Quick answer
Settling your CCJ roughly doubles the lenders open to you. At day one, 11 lenders accept a satisfied CCJ against 6for an unsatisfied one. At 24 months it's 22 vs 12, and at 36 months 34 vs 17 — of the 57 lenders whose criteria we track (verified June 2026).
But the single most valuable fact here is the one-month rule below — it's a different mechanism entirely from “satisfying” a CCJ later.
The one-month rule: pay fast and the CCJ vanishes entirely
This is worth understanding before anything else on this page. Under the rules Registry Trust applies to the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, if you pay a County Court Judgment in full within one calendar month of the judgment date, you can apply — using court form N443, with proof of payment — to have it kept off the public register entirely, or removed if it's already been entered. Handled this way, it is treated as though it never existed on the register.
That is a completely different outcome from paying later. If you settle after the one-month window has passed, the judgment doesn't come off the register — it simply gets updated to show as satisfied, and it still remains visible for six years from the judgment date. The one-month route removes the record; satisfying it later only improves how the record reads. There is no extension on the one-month deadline, so if a CCJ has just landed and you can clear it fast, this is the single highest-value action available to you.
Satisfied vs unsatisfied CCJs, by age
Once the one-month window has passed, satisfaction still matters — just differently. The table below reads directly from our lender criteria dataset: the number of lenders whose published rules would consider an application with a single CCJ at each age, split by satisfied vs unsatisfied. Every figure is a floor — lenders that don't publish a clear CCJ rule aren't counted.
| CCJ age | Satisfied (paid) | Unsatisfied (unpaid) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day one | 11 lenders | 6 lenders | +5 |
| 12 months | 17 lenders | 9 lenders | +8 |
| 24 months | 22 lenders | 12 lenders | +10 |
| 36 months | 34 lenders | 17 lenders | +17 |
Lenders whose published criteria accept a CCJ at each age, of the 57 lenders we track (verified June 2026). Figures are floors — lenders whose criteria are silent on CCJs are not counted, so the real number open to you may be higher.
As with defaults, satisfaction roughly doubles your options at every age, and age helps both columns independently — an unsatisfied CCJ at 36 months (17 lenders) already beats a satisfied CCJ at day one (11 lenders).
Partially satisfied CCJs
Credit files can also show a CCJ as “part satisfied”— typically where some of the judgment debt has been paid, or a payment arrangement has been agreed, but the full amount isn't yet cleared. Lenders treat this as its own category rather than folding it into either “satisfied” or “unsatisfied”, and how favourably it's viewed varies considerably — some underwriters give real credit for a demonstrated repayment pattern, others assess it closer to unsatisfied until the balance is clear. If your CCJ is part satisfied, it's worth checking individual lender criteria rather than assuming either treatment.
Settling doesn't move the six-year clock
Outside the one-month window, this is the key point to hold onto: a CCJ is removed from the register automatically six years from the judgment date, regardless of whether or when it was paid. Satisfying it updates the entry; it doesn't shorten the six years. If your CCJ is close to its sixth anniversary anyway, that changes the calculation considerably compared to a CCJ that's only months old.
Age vs satisfaction: which matters more?
Age determines how long the CCJ stays visible at all, and it improves your options gradually on its own, satisfied or not. Satisfaction (or the one-month removal, where it applies) determines which lenders will consider you right now. If you're not applying imminently, age alone will improve your position. If you need to apply soon, satisfaction — or, better still, the one-month window if you're still inside it — is the lever you control.
Seasoning and proof: applying for a certificate of satisfaction
Many lenders want a settlement seasoned for a period before relying on it — commonly 1–3 months. Two documents make this smoother:
- A certificate of satisfaction.You can apply to the court (form N443) for formal confirmation the judgment has been paid in full. There's a court fee, and the register updates once the court has processed it — this can take a few weeks, so don't leave it until the week you apply.
- Your updated credit file. Once the register is updated, credit reference agencies are notified and your file should reflect the satisfied status. Check it yourself rather than assuming it has updated automatically.
The trade-off: settling the CCJ or saving a bigger deposit?
This is genuinely case-specific. Money put toward settling the CCJchanges which lenders will consider you at all — most valuable if you're still inside the one-month window, or if the CCJ is otherwise recent, high-value, or unsatisfied. The same money put toward your deposittends to improve the rate and LTV tier among lenders already willing to look at you, but doesn't change how any individual lender views the judgment itself.
For a small CCJ relative to your deposit, settling it (especially within the one-month window) is often the higher-leverage move. For a large CCJ, it's worth working out both paths against lenders who genuinely fit your circumstances before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
If I pay my CCJ within one month, is it really gone?
Yes — and this is different from satisfying it later. Under the Registry Trust rule, if a County Court Judgment is paid in full within one calendar month of the judgment date, it can be kept off the public Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines entirely (or removed if already entered), using form N443 and proof of payment. Miss that one-month window and the standard rule applies instead: it stays on the register for six years, marked as satisfied once you've paid.
Does paying off a CCJ improve my credit score?
It can, but the more direct benefit for a mortgage application is that far more lenders' published criteria accept a satisfied CCJ than an unsatisfied one at the same age. Some scoring models respond positively to a settled judgment, but the biggest practical shift is in which lenders will even consider your application.
How long after satisfying a CCJ can I apply for a mortgage?
There's no single rule, but many lenders want the settlement 'seasoned' before relying on it — commonly in the 1-3 month range. Practically, that means giving your credit file time to update and, for higher-value judgments, having your certificate of satisfaction (or at least proof of payment) ready to show an underwriter.
Will the CCJ still show on my file after I've paid it?
If you paid within one month of judgment, no — it can be kept off the register entirely. If you paid after that window, yes: the judgment remains on the register for six years from the judgment date, but is updated to show as satisfied, with the date you paid. The six-year clock runs from registration either way, not from the date you settled.
Is it better to pay off the CCJ or save a bigger deposit?
It genuinely depends on your situation. Settling the CCJ changes which lenders will consider you at all — useful if it's recent, high-value, or unsatisfied. A bigger deposit tends to improve the rate and LTV tier among lenders already willing to look at you, but doesn't change how any one lender views the judgment itself. For a small CCJ relative to your deposit, settling it often unlocks the wider lender pool for modest cost; for a large one, it's worth comparing both paths against lenders who actually fit your circumstances.
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Last reviewed July 2026. Information only — not mortgage advice. We are not FCA authorised. Lender criteria change; always confirm directly or speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised mortgage adviser before applying.
