A SCHUFA entry after years: when it has to disappear.

All storage periods per entry type

Settled claim three years from settlement; settled within 100 days of the report 18 months; discharge of residual debt six months; credit enquiry twelve months (visible to others for ten days); rate enquiry score-neutral; contract data deleted on termination; open claims have no period until settlement.

Justified or unjustified — the difference decides

Expired entries must be deleted without ifs or buts; entries reported without the requirements of Section 31 BDSG can be challenged regardless of any deadline; justified entries within the period stay — the honest answer. Limitation of the claim and the storage period of the entry are two different things.

The FIAON route

Data copies from all three credit bureaus, every deadline recalculated to the day, deletion demands with a deadline under Art. 17 GDPR — up to the ombudsman if need be.

• Expiry checker on this page
• Free deletion deadline calculator
• Free limitation checker

Frequently asked questions

Does a SCHUFA entry disappear automatically after the deadline?

It should — the credit bureaus delete to the day under their code of conduct. In practice expired entries nevertheless keep remaining: after system changes, with settlements never recorded, with duplicate reports. That is why comparing your own data copy against the deadlines is worthwhile — an exceeded deadline is the clearest ground for deletion of all.

Is limitation the same as the deletion period?

No, and this confusion costs hard cash: LIMITATION concerns the claim itself (usually three years to the end of the year) — after that you no longer have to pay if you rely on it. The STORAGE PERIOD concerns the entry at the credit bureau and runs independently. A time-barred claim can still be on file — and a paid claim remains visible for up to three years despite payment.

When exactly does the 18-month rule apply?

When the reported claim is paid in full within 100 days of the report and no other negative features exist. Then the storage period shortens from three years to 18 months. The rule has applied since 2024 and is calculated to the day.

Can I achieve an early deletion?

For lawfully reported, factually correct entries before the deadline expires, generally not — providers who promise that across the board are not serious. Entries can be challenged if they were reported without the requirements of Section 31 BDSG, are factually wrong or their period has already expired. That is more common than many think.

Does the period run from the invoice, the reminder or the payment?

For settled claims the period runs from the date of SETTLEMENT (payment), not from the invoice or the report. For credit enquiries from the day of the enquiry, for the discharge of residual debt from the day it was granted. That is exactly why the checker above asks for the appropriate date per entry type.

Does this also apply in Austria and Switzerland?

The basic rights (access, rectification, erasure) are comparable — the GDPR applies directly in Austria, Switzerland has the revised DSG. The specific storage practices of KSV and CRIF differ in detail. FIAON checks all three bureaus; the country pages for Austria and Switzerland explain the differences.