Under the measure, personal loan overdue records involving a single amount of no more than RMB10,000 (HK$11,000), generated between January 1st, 2020 and December 31st, 2025, will no longer be displayed in the central bank’s credit database if the borrower repays the full amount by March 31st, 2026. Once the record is removed, affected individuals will be eligible to apply for new loans again.
The central bank said the credit reporting system will also begin making automatic adjustments based on repayment status from January 1st, 2026, without requiring borrowers to submit applications.
Speaking at a press briefing, PBOC vice governor Zou Lan said the policy applies only to personal credit overdue information shown in the central bank’s credit system. It does not differentiate between lenders or loan types, and imposes no additional procedures or complex conditions. The aim, he said, is to provide a fair and transparent opportunity for credit rebuilding for individuals who meet the repayment requirements within the specified timeframe.
The policy sets clear limits on both overdue amounts and timing. While it offers targeted support for borrowers with small, settled delinquencies, credit restrictions will remain in place for those with larger overdue sums or who have yet to repay their debts.
For eligible cases, the “repayment status” in personal credit reports will be adjusted from overdue to normal, while the “overdue amount” will be revised from a non-zero figure below RMB10,000 to zero. These changes will be reflected consistently across the credit report summary and detailed credit transaction records.
The PBOC stressed that the measure is a one-off, exceptional arrangement covering only overdue records generated before the end of 2025. Any new overdue information arising in 2026 will not be included. A three-month grace period has been built in, extending the repayment deadline to March 31st, 2026, taking into account the Lunar New Year holiday.
In addition, between January 1st and June 30th, 2026, individuals will be granted two extra free credit report enquiries, bringing the total number of free checks to four during the period.
PBOC governor Pan Gongsheng said in October that the policy was prompted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other uncontrollable factors in recent years, which caused some individuals to fall into temporary debt arrears. Although many later repaid their debts in full, lingering credit records continued to affect their economic activities, prompting the central bank to pursue a one-off credit repair solution.
