How to check if you have a Cifas marker

Updated 28 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

In short

Ask Cifas for a copy of your data. It is free: apply online at cifas.org.uk/dsar with your full name, date of birth and every address from the last 6 years. Cifas must answer within one calendar month of a complete application. The report shows any marker, who filed it, when and in which category.

Signs you may have a marker

There is no letter from Cifas when a marker is filed. Most people find out by accident:

  • your bank closes your account, often with little or no explanation,
  • other banks turn you down for an account, even a basic one,
  • credit cards, loans, finance or phone contracts are refused without a clear reason.

None of these prove a marker. A check does.

How to check, free

Apply at cifas.org.uk/dsar. This is a data subject access request, and Cifas does not charge for it. It asks for:

  • your full name, as banks know it,
  • your date of birth,
  • every address from the last 6 years,
  • your contact details, and proof of identity so it can check it is you.

Cifas has one calendar month from receiving a complete application. Watch your inbox and your spam folder.

What the report tells you

If there is a marker, the report shows which member filed it, the date, and the category, for example misuse of facility. That tells you who to complain to and what they say happened. See what misuse of facility means.

If the report is empty

Check you gave every address from the last 6 years and your name exactly as banks have it. If it is still empty, the refusals may come from somewhere else, such as your credit file or a bank's own internal records. You can still ask the bank that closed your account for the data it holds.

Beware of paid "checks"

Cifas says it never charges for a report. Be careful with anyone who charges to check for a marker or asks for your identity documents to do it for you.

Next step

Found a marker? The next move is a data request to the bank the same day, then a complaint. Here is the full route to challenge it.

Questions

Does it cost anything to check for a Cifas marker?

No. A Cifas data subject access request is free. Apply at cifas.org.uk/dsar.

How long does a Cifas report take?

Cifas has one calendar month from receiving a complete application.

Will Cifas tell me if I get a marker?

Not usually. Most people find out when an account is closed or an application is refused, and then check with a free report.

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