National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII)

The National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII) is a publicly available electronic record of some personal insolvency proceedings in Australia.

The NPII provides information about individuals who have been subject to proceedings under the Bankruptcy Act 1966 from August 1928.

It does not include any information on company liquidations or administrations. Information about corporate (company) insolvencies is available from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission’s website. You can also search to see if a business name is registered and, if so, to whom.

If an individual operated a sole trader business, there won’t be a record of a business insolvency. Instead, you may wish to search the NPII for any records for the individual.

If you'd like to search the NPII, see Bankruptcy Register Search for steps on how to do this.

What information is recorded on the NPII?

  • The name, date of birth (if known), residential address and occupation as disclosed on documents accepted by the Official Receiver.
  • Previous names and aliases (if known).
  • The type of proceeding, the date it started and the administration number.
  • The name and contact details of the trustee or administrator of the proceeding.
  • The status of the person and/or the proceeding. For example, if a person is discharged from bankruptcy or if a creditor’s petition for a person’s bankruptcy is in progress.

See the following page for more information: Official Receiver Practice Statement 8 The National Personal Insolvency Index.

NPII glossary

Below is a glossary of terms found on the National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII).

Note the Bankruptcy Act refers to the Bankruptcy Act 1966

Debtor's details

This contains personal information for the debtor.

A debtor’s personal details are entered into the NPII from documents specified in sections 75, 76, 77 and 78 of the Bankruptcy Regulations 2021. These details are entered at the date of registration of that person on the NPII.

Details will not be changed after being entered onto the NPII unless it is incorrect at the time of registration.

Any changes to a debtor's address and occupation after the start of an administration are not updated on the NPII. Only the trustee or administrator of the administration is notified.

Name 

The name of the debtor. 

This name remains on the NPII as the name attached to the administration or proceeding.  Any change of name or other name advised during an administration will be entered as an alias name. 

Date of birth 

The date of birth of the debtor. 

Also known as 

Any other name by which the debtor is known, also called an alias. 

Address 

The residential address of the debtor at the date of registration. 

Occupation 

The occupation of the debtor at the date of registration. 

Administration type

Type of administration or proceeding under the Bankruptcy Act.

Registration of a person on the NPII will always be connected to an administration or proceeding under the Bankruptcy Act. These currently appear on an NPII extract against the label ‘Administration Type’.

Bankruptcy 

A bankruptcy under Part IV of the Bankruptcy Act can be made in two ways: 

  • Debtor's Petition - an application by the debtor. On the date the application is accepted, the person is made bankrupt and their details are registered on the NPII. 

  • Creditor's Petition - an application by a creditor to make a debtor bankrupt.  On the date a Sequestration Order is made by the court, a debtor is made bankrupt and their details are registered on the NPII. 

Note: the bankruptcy is deemed to start at 12.01am on the date the application is accepted or the order is made. 

Debt Agreement 

Debt Agreements are an option available for insolvent debtors to deal with debt under Part IX of the Bankruptcy Act. 

S188 Authority 

An authority given by a debtor to a Controlling Trustee under Section 188 (of Part X) of the Bankruptcy Act to enable a meeting of creditors to be called to consider the debtor’s proposal for a Personal Insolvency Agreement. 

Personal Insolvency Agreement 

An option available to insolvent debtors to deal with debt under Part X of the Bankruptcy Act. 

Arrangement, Assignment, Composition 

Types of agreements no longer available in Australia. They were between debtors and creditors under Part X of the Bankruptcy Act and ceased to be available in 2004. 

S50 Order 

A Court order for a Trustee to take control of the debtor’s property under Section 50 of the Bankruptcy Act after a bankruptcy notice has been served but before the debtor becomes bankrupt. 

Admin Order

(Part XI) 

A Court order for the administration of a deceased person’s insolvent estate under Part XI of the Bankruptcy Act. 

Trustee 

To administer bankrupt estates, a private trustee must be registered. Applications are submitted to the Inspector-General (AFSA) and decided by a Committee. If accepted the trustee is registered on the NPII. 

The word ‘Trustee’ next to the label Administration Type refers only to the registration of a private trustee, not to a trustee’s appointment to a specific administration. 

Registered Debt Agreement Administrators are not currently displayed on the NPII. 

XII 

Deed of Arrangement under Part XII of the prior Bankruptcy Act 1924 (ceased to be an option for debtors from February 1968). 

Petition type

This indicates who started the proceedings.

Debtor's Petition 

A debtor has voluntarily applied for bankruptcy by completing a Bankruptcy Form and filing (or lodging) the documents with the Official Receiver (AFSA). 

When a Bankruptcy Form is accepted by the Official Receiver, the person is made bankrupt and is registered on the NPII. 

Creditor's Petition 

A creditor/s has filed an application with the Federal Circuit Court or Federal Court of Australia requesting the Court to make a debtor/s bankrupt. 

A creditor/s can also petition the Court to place a deceased person’s insolvent estate into a bankruptcy administration under Part XI of the Bankruptcy Act. 

Sequestration 

A Court order for bankruptcy against a debtor, resulting from a Creditor’s Petition. 

Note:  The word ‘Sequestration’ will usually appear against the Petition Type label together with the word ‘Bankruptcy’ against the label Administration Type. 

Administrator's petition 

The administrator of a deceased estate can petition the Court to place a deceased person’s insolvent estate into administration under Part XI of the Bankruptcy Act. 

Other information regarding Creditor's Petitions and Sequestration Orders 

Petitioning creditors and their solicitor, dates of hearing. 

Petitioning creditor 

Name of the creditor who filed the Creditor's Petition. 

PC solicitor 

Name and contact number of the Petitioning Creditor’s Solicitors. 

Dates of hearings 

Court dates in the Federal Circuit Court or Federal Court of Australia for the Creditor's Petition to be heard. 

Reference and Administration numbers

AFSA reference 

Unique reference number for a proceeding. 

This label applies to TypesCreditor’s Petition and Trustee 

Each AFSA Reference will consist of the originating State or Territory and a Number. 

Example -   NSW 345678 // 

Administration number 

Unique identification number for an administration.  This applies to all Types except Creditor’s Petition and Trustee (see AFSA Reference above). 

Each identification number consists of the following: 

  • State or Territory 

  • Number of the administration or proceeding 

  • Year of the administration (at the start date) 

  • a random computer check-digit. 

  • Example: NSW/123456/13/5 

Extra information about the identification number 

Roman numerals show which part of the Bankruptcy Act the administration was made under; 

  • IV - Part four - Bankruptcy (for example, NSW/123456/13/5 IV

  • IX - Part nine - Debt Agreement (proposal and agreement) (for example QLD 234/14/8 IX

  • X - Part ten - Section 188 Authority and a Personal Insolvency Agreement (for example VIC 456/10/6 X

  • XI - Part eleven - Bankruptcy of an deceased person’s insolvent estate (for example NSW 40/11/8 XI

Year is usually displayed as two digits but for the years 2000 through 2009 only one digit will be displayed. For example, the year 2002 will display as NSW/123456/2/6 IV. 

Court reference 

Unique identification number for a proceeding or matter being heard before the Court.  For further information please refer to Federal Circuit Court or Federal Court of Australia. 

Start dates

Start dates refer to the beginning of an administration or proceeding and appear against one of the following labels, depending on the Administration Type.

Date filed 

A start date of one of the following: 

  • Debtor’s Petition - the start date for a bankruptcy when a debtor’s completed application was accepted by the Official Receiver (AFSA) 

  • Creditor’s Petition - the date the petition was filed with the Court 

  • Sequestration - the date an order to make a person bankrupt was made by the Court. 

Date authority 

Date a Section 188 Authority was signed by the debtor and the Controlling Trustee to enable a meeting of creditors to be called to consider a proposal for a Personal Insolvency Agreement. 

Date started 

Date a Personal Insolvency Agreement was accepted by creditors. 

For the progress of a Debt Agreement, see also Date ended and Result - an exception. 

Date proposal lodged 

Debt agreement dates: 

  • the date a debtor lodged a proposal for a Debt Agreement through the Official Receiver and creditors have been given an opportunity to vote on whether to accept or reject the proposal, and 

  • if the proposal was accepted by creditors, the date the Debt Agreement was accepted will display. 

Date of bankruptcy 

Start date of an Administration Order under Part XI of the Bankruptcy Act - bankruptcy of a deceased person’s insolvent estate, made by the Federal Circuit Court or the Federal Court. This label appears only for an Administration Order. 

Entered on NPII 

Date the information was entered on the NPII. 

Trustee details

Lists the practitioner’s details for an administration or proceeding.

A Trustee is responsible for taking control of the property of a bankrupt or debtor under an administration under the Bankruptcy Act. A Trustee can be a private sector person who has been registered as a Trustee. If a Registered Trustee is not appointed to an administration, the Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (AFSA) will carry out this role.

A Debt Agreement Administrator (or DAA) is responsible for taking control of the administration of a Debt Agreement. A Registered Trustee can also administer Debt Agreements.

A Controlling Trustee is responsible for taking control of a debtor's property while the creditors consider a proposal for a Personal Insolvency Agreement.

Trustee name 

Name of the trustee or administrator appointed to the administration or proceeding. 

Business name 

Business Name used by the appointed trustee or administrator. 

If the trustee is the Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, the business name will appear as AFSA (Australian Financial Security Authority). 

Postal address 

Postal address used by the appointed trustee or administrator. 

Phone number 

Contact phone number of the appointed trustee or administrator. 

Endings

Date ended 

Date an administration or proceeding has been discharged, terminated or ended. 

If <Contact ITSA> appears the record is likely to have a start date prior to July 1992. Due to legislation changes, dates of discharge may be required to be calculated on a case by case basis.  Note that AFSA used to be called ITSA. 

Result 

The reason an administration or proceeding has been discharged, terminated or ended. 

Debt Agreements - an exception to Date Ended + Result 

Date Ended and Result. 

Debt Agreement Proposal 

If a Debt Agreement has been proposed and the creditors have not yet made a decision: 

  • both the Date Ended and Result labels will display no information. 

Debt Agreement made 

If a Debt Agreement has been made (the creditors have agreed to the proposal):  

  • Date Ended label will have no information 

  • Result label will display 'Accepted''. 

Debt Agreement ended 

If a Debt Agreement has been complied with, terminated or ended in some way, or if the creditors have rejected the Debt Agreement Proposal: 

  • both Date Ended and Result labels will display information. 

The Statement of Affairs and discharge from bankruptcy 

A person is discharged from bankruptcy 3 years from the date the Statement of Affairs was filed - unless an objection to discharge has been entered. This applies to all bankruptcies with a start date from 1 July 1992 to date and bankruptcies that were less than 3 years old on 1 July 1992 (Bankruptcy Amendment Act 1991). 

Date Statement of Affairs Filed or Date SA Filed 

If a date appears against this label, the Statement of Affairs has been filed with the Official Receiver (AFSA). 

If <Not yet Filed> appears, the Statement of Affairs has not been filed. 

This label will appear for bankruptcies (made by either debtor’s petition or Sequestration Order) S188 Authorities and Personal Insolvency Agreements. 

Objected - to discharge from a bankruptcy 

An objection to discharge from a bankruptcy will extend the length of time a person is bankrupt. 

Date recorded 

Date the objection was recorded on the NPII. 

Objector 

Person or entity who lodged the objection. 

Grounds 

The reasons for objecting to discharge from a bankruptcy. 

Objection result 

Objection withdrawn or cancelled. 

Result date 

Date the objection was withdrawn or cancelled. 

Result reason 

Which ground of objection was withdrawn or cancelled. 

Result person 

Person who lodged the withdrawal or cancellation. 

Overall summary

Found at the end of an NPII extract, this statement indicates the current overall status of an administration or proceeding. For example, if a Debt Agreement Proposal has been filed but not yet decided by creditors, the Overall Summary will state:

This debtor has put forward a proposal to creditors for consideration under Part IX of the Bankruptcy Act but a decision has not yet been made by creditors in respect to the proposal.