What Happens When My IVA Ends?

The Completion Certificate

When you make your final monthly payment, your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) will issue a formal completion certificate. This document is legally significant — it confirms that you have fulfilled the terms of your IVA and that all remaining unsecured debts included in the arrangement are now legally written off.

Keep your completion certificate in a safe place. You may need it in future when applying for credit, mortgages, or when dealing with any creditor who incorrectly tries to chase a debt that was included in your IVA.

Debts Are Written Off

Upon completion, every unsecured debt that was listed in your IVA — regardless of how much remains outstanding — is legally extinguished. Creditors have no further claim on you for those debts. If any creditor contacts you demanding payment of a debt included in your completed IVA, you should refer them to your IP and your completion certificate.

Your Credit File After IVA

The IVA entry will remain on your credit file for six years from the date the IVA started — not from when it completed. This means if your IVA ran for 5 years (60 months), the entry may only remain for around 12 months after completion before it is automatically removed.

Once the six-year period expires, the IVA entry is removed from your credit file automatically. You are then able to start applying for mainstream credit products again, though building your score takes time and consistent good financial behaviour.

The Individual Insolvency Register

Your IVA is also listed on the Individual Insolvency Register — a public database maintained by the Insolvency Service. The entry is normally removed within three months of your IVA completing. You can verify this by searching the register at gov.uk.

What To Do After Completion

After your IVA completes, we recommend taking these steps:

• Obtain a copy of your credit report from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to ensure all included debts are marked as satisfied
• Check the Individual Insolvency Register to confirm your entry has been removed
• Open or upgrade your bank account if needed
• Register on the electoral roll at your current address — this significantly helps credit scores
• Consider a credit-builder credit card to begin demonstrating responsible credit use
• Avoid applying for lots of credit at once — each application leaves a footprint