undone, so the clearance certificate is how you close the process properly. Practically, the steps are to confirm your accounts are settled, obtain paid-up letters from your creditors where needed, and request the certificate from your debt counsellor in writing so there is a record of the date.
How to get a Form 19 clearance certificate
Form 19 is the prescribed clearance certificate under the National Credit Act, and it is issued by your registered debt counsellor rather than by a court or the credit bureaus. There is no separate government office you apply to. The debt counsellor who managed your review is the person who signs it, using the account records and payment history held by the payment distribution agent that processed your monthly payments.
Getting it is straightforward when your debt counsellor is responsive. You confirm settlement, the debt counsellor verifies the payment records, and Form 19 is issued and sent to the bureaus. Keep your own copy, and follow up with the bureaus to confirm the flag has actually been lifted, because the certificate only does its job once the bureaus act on it.
How long does debt review clearance take?
Your debt counsellor must issue the clearance certificate within seven days of your request, and the credit bureaus must then update your record, generally within about 21 business days. So the clean version of the timeline is roughly a week for the certificate and up to three weeks or so for the bureaus to remove the flag. In practice, the certificate step is where delays happen, because it depends on a debt counsellor acting promptly.
If you are close to this point and simply want to know where you stand, you can book a consultation with our debt review removal team and we will help you confirm whether your accounts are genuinely settled and your certificate is due. A lot of the anxiety around clearance comes from not knowing whether you have actually qualified yet, and that is a question worth answering before you start chasing paperwork.
Waiting on a clearance certificate that has not arrived?
We can confirm whether it is due and help you enforce your right to it. Speak to a VDL debt review attorney.
What if your debt counsellor refuses or delays the certificate?
If your debt counsellor refuses or delays issuing the certificate once your debts are settled, you have several enforceable options, because the certificate is your right and not a favour. You can escalate the matter to the National Consumer Tribunal or the Credit Ombud. Where the debt counsellor is unavailable or uncooperative, the National Credit Regulator itself will assist in pointing you in the right direction. And a new registered debt counsellor or an attorney can step in to retrieve the payment records from the payment distribution agent and get the process moving.
This is the part debt-counselling companies rarely emphasise, and it is where a law firm is genuinely useful. If a debt counsellor has closed shop, gone quiet, or simply will not sign, you are not stuck. Your right to the certificate survives the debt counsellor’s inaction, and it can be enforced. An attorney can pursue that right directly rather than leaving you to chase a business that has stopped answering.
Ready to close your debt review the right way?
We will confirm you qualify, help secure your Form 19, and make sure the bureaus lift the flag. Book my debt review removal consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a clearance certificate from debt review?
Request it from your registered debt counsellor once your restructured debts are settled. The debt counsellor must issue Form 19 within seven days, and the certificate is then sent to the credit bureaus to remove the flag. A home loan need not be paid in full if it is up to date.
How long does debt review clearance take?
The debt counsellor must issue the certificate within seven days of your request, and the bureaus generally update within about 21 business days. Delays usually occur at the debt counsellor stage rather than the bureau stage.
What if my debt counsellor will not issue the certificate?
You can escalate to the National Consumer Tribunal or the Credit Ombud, and the National Credit Regulator will assist in pointing you in the right direction where a debt counsellor is unavailable. A new debt counsellor or an attorney can also retrieve your payment records and enforce your right to the certificate.