How to check your credit score in Kenya (CRB), and clear a bad listing — 2026

Your credit record decides whether you get a loan, at what rate, and sometimes even whether you get a job or a rental. In Kenya it's held by Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs) — and you have the legal right to see yours. This guide shows you how to check it, what the score means, and how to clear a negative listing the free, legitimate way (because most "CRB clearance" offers are scams).

The three licensed CRBs

Kenya has three CBK-licensed Credit Reference Bureaus. A lender may report to any of them, so your record can differ slightly between bureaus:

TransUnion Kenya
Metropol CRB
Creditinfo CRB

Only these three are licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya. Treat any other "bureau" or agent promising to fix your record as a red flag.

How to check your status

You are entitled to one free credit report per year from each bureau — use it. Beyond that, checks are cheap (a small fee per report). The main routes:

TransUnion: their website (transunion.co.ke) or the USSD code *272#.
Metropol: the Metropol app or metropol.co.ke (their score is called Crystal Globe / Crystalball).
Creditinfo: creditinfo.co.ke.

What the score means

Each bureau scores you on its own scale:

Metropol Crystalball: roughly 200–900 — around 600+ is considered good.
TransUnion: roughly 0–999 — around 680+ is considered good.

Broadly, a low score (a rating that drops toward the bottom of the range) signals missed or defaulted payments. A higher score means you've borrowed and repaid reliably — which is exactly what building a record on a licensed lender (even a small Hustler Fund or bank loan) does for you over time.

Being "listed" is not a blacklist. Since the law changed, a CRB report is meant to show your full history — positive and negative — not just brand you a defaulter. Lenders read the detail, not a single flag.

How to clear a negative listing — the free, legal way

This is the part scammers exploit, so read it carefully:

Pay the outstanding debt to the original lender — the bank, SACCO or licensed app you actually owe.
The lender updates your status to "settled." This is free and, by law, they must do it (typically within about 30 days).
If they don't update it, file a dispute with the CRB — also free. The bureau is obliged to investigate and correct errors.

There is no legitimate "CRB clearance fee." Nobody can wipe a genuine debt from your record for a payment, and anyone who says they can — for KSh 2,000, KSh 5,000, whatever — is running a scam. Clearing your name costs you only the debt you actually owe.

The one thing that does have a fee is a CRB clearance certificate (around KSh 2,200) — an official document confirming you have no non-performing debt, which some employers or tenders ask for. That's a legitimate document, not a payment to "remove" anything.

Why this matters before you borrow

Lenders check your CRB record before approving credit. If you're about to apply, check your own status first so there are no surprises — and only borrow from lenders on the official register. See how to spot an unlicensed loan app and the CBK-licensed digital lenders list, and always compare the true cost on licensed personal loans.

Frequently asked questions

Does checking my own score hurt it? No — checking your own record is a "soft" enquiry and doesn't lower your score.

How long does a negative mark stay? Records are kept for a set retention period even after a debt is settled, but a paid debt should show as settled, which lenders view very differently from an open default.

A loan app is threatening to "list" me for a tiny amount — can they? Licensed lenders report to CRBs under the rules, but harassment and threats are unlawful regardless. Check whether the app is even licensed before you engage — see the red-flags guide.