Which Public Records Can End Up Hurting My Credit Score and for How Long?

By Julien Brault, founder of MooseMoney.

Bankruptcies, consumer proposals, judgments, and liens are the main public records that appear on Canadian credit reports and drag down credit scores. They can remain visible to lenders for anywhere from two to 14 years, depending on the record type, your province, and which credit bureau holds the file. 

Not every public record affects your credit, though. A divorce or a DUI, for example, is a public record that will never show up on your Equifax or TransUnion report. As a matter of fact, only public records linked to an amount of money you owe someone (or that you used to owe someone) can end up on your credit report: "Public records like bankruptcies, consumer proposals, judgments and any lien on property will be found in your credit report. But only public records related to debt make their way there," explained Matt Fabian, Director of Financial Services Research at TransUnion.

Public records generally account for roughly 10% of your credit score calculation. While that may sound small relative to payment history (about 35%) or credit utilisation (about 30%), a single bankruptcy or judgment can still cause severe damage because it signals serious financial distress to any lender reviewing your file.

How Long Each Record Stays on Your Report

How long each public record stay on your credit file vary between Equifax and TransUnion, and provincial rules add another layer of complexity. Here is what Canadians should expect.

• Bankruptcy stays on both Equifax and TransUnion reports for six years after your discharge date. However, TransUnion extends that to seven years if you live in Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, or Prince Edward Island. If you file for bankruptcy a second time, both filings remain on your report for 14 years.
• Consumer proposals are removed either three years after you have paid off all debts included in the proposal or six years after the filing date, whichever comes first. This timeline is the same at both bureaus.
• Judgments remain on your Equifax report for six years. TransUnion also uses a six-year window in most provinces but keeps judgments for seven years in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec, and for 10 years in Prince Edward Island.
• Liens stay on your Equifax report for six years (10 in PEI) and on your TransUnion report for five years.
• Debt management plans are removed two years after all debts within the plan have been paid off at both bureaus.
• Collections accounts remain for six years from the date of first delinquency at both Equifax and TransUnion.

One important detail is that settled records can be updated. Matt Fabian of TransUnion noted that "if a judgment in the public records has been settled, the person can provide that documentation and it would get updated." That update will not erase the record early, but it shows future lenders the debt has been resolved, which can soften the blow.

How to Rebuild Your Credit After a Public Record

The damage from a public record fades over time, even before it officially falls off your report. Lenders weigh recent behaviour more heavily than older entries. Here are the most effective steps you can take.

Pay every bill on time, since payment history is the single largest factor in your score. Keep your credit utilisation below 30% of your available revolving credit. Avoid applying for multiple credit products in a short window, because each hard inquiry stays on your Equifax file for three years and on your TransUnion file for six years, and a cluster of them can signal financial desperation.

If your public record has made it difficult to qualify for a traditional credit card, a secured credit card can help you rebuild. The Secured Neo Mastercard, for instance, requires a refundable security deposit that doubles as your credit limit, and your on-time payments get reported to the credit bureaus. It functions like a regular credit card for purchases while giving you a structured way to demonstrate responsible borrowing.

Check your credit reports regularly through Equifax and TransUnion. Both bureaus allow Canadians to request a free copy of their report. Review every entry in the public records section carefully. If you find an error, file a dispute directly with the bureau and provide supporting documentation so the mistake can be corrected. Legitimate public records cannot be removed before their scheduled drop-off date, but inaccurate ones can and should be challenged immediately.

The bottom line is straightforward. Only debt-related public records land on your credit report, and all of them eventually expire. The timeline ranges from two years for a completed debt management plan to 14 years for multiple bankruptcies. While you wait for the record to age off, consistent on-time payments, low utilization, and responsible use of available credit products will steadily push your score back in the right direction.