Skip to main content

SCHUFA — Credit History

SCHUFA (Schutzgemeinschaft für allgemeine Kreditsicherung) is Germany's largest credit bureau. It stores information about your payment history and issues a score — a reliability assessment.

Why This Is Important to Understand​

In Russia and Ukraine, credit bureaus exist, but their influence is limited — you can live without thinking about credit history. In Germany, SCHUFA affects:

  • Whether you'll get an apartment (landlords check almost always)
  • Whether you can open a bank account
  • Whether you'll get a phone contract
  • Loan terms, if needed
This Is an Important System

SCHUFA is not a bureaucratic formality. A bad score actually closes doors. The good news: the system is predictable, and you can build it up.

New 2026 Scoring: 12 Factors​

In March 2026, SCHUFA replaces over 250 opaque factors with a new system of 12 clear criteria.

BeforeFrom March 2026
Over 250 non-transparent factors12 clearly defined factors
"Black box" — nobody knew exactly what countedEach factor publicly explained
No online access to dataTransparency: permanent access via meineSCHUFA

SCHUFA Reform: 250+ factors → 12 factors

The 12 New Scoring Factors​

Payment Behavior (highest weight):

FactorWhat's MeasuredYour Influence
1. Negative entriesReminders, collections, bankruptcyAlways pay on time
2. Payment defaultsUnpaid obligationsAvoid debt or pay quickly
3. Active collectionsOngoing collection casesRespond immediately, arrange payment plans

Credit History (medium weight):

FactorWhat's MeasuredYour Influence
4. Credit utilizationHow much of credit limit is usedDon't live in overdraft
5. Credit typesMix of installments, credit cardsVariety can be positive
6. Credit ageHow long accounts/credits existDon't close old accounts
7. New creditsRecently requested creditsNot too many inquiries at once

Financial Stability (lower weight):

FactorWhat's MeasuredYour Influence
8. Number of accountsHow many banking relationshipsNot too many, not too few
9. Account changesFrequency of bank switchesShow stability
10. Contract typesMobile contracts, insuranceNormal usage
11. BNPL usage"Pay later" services (Klarna, PayPal)Use carefully
12. Credit inquiriesRate inquiries at banksUse "Konditionsanfrage" not "Kreditanfrage"

BNPL and Your Schufa Score​

Regulations Changing in 2026

From 2026, regulation of Buy-Now-Pay-Later services (Klarna, etc.) is changing. Frequent use can affect your score through other factors (credit history, payment behavior).

BNPL BehaviorScore Impact
Occasional use, always on timeNeutral to slightly positive
Frequent use, always on timePotentially negative (dependency)
Late paymentsClearly negative
Collections from BNPLVery negative

The Problem for New Immigrants​

You have no SCHUFA history — this is not the same as bad history, but the system doesn't know how to evaluate you. Result:

  • Initial score below average
  • Some banks will deny "premium" products
  • Landlords may be suspicious

This is a temporary state. History builds automatically with normal use of banking products.

Who Requests SCHUFA​

WhoWhy
BanksOpening accounts, credit cards, loans
LandlordsVerification before signing rental contract
Mobile operatorsContracts with phone (not prepaid)
Online storesInstallment payments (Ratenzahlung)
Insurance companiesSome products

How to Check Your Score​

OptionCostWhat You Get
Datenkopie (Art. 15 DS-GVO)Free (can be requested multiple times per year)Complete data about yourself, PDF
meineSCHUFA kompakt€4.95/monthConstant access, alerts
SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck~€30 one-timeCertificate for landlords

How to request free data copy:

  1. Go to meineschufa.de
  2. Select "Datenkopie (nach Art. 15 DS-GVO)"
  3. Fill out the form
  4. Wait 1–4 weeks by mail

How to Improve Your Score​

✅ Good Practices​

  1. Pay on time — the most important factor
  2. Don't live in overdraft — shows dependency
  3. Keep old accounts — long history is positive
  4. Use "Konditionsanfrage" — when comparing loans
  5. Use BNPL consciously — not for every small thing

❌ What to Avoid​

  1. Many credit inquiries at once — looks desperate
  2. Permanent overdraft — shows lack of liquidity
  3. Ignoring unpaid bills — leads to collections
  4. Too many BNPL transactions — now explicitly tracked

Correcting Errors​

Wrong entries in Schufa? Here's what you can do:

  1. Request data copy — check all entries
  2. Identify errors — wrong amounts, old entries
  3. File objection — in writing to Schufa
  4. Contact creditor — if entry is from a company
  5. Request deletion — after expiration (usually 3 years; under certain conditions — 18 months)

Key Numbers​

  • 12 new scoring factors (instead of 250+)
  • March 2026 — new system launch
  • ~90% of all Germans have only positive SCHUFA entries
  • 3 years — storage period for settled negative entries (under certain conditions — 18 months)
  • 97.5% — maximum possible SCHUFA Basisscore
  • 100–999 — new point scale from March 2026 (replacing the percentage-based Basisscore system)

What to Do Now​

  1. Request free Datenkopie — find out what's stored about you
  2. Correct errors — before the new system launches
  3. Reconsider BNPL usage — now tracked separately
  4. Stop living in overdraft — refinance debts
Time Works for You

After 1–2 years of normal banking product use, your score evens out. You don't need to specifically "level up" — just don't damage it.

FAQ​

Not legal or financial advice.

I have no SCHUFA history — the landlord demands a BonitätsCheck. What can I provide?​

Landlords request a SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck (~€30) or free Datenkopie. New immigrants have an empty file — not a rejection, but absence of data. The Datenkopie will show "keine Einträge" (no entries), which may raise concerns. Options: (1) attach a cover letter explaining you recently moved to Germany; (2) provide your employment contract or salary statement (Gehaltsnachweis) as an alternative proof of solvency; (3) offer an increased deposit (Mietkaution). Some landlords accept a bank statement showing regular income as a substitute for SCHUFA.

I used "Kreditanfrage" instead of "Konditionsanfrage" — is my score damaged?​

The distinction matters. A Kreditanfrage (credit inquiry) stays in your file for 12 months and is visible to other banks — multiple inquiries look like financial distress. A Konditionsanfrage (rate inquiry) is stored for 12 months but visible only to you and does not affect scoring. When comparing loans or mortgages, the bank must offer a Konditionsanfrage — if the advisor didn't specify the inquiry type, clarify before signing. An existing Kreditanfrage cannot be removed, but a single inquiry causes no serious damage — problems arise with 3–5 inquiries in a short period.

Debt was paid off 2 years ago, but the entry is still in SCHUFA. When will it be removed?​

The standard retention period for settled negative entries is 3 years from the date of settlement (§ 35 BDSG). Since March 28, 2023, SCHUFA shortened the period for paid debts under €2,000 to 18 months, provided the debt was the only one and was paid within 18 months of becoming overdue. If the entry remains after expiration — file a written objection with SCHUFA including the settlement date and confirmation document (Erledigungsvermerk from the creditor). SCHUFA must respond within one month (Art. 12 GDPR).

My score dropped after opening a second bank account. Why?​

In the new 2026 system, the factors "number of accounts" (Kontoanzahl) and "account changes" (Kontowechsel) carry low weight but still have impact. Opening a new account triggers a SCHUFA inquiry. If you simultaneously closed an old account (losing long history) and opened a new one (young account) — two negative signals add up. Recommended practice: avoid closing old accounts unnecessarily, open new ones gradually (no more than one per 3–6 months), and use "Konditionsanfrage" when comparing products.

Can I build SCHUFA score faster than the typical 1–2 years?​

Deliberately accelerating score growth is difficult — the system rewards duration and stability. Helpful factors: (1) a mobile phone contract (Handyvertrag) instead of prepaid — creates regular payment history; (2) one or two installment purchases (Ratenkauf) through major retailers with timely payments; (3) using a low-limit credit card with full monthly payments. What doesn't work: multiple credit inquiries, opening many accounts, using "SCHUFA improvement services" — no legitimate such services exist, and these are scams.

Sources​