Can the NCR remove me from debt review?

Who can remove me from debt review?

Technically, The National Credit Regulator (NCR) does not remove you from debt review in South Africa, a NCR registered Debt Counsellor does. 

The only way you can get removed from debt review in South Africa is if you get issued with a NCR clearance certificate. For this to happen, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• You've paid up all your debt repayments according to your debt review (debt counselling) repayment plan. The only outstanding debt can be your home loan. 
  
  OR
• You've paid up all your debt, and the debt you haven't paid up has been prescribed (legally written off).
  
  
  

  Learn more about how you can remove prescribed debt from your credit report in this blog post. 

Do you meet one of this criteria? Start your debt review clearance online application:

FAQS about NCR Debt Review Removal

You do not need to contact NCR for debt review removal, you can contact Meerkat if you have paid up all your debt.

3. How do I check my NCR debt review status?

You can check your NCR debt review status by getting a copy of your credit report. You will see there if you still have a flag under the debt review process. 

4. How much does it cost to remove the debt review status?

Meerkat charges R2500 to remove the debt review status if you have all your paid-up letters. 

Have you heard about the 17 w form? Want to know why it is NOT your ticket to getting out of the debt review removal process? Watch this video with Founder & CEO of Meerkat, David O'Brien:

5. How to check your debt review status online?

You can check your debt review status online by getting a copy of your credit report. 

6.How to remove your name from debt review (a step-by-step guide)

To be removed from debt review, you need a debt review clearance certificate. If you've paid up all your debt, Meerkat (a registered financial services provider & registered debt counsellor) can issue you with a clearance certificate.

Here's how you can clear your name from debt review at Meerkat in 6 steps, completely online:

1. Start your simple online application.
2. Upload your paid-up letters from your creditors. 
3. If you don't have these, we can still assist you.
4. Pay your R2500 fee to cancel debt review. 
5. If you don't have your paid-up letters, you will pay more to obtain them.
6. We will retrieve the most recent version of your credit report. 
7. We will contact your credit providers and the credit bureaus to update your credit report to remove the debt review status. 
8. You will be issued with your debt review clearance certificate and have now been successfully removed from the process!

What you should know about debt review cancellation

• You can't remove yourself from debt review but a registered Debt Counsellor can. 
• You can only terminate debt review if you've settled all your debt other than your home loan.
• Since 2022, the National Credit Regulator (NCR) has stated that a consumer can no longer just leave the process, even before they have been declared over-indebted or a debt review court order has been put in place. This means that as soon as you have applied for debt review, you have to complete the process. 
• There is no such thing as free debt review removal. There will always be fees involved. You should be very aware of companies or individuals claiming they can do this for you for free. 
• Be cautious of attorneys who demand high fees, promising to eliminate you from the debt review process. Only a certified Debt Counsellor has the authority to lift the National Credit Regulator (NCR) debt review flag.
• Once a court has declared you as over-indebted, you can not be declared as no longer over-indebted.

Interested in learning more about lawyers and debt review removal? Read this blog post. 

Debt review removal reviews 

Look at our reviews on HelloPeter. 

TL;DR

You can only exit debt review if:

• All debts included in the plan are fully paid (bonds/home loans not in arrears don’t need to be settled).

• OR, any remaining debts have prescribed (i.e., prescription period passed, typically 3 years depending on loan type).

Once eligible, the debt review removal process is:

1. Obtain a clearance certificate from an NCR‑registered debt counsellor confirming full repayment of debt. 

2. Debt counsellor notifies credit bureaus to remove the “under debt review” flag from your credit report.

⏱ Timeline & cost:

• Meerkat charges R2,500 (additional fees if paid-up letters are missing)

• The flag is usually cleared within 10 days after applying.

🚫 What you cannot do:

• You cannot leave debt review early or pause it mid-way—only full repayment or court action qualifies.

• A court application to dispute over‑indebtedness is possible, but rare and expensive .

Why Meerkat?

MyMeerkat FSP is an authorised financial services provider (FSP 50979).

Registered Debt Counsellor NCRDC 2613.

We have successfully removed the debt review flag for thousands of South Africans.