Your credit report is not just a number—it’s an illustration of your financial habits. From getting a personal loan, home loan, to even a credit card, lenders tend to use your credit report and credit score to determine whether you’re worth taking a risk on. CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau India Limited) is one of the most used credit bureaus in India and provides individuals with access to their own credit report.
Verifying your CIBIL report on a regular basis will enable you to identify discrepancies, catch fraud, and keep your credit profile healthy. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of checking and downloading your CIBIL credit report, understanding its contents, and making the most of the information it provides.
What is a CIBIL Credit Report?
A CIBIL Credit Report is a comprehensive overview of your payment history and credit conduct, collated from a variety of banks and financial institutions. It consists of:
- Personal Details: Your name, date of birth, sex, and identification numbers such as PAN.
- Contact Details: Existing and previous addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses.
- Employment Information: Your line of work and earnings, typically as provided by lenders.
- Account Information: Information on all credit accounts (credit cards and loans), including the outstanding amounts, repayment history, and account status.
- Credit Inquiries: History of inquiries by lenders when you’re applying for credit.
- Credit Score: A 3-digit number between 300 and 900 that shows your creditworthiness.
The greater the score, the higher the chances of credit product approval.
Documents Needed to Check Your CIBIL Report
To check your CIBIL report online, you’ll need:
- PAN Card: This is required because your credit report is associated with your PAN.
- Email Address and Mobile Number: For verification and communication.
- Other ID Proof (optional): Aadhaar, passport, or voter ID may be required in some cases for identity verification.
How to Check Your CIBIL Credit Report for Free?
One free credit report every year is offered to each individual in India by CIBIL, as a directive from RBI. Here’s how to obtain it:
Step-by-Step Process on CIBIL’s Official Website
- Go to https://www.cibil.com/
- Click on “Get Your Free CIBIL Score” on the home page.
- Fill Out the Form
- Enter your name, date of birth, gender, PAN number, email address, and mobile number.
- Verify Your Identity
- An OTP will be sent to your mobile number.
- Or you will be asked a couple of security questions depending on your credit history.
- Create Your CIBIL Account
- Choose a username and password to access your report later.
- View Your Report
- Once verified, you can access a basic version of your credit report and score.
How to Download the Free CIBIL Report?
After completing the steps above, you’ll land on your dashboard. From here:
- Navigate to the ‘My Account’ section.
- Click on ‘View Report’.
- Use the browser’s download or print feature (Ctrl + P > Save as PDF) to download your report.
Note: The free report may have limited historical data compared to the paid version.
How to Get a Full Credit Report from CIBIL (Paid Version)?
For individuals interested in getting insightful details of their credit history, CIBIL provides paid subscription options. These are:
- Monthly Plan: ₹550
- Bi-Annual Plan: ₹800 (Two reports in six months)
- Annual Plan: ₹1200 (Four reports in a year)
Steps to Purchase and Download:
- Log in to your CIBIL account.
- Select a plan and pay.
- View the full report from your dashboard.
- Click “Download Report” to download it in PDF form.
Checking CIBIL Report via Third-Party Platforms
Some finance websites also provide free credit report checks. These are:
- Paisabazaar
- BankBazaar
- Wishfin
- CreditMantri
Benefits:
- Frequently simpler onboarding
- Instant access without having to recall multiple logins
- Reminders and suggestions for score improvement
Caution:
- You may receive promotional emails or calls after signing up
- Ensure the platform is secure and RBI-compliant
How to Read a CIBIL Credit Report?
After you download your report, it’s important to know what you’re looking at. Must-read sections:
- Credit Score: 300 to 900. Anything above 750 is very good.
- Account Summary: A quick overview of your open and closed loans, credit limit, and dues.
- Days Past Due (DPD): Shows payment delays. A DPD of 000 means no delay; anything else needs attention.
- Enquiries: Frequent enquiries may reduce your score, especially if multiple loans are applied for in a short time.
Tips to Maintain or Improve Your CIBIL Score
A good credit report starts with good credit habits. Here’s what works:
- Make your EMIs and credit card payments on time
- Your credit utilization should not be more than 30%
- Do not take several loans at a short interval
- Have a combination of secured (home loan) and unsecured (credit card) credit
- Regularly check your credit report
Why CIBIL Score Alone Isn’t Enough?
Though CIBIL is the most well-known bureau, lenders also use reports from:
- Experian
- Equifax
- CRIF High Mark
Each bureau has slightly different data and scoring models. For a complete picture, consider checking your reports from all four periodically.
Conclusion
Your CIBIL credit report is more than just a compliance check—it’s a financial health report that lenders use to decide your creditworthiness. With online access, it’s never been easier to check and download your credit report and stay in control of your credit journey.
However, while consumers get value from seeing their own reports, firms—particularly lenders, NBFCs, and financial portals—require real-time, high-quality data on scale.
That’s where our Equifax Credit Report API fits in.
Our API provides immediate, secure access to a borrower’s Equifax credit report—right in your platform or lending process. With hassle-free integration, you can automate credit requests, remove manual steps, and obtain a complete credit profile (including score, payment history, and credit inquiries) in seconds.
Credit checks shouldn’t be a roadblock. With our Equifax Credit Report API, they’re not.
FAQs
How often can I check my CIBIL report for free?
You’re entitled to one free credit report every calendar year from CIBIL.
Will checking my own credit report reduce my score?
No. Looking at your own report is a “soft inquiry” and will not impact your score.
What is the best CIBIL score to get a loan approved?
A score of over 750 is usually good and raises the chances of approval.
How soon do changes appear on the CIBIL report?
Typically, 30–45 days after the bank submits fresh information to CIBIL.
What is DPD in a CIBIL report?
DPD stands for “Days Past Due” and indicates how late a payment was made. Anything other than “000” or “STD” should be reviewed.
