What Is a CRB Credit Report in Kenya? A Complete Guide
Updated April 2026 • 7 min read
A CRB credit report is one of the most important financial documents in Kenya. It determines whether you can get a loan, secure employment, qualify for a government tender, or access mobile credit. Yet many Kenyans have never seen theirs. Here is everything you need to know.
What Is a CRB Credit Report?
A CRB credit report is an official document compiled by a licensed Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) that summarises your entire credit history in Kenya. It contains a complete picture of every loan you have taken, how you repaid it, and whether you have any outstanding debts or defaults.
Think of it as your financial track record — visible to any lender who queries you at the bureau.
Who Produces CRB Credit Reports in Kenya?
Three Central Bank of Kenya-licensed bureaus produce credit reports:
- TransUnion Kenya (transunionkenya.com)
- Metropol Corporation (metropol.co.ke)
- CreditInfo Kenya (creditinfo.co.ke)
Each bureau holds data reported by different lenders. Your report at one bureau may differ from another bureau's report about you.
What Does a CRB Credit Report Contain?
Personal Information
- Full legal name
- National ID number
- Phone number(s) on record
- Address history
Credit Accounts Summary
- Number of active and closed accounts
- Total credit exposure (sum of all credit limits)
- Total outstanding balance
Account Details (per account)
- Lender name
- Account type (personal loan, mortgage, mobile loan, credit card, etc.)
- Date opened
- Credit limit or original loan amount
- Current outstanding balance
- Payment status (current, 30 days, 60 days, 90+ days overdue)
Negative Listings
- Any accounts classified as default or written off
- The lender who submitted the negative listing
- The amount involved
- The date the listing was submitted
Credit Enquiries
- All instances where a lender queried your report
- Date, lender name, and purpose of each enquiry
Credit Score
- A numeric score (200–900) summarising your overall creditworthiness
- Higher score = lower risk = better loan terms
How Is a CRB Report Different from a Clearance Certificate?
| Credit Report | Clearance Certificate | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Full credit history | Confirms "no negative listings" |
| Cost | ~KES 650 (or free annually) | ~KES 2,200 |
| Format | Detailed PDF | One-page official certificate |
| Used for | Personal monitoring, lender evaluation | Employment, tenders, loan applications |
| Issued if listed? | Yes, always | No — only if no negative listings |
Why Your CRB Report Matters
- Loan applications: lenders query your CRB report to decide whether to approve your application and on what terms
- Employment: many employers (especially in finance, government, and security sectors) require a clean CRB clearance
- Mobile credit: apps like Fuliza, Mshwari, Tala, and Branch check your CRB status before approving any loan
- Tenders: government procurement rules require CRB clearance certificates from all three bureaus
How to Get Your CRB Credit Report
- crbcheck.co.ke — KES 300, combined bureau data, M-Pesa payment, instant delivery (fastest option)
- TransUnion Kenya portal — ~KES 650 full report
- Metropol CRB portal or *433# — ~KES 650 or USSD summary
- CreditInfo Kenya portal — ~KES 650
- Free annual report — once per year, per bureau, no charge