Debt review clearance certificate (Form 19) explained

The clearance certificate (Form 19) is a formal document confirming you have satisfied your obligations under debt review. It is the legal trigger for removing the debt-review status from your credit profile. Without it, the flag stays - which is why finishing debt review properly matters so much.

It is issued by your own counsellor, not by the NCR, a court or a third-party 'removal' company.

You qualify for a clearance certificate when the debts in your plan are paid up. In practice that means:

• All short-term and unsecured debts are settled, and
• For most people, the large secured debts are paid or being serviced normally again.

If you paid some creditors directly during the process, give your counsellor the paid-up letters as proof so the certificate can be issued.

Once you are paid up:

• Your counsellor must issue the Form 19 within seven days.
• They must notify the NCR and all registered credit bureaus.
• The bureaus then remove the debt-review flag, typically within about 21 business days.

After that, pull your credit report to confirm the flag is gone and your accounts show as settled.

If your debts are paid but your counsellor has not issued the certificate:

1. Contact your counsellor in writing and ask them to issue the Form 19 and notify the bureaus.
2. Provide any outstanding paid-up letters.
3. If they fail to act, complain to the NCR about the counsellor's conduct at dccomplaints@ncr.org.za.
4. Check the bureaus directly after the certificate is issued to confirm removal.

The certificate is your right once you are paid up - do not let a slow counsellor leave the flag on your profile.