CCRIS and CTOS explained, and how to check your CCRIS report for free

Almost every lender in Malaysia, from a bank to a licensed moneylender, looks at a credit report before making an offer. Two names come up again and again: CCRIS and CTOS. People often use them as if they were one system. They are not, and knowing which is which helps you understand what a lender can see and what you can do about it.

What CCRIS is

CCRIS stands for the Central Credit Reference Information System. It is run by Bank Negara Malaysia and collects information from banks and other financial institutions about the credit they have given you: home loans, car loans, personal loans, credit cards and similar facilities.

For each facility, the report shows the lender, the type of facility, the limit or original amount, the balance outstanding, and your repayment conduct over the most recent months. It also lists applications for credit that are pending or were recently approved.

CCRIS records facts. It does not give you a score, and it does not label anyone as good or bad. The word "blacklist" that people use in conversation is not a status that exists in CCRIS. What a lender sees is a history of payments, and it forms its own view.

Source: Bank Negara Malaysia · eCCRIS

What CTOS is

CTOS is a private credit reporting agency, licensed under the Credit Reporting Agencies Act 2010. Its reports can draw on several sources at once: banking information that you consent to share, public records such as court cases and bankruptcy notices, company directorships, and trade references from businesses that report to it.

CTOS also produces a credit score, a single number meant to summarise the report. Banks and other lenders may subscribe to CTOS and use it alongside CCRIS. Because it is a private company, its reports are a product, and you may be charged for a personal copy or a score, depending on the package you choose.

How the two compare

How to check your CCRIS report for free

1. Go to the eCCRIS website run by Bank Negara Malaysia and register. You will need your MyKad and a way to confirm your identity, such as a one-time code sent to your phone.
2. Once registered, sign in and view your report. Look at every facility listed, the balance shown for each, and the monthly conduct.
3. Check that every facility is yours. A card you closed years ago, or a loan you never took, should not be there.
4. Save a copy for your own records.

How to read the conduct columns

The part of a CCRIS report that lenders read first is the repayment conduct. For each recent month it shows whether an instalment was outstanding and, if so, for how many months. A row of zeros means every payment was made on time. A "1" means one instalment was overdue that month; a "2" means two, and so on.

A single late month from long ago rarely decides an application. A pattern of late months, or a facility that has been in arrears for several months in a row, matters much more. Lenders are looking for how you behave when money is tight, not for perfection.

What a lender actually looks at

When MyOneCredit assesses an application, with your consent, we look at your credit report for the same things any lender does:

• Repayment history. Do your existing loans and cards get paid on time?
• Existing commitments. How much do you already repay each month, and how does a new instalment fit alongside it? Our affordability guide works through this.
• Recent applications. Many applications in a short period suggest someone is borrowing from several places at once, which is a warning sign for any lender.
• Public records. Bankruptcy notices or court judgments for unpaid debt.

We do not charge you anything for this check, and nothing is paid before your loan is disbursed. A licensed moneylender may only charge stamp duty, fees payable by law and legal costs, and none of those is collected in advance.

Source: Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia · Moneylenders Act 1951 (Act 400)

If something on your report is wrong

Mistakes happen: a settled loan still showing a balance, a facility that belongs to someone with a similar name, a payment recorded a month late. Do not wait for a lender to find it.

• For CCRIS, contact the bank or institution that reported the item. They correct their submission and the change flows into CCRIS. Keep your settlement letter or payment proof to hand.
• For CTOS, use its dispute process. CTOS will check with the source of the record.
• If a bank does not respond, you can raise the matter with Bank Negara Malaysia through its public contact channels.

Building and keeping a good record

• Pay every instalment and card bill by the due date. Set up standing instructions if you tend to forget.
• Keep card balances well below the limit. A card that is always near its ceiling reads as strain.
• Do not apply to several lenders in the same week to "see who approves". Each application is recorded.
• Close facilities you no longer use, and confirm the closure shows on your report.
• Check your report once or twice a year, and always before a big application.

Common questions

Does a licensed moneylender report to CCRIS? CCRIS collects from financial institutions regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia. Whether a particular moneylender's loans appear depends on the arrangements in place; ask the lender directly. Either way, a loan you repay on time is never a problem.

I was told I am "blacklisted". What does that mean? Usually it means a lender declined you after reading your report. There is no central blacklist. Get your own CCRIS report, find the item that caused the concern, and deal with it. Our guide on being blacklisted goes into what lenders actually weigh.

How long does a late payment stay on the report? CCRIS shows recent conduct month by month, so an old lapse drops out of view as newer months are added. Public records such as bankruptcy follow their own rules.

Next steps

Check your own report first. Then use our calculator to find an instalment you are comfortable with, and read what documents you will need before you message us. If you are unsure whether a lender is genuine, our guide on verifying a licensed moneylender shows what to check.