How to Check a Debt Counsellor Is NCR-Registered (2 Minutes)
OurPower - Last verified 2026-08-15 against the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 and its regulations
Why this check is the whole ballgame
Debt counselling is a registered activity. A person who is not registered with the National Credit Regulator cannot lawfully act as your debt counsellor, cannot make a section 86(6) determination, and cannot get your matter into a Magistrate's Court as a debt review.
The damage from using an unregistered operator is not just wasted money. It is months of lost time while you believe you are protected and are not, during which credit providers can proceed to enforcement and take agreements permanently outside the reach of section 86(2).
The check takes about two minutes and it is free.
How to check
- Ask the practitioner for their full name and NCR registration number, in writing. An email or a message you can keep, not a verbal answer.
- Look them up on the NCR's public register of registered debt counsellors: http://www.ncr.org.za/register_of_registrants/registered_dc.php
- If you cannot find them, or the details do not match, phone the NCR call centre on 0860 627 627 and ask them to confirm. The NCR reception number is 011 554 2700.
- If the answer is that they are not registered, stop. Do not send documents, do not pay, and consider reporting them to complaints@ncr.org.za.
As at 15 August 2026 the NCR's own homepage reported 1,586 registered debt counsellors. You are not short of legitimate options, so there is no reason to take a risk on an unverified one.
What registration does and does not tell you
Registration tells you the practitioner is lawfully entitled to act, is subject to the NCR's fee guideline and compliance monitoring, and is answerable to the NCR if things go wrong. That is a meaningful floor.
It does not tell you they are good at it, that they will meet the statutory deadlines, or that their file will move. For that, the questions in our guide on choosing a debt counsellor matter, and so does diarising 60 business days from your application date: /tools/debt-review/how-to-choose-a-debt-counsellor
NCR contact details
- Call centre: 0860 627 627
- Reception: 011 554 2700
- General enquiries: info@ncr.org.za
- Complaints: complaints@ncr.org.za
- Physical address: 127 - 15th Road, Randjespark, Midrand, 1683
- Register of registered debt counsellors: http://www.ncr.org.za/register_of_registrants/registered_dc.php
Frequently asked questions
Is a debt counsellor's registration number the same as a company registration number?
No. An NCR debt counsellor registration is specific to the practitioner and is what appears on the NCR register. A CIPC company number tells you a company exists, not that anyone in it may act as a debt counsellor.
Can a registration lapse or be withdrawn?
Registration status is a live fact held by the NCR, which is exactly why you should check the register at the time you are choosing rather than relying on a list published somewhere at some earlier date.
The firm is registered but my consultant is not. Is that a problem?
Ask specifically who the registered debt counsellor on your file is, and get that name and number in writing. Support staff need not be registered; the person making the section 86(6) determination on your file must be.
Related guides
Check anything here with the regulator
OurPower is not a debt counsellor and is not registered with the National Credit Regulator. This page is general information about South African debt review law, not financial, legal or debt counselling advice. Debt review is not the right answer for everyone. Only an NCR-registered debt counsellor or a court can determine whether you are over-indebted. Legislation verified 2026-08-15. Sources: National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (as amended), the National Credit Regulations, the NCR Debt Counselling Fee Guidelines, and the NCR.