Does requesting my own data harm my score?

No. Exercising your right of access is not a credit enquiry and is not treated as one.

I just moved to Germany and have no SCHUFA history. Is that a problem?

It is common. Landlords who understand it usually accept salary slips, an employment contract or a deposit guarantee instead.

How long do entries stay?

Retention depends on the type of entry. The data copy shows the stored dates, which is the reliable way to check your own case.

Answer · SCHUFA and credit records

How do you get a free SCHUFA report?

You can request a free copy of your own stored data (Datenkopie) from SCHUFA at any time under your right of access in data-protection law. It is free and it shows everything held about you — but it is an internal document, not the short certificate (Bonitätsauskunft) that landlords usually ask for, which is a paid product.

Last verified: 19 September 2026 · Settling in

At a glance

Free version: Data copy (Datenkopie) under your right of access
Cost: Free; no limit set in the law on reasonable requests
Contains: All stored entries, sources and the score information
Landlord version: Bonitätsauskunft — short certificate, paid
Delivery: By post, or online after identity verification
Applies to: Anyone with German credit data, including newcomers with a short history

Who this applies to

You want to see what is stored about you before a rental or loan application.
A landlord or bank has asked for a SCHUFA document and you are not sure which one.
You suspect an entry is wrong and want the evidence to correct it.

The two documents, and why the difference matters

The data copy is complete and free: every stored contract, payment record, source and the score data. Because it is complete, it is not what you hand to a landlord — it contains more about you than they need, and it is not designed as a presentable certificate.

The certificate for landlords is short, dated and paid for. It states a creditworthiness result without listing your whole file. If a landlord asks for "the SCHUFA", this is normally what they mean.

How to request the free copy

Request it directly from SCHUFA, not through a comparison site that bundles it with a subscription.
You will have to prove who you are — a copy of your ID is usual.
Delivery is by post or, after verification, online.
Read every entry: contracts you no longer hold, old addresses and duplicated records all appear here.

If something is wrong

You can ask for incorrect data to be corrected and for data held without a legal basis to be deleted.
Raise it with SCHUFA, and with the company that reported it, in writing.
Keep your own copy of the correspondence and the dates.
If it is not resolved, the competent data protection authority takes complaints.

Documents you need

Copy of your passport or ID for identity verification
Your current and previous German addresses
Previous names, if they changed

Common mistakes

Paying for the free data copy through a third-party site.
Sending the full data copy to a landlord instead of the short certificate.
Assuming no entries means a bad result — a thin file is normal for newcomers.
Leaving a wrong entry uncorrected until the middle of a flat application.

What happens next

You receive the data copy and can check every stored entry.
If a landlord needs a certificate, you order that separately.
Corrections you request are reflected in later checks once processed.

How Burokrat helps

Workflow support

Reading the answer is the first half. Burokrat turns it into a tracked workflow:

A personalized step-by-step path for your situation
A document checklist that shows what is still missing
Progress tracking across connected tasks
Reminders for deadlines and appointment dates
Source-cited guidance, with the official page behind each step
Trusted partner discovery where a professional is genuinely needed

Prepare your rental documents

Burokrat lists which document each landlord step actually needs.

Official sources

Last verified: 19 September 2026

This page is general information about a German administrative process. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice and it does not replace a decision by the responsible authority. Rules, fees and processing times change, and practice differs between cities and offices — always check the official source linked above for your own case.

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The dependency order behind visa, registration, insurance, tax ID, banking and residence permit.

SCHUFA reports
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Browse everything in the Germany bureaucracy knowledge base, see all answers, or go back to the Burokrat homepage.