IVA Completion Certificate: What It Is and Why It Matters

What Is an IVA Completion Certificate?

It’s the document confirming you’ve completed your IVA. Keep it safe: you’ll use it to update your credit file and deal with any old creditors.

Last updated: November 2026

Check if you qualify →Free, no-obligation checkWon’t affect your credit score

May not be suitable in all circumstances. Fees apply, read more. Your credit rating may be affected, read more.

Things to know about IVAs

An IVA is a formal insolvency procedure. It must be approved by your creditors, stays on your credit file for six years, fees are taken from your payments, and debts are only written off if you complete it. It isn’t right for everyone.

Read the key risks

Creditors must approve it. An IVA only goes ahead if creditors holding at least 75% of the debt that is voted agree. Your proposal can be rejected.
Credit file and public register. An IVA stays on your credit file for six years from the start date and is listed on the public Individual Insolvency Register while it runs. Getting credit will be harder.
Spending restrictions and annual reviews. You live on an agreed budget for the length of the IVA (usually 5–6 years). Your income and spending are reviewed each year, and your payment can go up.
Fees. Fees are taken from your monthly payments, so less of what you pay reaches your creditors. How IVA fees work.
Your home. Under the current IVA Protocol, your home isn’t included in the IVA and you won’t be asked to remortgage. If your share of the equity is £10,000 or more, the IVA usually lasts six years instead of five.
If it fails. If you can’t keep up payments the IVA may fail, you would owe the remaining debt again, and the supervisor may petition for your bankruptcy.
Write-off only on completion. Remaining qualifying unsecured debts are only written off if the IVA is completed successfully. Secured debts, court fines, child maintenance, student loans and some other debts can’t be included.
Other options may suit you better. A debt management plan, DRO or bankruptcy may be more suitable. IVAs are available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only; different solutions apply in Scotland.

Finishing an IVA is a big moment. The completion certificate is the official proof that you’ve met its terms and that the debts included in it are dealt with.

The short answer

A completion certificate is issued by your supervisor when the IVA ends successfully.
It confirms the remaining included debts are written off.
Send copies to the credit reference agencies to make sure your file is updated.
Use it if an old creditor or debt collector contacts you.
Keep it for at least six years, ideally longer.

When will I get it?

After your final payment, your supervisor checks everything has been met, such as final reviews and any equity terms. They then issue the certificate and report to creditors. If you haven’t received yours a few weeks after your last payment, contact your insolvency practitioner.

How do I update my credit file?

Credit reference agencies should mark your IVA as completed, but it doesn’t always happen automatically. Check your files with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and send a copy of the certificate if they still show the IVA as active. The IVA entry stays on your file until six years from its start date. See rebuilding your credit score after an IVA.

What if a creditor chases me after my IVA?

If a debt was included in your IVA, it can’t be chased once the IVA completes. Send the creditor a copy of your certificate. Debts sold to collection agencies during the IVA are covered too.

Common questions

Is a completion certificate the same as a discharge?

Discharge is a bankruptcy term. In an IVA, the completion certificate is the equivalent proof that you’ve finished.

I've lost my IVA completion certificate. What do I do?

Ask your insolvency practitioner for a copy. If the firm has closed, the IVA should have been transferred to another practitioner, whose details can be found through the Insolvency Service.

Does my IVA disappear from my credit file when I get the certificate?

No. It shows as completed, but stays on your file until six years from the date it started.

How IVA Advice Online can help

Every situation is different, and an IVA isn’t right for everyone. We can look at your income, spending and debts with you and set out the debt solutions you could qualify for, including options other than an IVA. To talk it through, get in touch.