You are hereHow to Get Your Free Credit Report
How to Get Your Free Credit Report
There are multiple ways to get your credit report. You can request it by phone, fax, mail, or the Internet. You'll want to get your credit reports from each bureau (Equifax and TransUnion) because they can contain varying account information (some lenders only report your account information to one of the bureaus). Getting both reports will give you a complete picture of your credit history.
Canadians are entitled to one free credit report, or "consumer disclosure," from each bureaus annually. You can only receive your free report by mail (the bureaus require a fee if you prefer to access your report online). Note that you are not legally entitled to a free credit score. If you want to know your credit score, that will cost extra and can only be purchased online.
By Mail:
To receive your free credit report by mail from each bureau, you'll need to fill out a form (which you can find on each bureau's website) and mail it to the bureau, along with two photocopied pieces of identification. Visit these websites for more information and appropriate mailing addresses:
TransUnion (download the TransUnion form here)
Equifax (download the Equifax form here)
Online:
Receiving your report online can be quicker and more convenient than via post. Unfortunately, Canadian law does not require the credit bureaus to provide online reports to you for free. Equifax and TransUnion offer them for a fee. If you visit the Equifax and TransUnion websites, you'll see a variety of offerings for online credit reports, credit monitoring services, and credit scores with a range of price tags next to them. Read through the various differences between products, and choose the one that fits into your budget and needs. For example, you might not care about continuous access to your report and score, or you might want constant credit monitoring if you are concerned about identity theft.
