IVA completion certificate: what to check
This guide covers England and Wales
The short answer
The last payment and the completion certificate are different steps. Ask your supervisor whether every requirement is complete and when they will send the certificate.
Under the 2025 protocol terms, the certificate is due within 28 days of the later of the last payment due and completion of all requirements. Older or bespoke terms can differ.
Use the contact details on your own IVA papers. There is nothing to upload or sign up for here.
Checked Sources
Editorial responsibility: IVAs & Bankruptcy — how we check and correct information.
Before treating the IVA as complete
Keep the certificate with your important papers. Ask for clarification if a requirement or date is unclear.
- Confirm the last payment due and whether it has cleared.
- Ask whether any other obligations, assets or information remain outstanding.
- Request the completion certificate and check the name and IVA details.
- Keep the final statement and any correspondence about completion.
Credit file and public register
Completion does not erase every record at once. The Insolvency Service key facts describe a 6 years credit-file period from the start date. If your IVA runs longer, check with the record holder rather than assuming automatic removal. The public Individual Insolvency Register entry is removed 3 months after the arrangement ends.
If information looks wrong, raise it with the organisation holding the record and keep copies of your evidence. A completion certificate does not promise future credit or mortgage acceptance.
If the certificate has not arrived
Ask the supervisor what is outstanding, which term sets the timescale and when you should expect a reply. Quote your own arrangement details directly to them, not to this website.
If you cannot resolve a problem, use the firm’s complaints process and seek free advice. Do not assume the IVA failed because a certificate is late.
What to do next
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Related guides
- How long does an IVA last?Understand IVA payment terms, extensions, completion and the separate credit-file timeline. Check the terms of your own arrangement.
- How an IVA affects your credit recordHow long an IVA stays on your credit file and on the public register, and what that can mean when you want to borrow.
- Mortgage after an IVA: records and next stepsUnderstand IVA completion, credit records and lender considerations. General information without mortgage matching, applications or credit referrals.