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Can a company with
CCJs borrow?
A County Court Judgment on a company's credit record does not automatically close the door to business finance. What matters is the type of CCJ, whether it has been satisfied, and what the current trading picture shows. This guide explains how CCJs work, what lenders see, and what to do before you apply. Throughout, the company borrows, never you personally.
What a CCJ is and how it gets onto the register
A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order issued in England and Wales against a company (or individual) that has not paid a debt and has not responded to a county court claim. If the creditor wins — or if no defence is filed — the court issues a judgment, and it is added to the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines at Trust Online.
Business credit bureaux — Experian, Equifax, Dun & Bradstreet, Creditsafe and others — pick up this register data and include it in a company's credit report. A lender checking the company will see it in the bureau data during the assessment.
A CCJ against the company stays on the register for six years. A CCJ against a director personally appears on the director's personal credit record, not the company's — and because Credicorp does not check a director's personal credit, personal CCJs do not form part of the company assessment.
Satisfied vs unsatisfied — the difference matters
Satisfied CCJ
The judgment debt has been paid. If paid within one month of the judgment, the company can apply for the CCJ to be removed from the register entirely — a clean slate. If paid after one month, the register marks it as satisfied, but it remains for the full six years.
A satisfied CCJ shows a creditor was willing to take court action and the company resolved it. Most lenders treat it as historic adverse rather than an ongoing risk. The older and smaller it is, the less weight it carries alongside a strong current trading picture.
Unsatisfied CCJ
The judgment debt has not been paid. This is an unresolved obligation — a creditor went to court, won, and has not been paid. Lenders weigh this as a live risk signal.
Some lenders decline automatically on any unsatisfied CCJ. Others look at the full picture — size, age, the company's current trading data, and whether there is a genuine dispute or the CCJ is being settled in instalments. An unsatisfied CCJ will always be a factor in a credit assessment.
Five steps to address CCJs before applying
You cannot hide CCJs — lenders see the same register data you do. The constructive route is to address them head-on.
- Check the register. Search the Trust Online Register of Judgments at trustonline.org.uk for the company name and registered number. Confirm what is showing, what amounts, and whether satisfied or unsatisfied.
- Pay unsatisfied CCJs if possible. Paying within one month of judgment = removal from the register. Paying after one month = marked satisfied for six years. Either is better than unsatisfied.
- Get a business credit report. Pull a report from Experian Business, Equifax Business or Creditsafe. This is what a lender sees. Check for errors — incorrect entries, debts already paid but not marked satisfied — and dispute them before applying.
- Build a strong trading picture alongside. Even with adverse history, active trading data — real income from real customers, steady outgoings, a healthy balance pattern — is what carries the most weight for a short-term working-capital assessment.
- Apply transparently. Lenders see the register data. Apply at credicorp.co.uk with current trading data in place and let the assessment reach its own conclusion. Attempting to obscure adverse history has no effect — bureau data is automated — and can affect a lender's confidence in the application.
CCJ and borrowing questions
What is a County Court Judgment (CCJ) against a company?
A CCJ is a court order issued in England and Wales when a creditor takes a company to the county court over an unpaid debt and the court rules in the creditor's favour. It is recorded on the company's entry in the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines and is picked up by business credit bureaux including Experian, Equifax, Dun & Bradstreet and Creditsafe.
What is the difference between a satisfied and an unsatisfied CCJ?
A satisfied CCJ is one where the judgment debt has been paid in full within one month of the judgment date — in which case it can be removed from the register entirely — or paid after one month, in which case it is marked as "satisfied" on the register. An unsatisfied CCJ is one where the debt has not been paid at all. Lenders weigh these differently: a satisfied CCJ demonstrates that the company resolved its obligations; an unsatisfied CCJ indicates an outstanding unpaid debt.
Does a CCJ against a director personally affect the company?
A personal CCJ against a director appears on the director's personal credit record, not the company's. A company CCJ is on the company's record. Because Credicorp does not run a personal credit check on directors, a personal CCJ is not part of the company assessment — but it is worth being aware of the distinction.
Can a company with an unsatisfied CCJ still borrow?
It depends on the lender and the circumstances. Some lenders decline outright on unsatisfied CCJs; others assess the full picture — the size and age of the CCJ, the company's current trading data, the reason for the judgment, and whether the underlying obligation is in dispute or being settled. Credicorp's assessment looks at the company's overall financial position. An unsatisfied CCJ will be visible and will be a factor in the assessment.
How long does a CCJ stay on the company's record?
A CCJ stays on the Register of Judgments for six years from the date of judgment. If paid in full within one month, it can be removed entirely by applying to the court for a certificate of cancellation. If paid after one month, it is marked as satisfied but remains on the register for the full six years.
Related guides
What business credit bureaux see explains what Experian, Equifax, Creditsafe and Dun & Bradstreet hold on a UK company file, and how to check it. How to improve your business credit score covers the eight practical steps — CCJ satisfaction is one of them. Preparing your company to borrow sets out what else to have in order before you apply. How affordability is assessed explains what carries the most weight in a Credicorp assessment alongside the bureau data.
Ready to apply?
Once your company’s credit position is in the best shape you can make it, apply at the lender’s own site.