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Does a paid CCJ stay on your credit file?
Short answer
It depends on when you pay. If you pay the full amount within one calendar month of the judgment date, the judgment can be removed from the register and from your credit file. If you pay later, it stays for 6 years from the judgment date but can be marked as satisfied, so anyone checking can see you paid. Neither happens automatically. You, or the person you owed, must send proof of payment to the right place.
Paid within one month or paid later
A county court judgment (CCJ) is recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, which Registry Trust runs. Registry Trust sends judgments on the public register to the credit reference agencies, which add them to credit files. Paying the debt changes the record only once the register is updated.
This table sets the rules for each part of the UK side by side, drawn from GOV.UK and Registry Trust's pages for Scotland and Northern Ireland. They are similar, but where you send your proof is different.
| England and Wales (CCJ) | Scotland (decree) | Northern Ireland (judgment) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid in full within one calendar month | Removed from the register, and the credit reference agencies are told to remove it | Removed from the register, and the credit reference agencies are told to remove it | Removed from the register |
| Paid in full after one month | Marked as satisfied, stays for 6 years | Marked as satisfied, stays for 6 years from the decree date | Marked as satisfied, stays for 6 years from the judgment date |
| Where to send proof of payment | The court dealing with your case | Registry Trust | Registry Trust |
| Not paid | Stays as unpaid for 6 years | Stays as unpaid for 6 years | Stays as unpaid for 6 years |
Why your paid CCJ may still show as unpaid
The register is only updated when someone sends proof. Lenders are not currently required to tell the court or Registry Trust that you have paid. The FCA says the responsibility sits with the person who owed the money, who is often unaware of it. It also says only around 12% of CCJs and decrees are marked as satisfied, and that many more may have been paid without being recorded.
In February 2026 the FCA consulted on making lenders and debt firms report satisfied CCJs and decrees themselves. That is a proposal, not a rule in force. Until it changes, assume you need to do it yourself.
How to get a paid CCJ updated, step by step
- Ask the person or business you owed for proof that you have paid in full. A letter or receipt that gives the case number, court name, amount and the date paid in full is what Registry Trust asks for.
- In England and Wales, write to the court to say you have paid and send that proof. If you also want written proof from the court, apply for a certificate of cancellation (paid within one month) or a certificate of satisfaction (paid later) using form N443. GOV.UK says this costs £19.
- In Scotland or Northern Ireland, post the original proof of payment to Registry Trust.
- If the creditor will not give you proof, send your own evidence, such as a bank statement. In England and Wales the court will write to the creditor and, if they do not respond within 30 days, decide using your evidence. Registry Trust follows a similar process for Scotland and Northern Ireland, assessing your evidence if it hears nothing after 28 days.
- Check the result. You can search the register on TrustOnline, and your credit report should show the change once the agencies have been told.
If the judgment is wrong, or you cannot pay
A judgment you paid late cannot be removed just because it is now paid. It can only be removed early if the court sets it aside or cancels it. In England and Wales you apply to the court that issued it, using form N244. If the details on the register are wrong, contact the court where the judgment was made.
If you cannot pay a CCJ, or you have other debts too, get free debt advice before agreeing to anything. An adviser can look at everything you owe.
To see how a judgment shows on your file, check your credit report. You can also get a free statutory credit report from each of Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Our guide to checking your credit report explains how, and what lenders can see on your credit file covers how judgments sit alongside everything else.
Sources
Every fact in this page was checked against these official sources on 8 November 2026.
- County court judgments for debt: CCJs and your credit rating GOV.UK
- County Court Judgments (CCJs) in England and Wales Registry Trust
- Scottish decrees Registry Trust
- CP26/7 Credit Information Market Study: proposed approach to implementing FCA remedies Financial Conduct Authority
Written and fact-checked by the PiggyBank editorial team. Last reviewed 8 November 2026. This answer is general information, not financial advice. How we write and check our guides.
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