AECB Credit Report: How to Check and Fix Your UAE Credit Score

For anyone in the UAE about to apply for a mortgage, car loan, credit card, or even a rental, this guide explains what your Al Etihad Credit Bureau record is, how to pull your report and score, what moves the number, and how to fix mistakes or a weak score before a lender sees it.

Your UAE credit score is a three-digit number from 300 to 900 issued by Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), and a lender pulls it before almost every borrowing decision. You can check it yourself in minutes: a full Credit Report costs AED 84 including VAT (and already contains your score and history), while the score on its own costs AED 10.50, both bought online through the Etihad Credit Bureau app or website using UAE PASS. A score above roughly 700 is treated as strong; a very low score or a recent default can get an application declined outright.

This article covers what the AECB is and the law behind it, the difference between the report and the score, exactly how to check both, what data feeds your file (loans, cards, telecom, DEWA, courts), the realistic ways to raise a weak score, how to dispute an error, the typical scores lenders want for each product, and the clearance step expats need before leaving the country. Figures are drawn from AECB and bank sources current in 2026, but prices and lender rules change, so confirm the live figure before you rely on it.

What Al Etihad Credit Bureau is

Al Etihad Credit Bureau is a federal public joint-stock company wholly owned by the UAE government, established under Federal Law No. 6 of 2010 on Credit Information (later amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2020). Its mandate is to collect credit information from banks, finance companies, telecom operators, and utilities across the UAE, then compile it into a report and a score that lenders use to assess risk. In practice it is the single reference every UAE bank checks before approving credit, which is why your standing with the bureau, not with any one bank, decides how easily you borrow.

Answer Block: What is a good credit score in the UAE?

UAE credit scores run from 300 to 900, and a higher number signals lower risk. A score above roughly 700 is generally treated as strong and improves both approval odds and pricing, while a score in the low hundreds, recent defaults, or bounced cheques will limit approvals. Named bands like “good” or “excellent” are lender interpretations, not official AECB categories.

Credit report vs credit score: the difference

People use the terms interchangeably, but they are two different products.

The credit report is the full document. It lists your identity details, every active and closed credit facility (loans, cards, overdrafts, mortgages), your outstanding balances, up to 36 months of payment history, any bounced-cheque record, and court judgments or legal cases. The credit score is a single three-digit number, from 300 to 900, that predicts the likelihood you will miss a payment in the next 12 months. The score is calculated from the data in the report, so the report is what you read to understand why the score is what it is. Usefully, the AED 84 report already includes your score, so buying the report gives you both.

How to check your AECB credit report and score

Checking your own file is quick and entirely self-service. There is no need to visit a bank.

Step 1 — Open the Etihad Credit Bureau app or website. Download the official AECB app from the App Store or Google Play, or go to the Etihad Credit Bureau website. Abu Dhabi residents can also reach it inside the TAMM app, and Dubai residents through DubaiNow.

Step 2 — Log in with UAE PASS. UAE PASS, the national digital identity tied to your Emirates ID, is the primary login. If you do not have it, you can register with your Emirates ID, phone, and email.

Step 3 — Choose the report or the score. Select the Credit Report (AED 84 including VAT, with score and history) or the Credit Score only (AED 10.50 including VAT). A company or establishment report is priced higher, around AED 157.50.

Step 4 — Pay and download. Pay the fee online and the document is generated instantly as a PDF you can save or email. There is no waiting period.

Answer Block: How do I check my credit score in the UAE?

Download the Etihad Credit Bureau app or open its website, log in with UAE PASS, select the Credit Report (AED 84 including VAT) or Credit Score (AED 10.50 including VAT), pay online, and download the PDF instantly. Abu Dhabi’s TAMM and Dubai’s DubaiNow apps also provide access. You need a valid Emirates ID linked to UAE PASS.

What data feeds your score

The bureau gathers information from more sources than most people expect. Your score reflects behavior across all of them, not just your bank.

• Banks and finance companies report your loans, credit cards, overdrafts, and mortgages, including balances and whether you pay on time.
• Telecom operators (e& and du) report postpaid mobile and internet accounts, so an unpaid phone bill can appear on your credit file.
• Utilities such as DEWA feed in, meaning late utility payments can register.
• Courts supply judgments and legal cases, and bounced cheques are recorded and are among the most damaging entries.

The report weights your payment behavior over roughly the last 36 months most heavily. Buy-now-pay-later services such as Tabby and Tamara are increasingly reported too, so a missed installment on a small purchase can now touch your score. If a bounced cheque is behind a weak score, our guide to the UAE bounced cheque law after the 2022 reform explains where you stand legally.

How to fix or improve your credit score

There is no instant reset. Because the score reflects a trailing window of behavior, improvement comes from consistent habits over several months. The steps that genuinely move the number are:

Pay every obligation on time. This is the single biggest factor. Set up autopay or reminders so no card, loan, telecom, or utility payment is missed, even by a few days. Clearing at least the minimum by the due date protects your score, though paying the full balance is better.

Keep your card balances well below the limit. High utilization signals stress. A widely used rule of thumb is to keep balances under about 30 percent of your limit; this is general best practice rather than an AECB-published threshold, but lower utilization consistently reads better.

Clear overdue amounts and settle defaults. An unresolved default or overdue balance drags heavily. Pay it off, then make sure the lender reports the settlement so your file updates. Ask the bank for a clearance letter for each facility you close.

Avoid a burst of applications. Several loan or card applications in a short period looks risky. Space out applications, and check your own report first so you only apply where you are likely to qualify. Checking your own score does not harm it.

Fix errors on your report. An account that is not yours, or a payment marked late that you made on time, drags your score for no reason. Dispute it (see below).

Answer Block: How long does it take to improve a UAE credit score?

There is no official timeline, and no instant fix. Because the score is built from roughly the last 36 months of payment behavior, improvement is gradual, typically several months of consistent on-time payments and lower card balances. Settled defaults and bounced cheques can continue to weigh on the file for two to three years even after they are cleared.

How to dispute an error on your report

If your report shows an account you do not recognize, a wrong balance, or a payment marked late that you paid on time, you can challenge it. Pull your latest report first so you can point to the exact entry, then raise a dispute through the AECB website or mobile app, attaching supporting evidence and your Emirates ID. The bureau does not simply delete the entry; it refers the dispute back to the data provider (the bank, telecom, or utility that reported it) to verify, and updates the record once resolved. The process typically takes around 20 working days. Correcting a genuine error is one of the fastest ways to recover points, because the damaging entry is removed rather than merely aged out.

What score lenders want

Each lender sets its own cut-off, so there is no single legal minimum. The figures below are typical market rules of thumb, not guarantees, and a strong score improves not just approval but the interest rate you are offered.

Product	Typical minimum score	Preferred for best terms
Personal loan	Around 580	700+
Mortgage / home loan	Around 620 to 650	700+
Credit card (standard)	Around 650	700+ for premium cards
Car finance	No fixed published minimum	Higher score lowers the rate

These thresholds sit behind the eligibility rules in our guides to credit card salary requirements by bank, mortgages for foreigners in the UAE, and buying a car on finance. Because your score also shapes the interest rate, it is worth checking and improving it before you start a mortgage pre-approval. Note that a strong score is not only for borrowing: landlords and agents increasingly ask to see it, as we cover in whether a Dubai landlord can ask for your AECB score.

Your credit file when leaving the UAE

Before a permanent departure, pull your AECB report to confirm no facility is left showing a balance. Any loan or card that still appears as outstanding can surface at immigration and, in the worst case, hold up your exit. Importantly, the clearance document that proves a facility is settled, the No Liability Certificate or clearance letter, is issued by your bank, not by the bureau; the AECB report only shows whether the liability still appears on your file. Banks must issue these certificates within seven working days. Pull the report, settle anything outstanding, and collect a clearance letter for each closed facility, as set out in our checklist for leaving the UAE permanently and our guide to closing a UAE bank account the correct way.

FAQ

How much does an AECB credit report cost?

A full individual credit report costs AED 84 including VAT and already contains your credit score and payment history. The credit score on its own costs AED 10.50 including VAT. A company or establishment report is priced higher, around AED 157.50. Prices are set by AECB and can change, so confirm the current fee on the Etihad Credit Bureau app or website.

Can I check my AECB credit score for free?

There is no confirmed free entitlement for individuals from AECB itself; the report and score are paid products. Some banks and third-party apps advertise a “free” score as a promotion, but that is not the same as the official AECB report. To see your official file, buy it through the Etihad Credit Bureau app or website.

How do I check my credit score using UAE PASS?

Open the Etihad Credit Bureau app or website and choose to log in with UAE PASS, the national digital ID linked to your Emirates ID. Once authenticated, select the Credit Report or Credit Score, pay online, and download the PDF instantly. UAE PASS is also the login for the TAMM and DubaiNow super-apps, which provide the same access.

Do Etisalat, du, and DEWA bills affect my credit score?

Yes. Telecom operators e& and du report postpaid accounts to AECB, and utility data such as DEWA feeds in as well. A missed or late telecom or utility payment can appear on your credit file and pull your score down, so these bills matter as much as loan and card payments for your credit standing.

Do Tabby and Tamara buy-now-pay-later affect my AECB score?

Increasingly, yes. Buy-now-pay-later providers are progressively reporting installment activity to AECB, so a missed payment on a small purchase can register on your file. Treat these installments with the same discipline as a credit card, paying each one on time, because they now form part of the payment history your score is built on.

How do bounced cheques affect my credit score?

Bounced cheques are among the most damaging entries on a UAE credit file. They are reported to AECB and can lead banks to decline premium products for two to three years, even after the underlying amount is settled. Although cheques below AED 200,000 were largely decriminalized in the 2022 reform, the credit-file record still affects your borrowing.

How do I dispute a mistake on my AECB report?

Pull your latest report, then raise a dispute through the AECB website or app with your Emirates ID and supporting evidence for the specific entry. The bureau refers it back to the bank, telecom, or utility that supplied the data to verify, and updates the record once resolved, typically within about 20 working days. Correcting a real error is one of the quickest ways to recover points.

What credit score do I need for a mortgage in the UAE?

Most lenders look for roughly 620 to 650 as a floor for mortgage consideration, with 700 or above improving both approval odds and the rate offered. There is no statutory minimum; each bank sets its own cut-off and also weighs income, existing debt, and the down payment. Checking and improving your score before applying is worthwhile because it affects pricing.

How can a new expat build a credit score in Dubai?

Start with a modest facility you can manage, such as a basic credit card or a salary-linked account, and pay it in full and on time every month. Keep balances low, avoid multiple applications at once, and keep telecom and utility bills current. Over several months of consistent payments, a file with no history builds into a usable score.

Does checking my own credit score lower it?

No. Pulling your own report or score through AECB is a self-inquiry and does not affect the number. It is sensible to check before any major application so you can fix errors and know where you stand. What can weigh on a score is many lender-initiated applications in a short period, not you reviewing your own file.

Official Sources

The following official and institutional pages set out the bureau’s mandate, products, and the fee and access rules referenced above. AECB pricing and lender criteria change, so use these as your primary check.

• Al Etihad Credit Bureau — About (legal basis and mandate)
• Etihad Credit Bureau — Credit Report (contents and price)
• Etihad Credit Bureau — Credit Score (300 to 900 range and price)
• UAE Government portal — Financial credibility: how to obtain your report and score
• RAKBANK — Maintaining and improving a good credit score
• Emirates NBD — Requesting a liability or no-liability letter

Information is current as of July 2026. AECB prices, score interpretation, and individual lender criteria change over time; confirm current figures on the Etihad Credit Bureau app or website before relying on them. This article is general information, not financial advice.