CRB: What You Need to Know

CRB listing means your borrowing history has been reported to a Credit Reference Bureau. This can be positive (you repay on time) or negative (you have missed payments or defaulted).

You may be listed without knowing it — mobile lenders, banks, and SACCOs all report to the CRB automatically. To find out, request a free credit report from Metropol, TransUnion, or Creditinfo CRB. You are entitled to one free report per year from each bureau.

You cannot remove a negative CRB listing without first repaying the debt. The process is:

1. Identify which lender listed you (your CRB report shows this)
2. Settle the outstanding balance in full
3. Request a clearance letter from the lender
4. The lender has 30 days to submit the clearance to the CRB
5. Confirm the update on your CRB report after 30–45 days

Keep all payment receipts and written confirmation from the lender. If they fail to submit the clearance within 30 days, escalate to the Central Bank of Kenya.

Yes. Any unpaid loan — regardless of the amount — can be reported to the CRB. Fuliza, M-Shwari, KCB M-Pesa, Tala, Branch, and other mobile lenders all report to the CRB.

In 2022, millions of Kenyans were listed for small mobile loan amounts below KES 1,000. The Central Bank of Kenya later directed that amounts below KES 1,000 should not result in CRB listing, but this does not apply retroactively and lenders have different thresholds.

Always repay mobile loans on time, even small amounts. A negative listing from a KES 200 loan can block a KES 500,000 mortgage application.

A negative CRB listing remains on your record for up to 5 years from the date it is cleared — not from when the debt was incurred.

This means:

• If you defaulted in 2020 and cleared the debt in 2024, the record stays until 2029
• The earlier you clear the debt, the sooner the 5-year clock starts

During that 5-year period, the listing is visible to any lender who checks your report. However, a cleared listing (showing the debt was eventually repaid) is treated less harshly than an active default.

A CRB clearance certificate is a document issued by a Credit Reference Bureau confirming that you have no active negative listings. Some employers, landlords, and government tenders require this certificate.

To get one:

1. Visit Metropol (metropol.co.ke), TransUnion, or Creditinfo
2. Pay the certificate fee (approximately KES 50–200 depending on the bureau)
3. Download or receive your certificate

A clearance certificate is only valid at the point of issue. If a new negative listing is added after the certificate is issued, the certificate is no longer accurate.