What Is A Credit Inquiry? Hard Vs. Soft Pulls Explained

A credit inquiry is a record showing that someone checked your credit report. A credit inquiry appears when a lender or another company requests your credit report, and inquiries generally fall into two categories: hard inquiries and soft inquiries.

That distinction matters because not every credit inquiry affects your score. Soft inquiries usually don't affect your credit score, while hard inquiries can have a small impact because they may signal that you're applying for new debt.

Key Takeaways

• Hard and soft inquiries affect your credit differently. A hard inquiry happens when you apply for new credit and can lower your score slightly, while a soft inquiry -- like checking your own credit or getting prescreened offers -- doesn't affect your score.

• Hard inquiries can stay on your credit report for up to two years, but FICO usually only factors them in for the past 12 months. One inquiry rarely hurts much, a pattern of repeated applications is the bigger risk.

• Apply for credit only when you need it and group rate-shopping for a mortgage, auto or student loan within a 14 to 45-day window so scoring models count them as one. Review your free weekly reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and dispute any inquiry you don't recognize.

Summary generated by AI, verified by MoneyLion editors

What Is The Difference Between A Hard Inquiry And A Soft Inquiry?

A hard inquiry usually happens when you apply for new credit, like a credit card, car loan, mortgage or personal loan. These inquiries can affect your credit score because most scoring models consider how recently and how often you apply for credit.

A soft inquiry usually happens when you check your own credit, get prescreened for offers or go through certain background or account-review processes. Soft inquiries don't affect your credit scores, and lenders generally don't see them the same way they see hard inquiries.

Why Credit Inquiries Matter

A single hard inquiry usually has a small effect, but several hard inquiries in a short period make lenders think you're taking on more debt. An inquiry typically has a small negative effect on your credit scores, and hard inquiries are part of the “new credit” picture scoring models evaluate.

That said, one inquiry by itself is rarely a disaster. The bigger concern is a pattern of repeated applications, especially for different types of credit over a short stretch.

MoneyLion offers a service to help you find personal loan offers. Based on the information you provide, you can get matched with offers for up to $100,000 from our top providers. You can compare rates, terms, and fees from different lenders and choose the best offer for you.

How Long Does A Credit Inquiry Stay On Your Credit Report?

Hard inquiries can stay on your credit report for up to two years. Experian says a hard inquiry may remain on your report for that full period, though the score impact is usually shorter. FICO generally considers hard inquiries from the prior 12 months, while VantageScore may consider them for up to 24 months.

That means an old inquiry can still appear on your report even after it stops affecting your score much. So if you're reviewing your report and see a past application listed, that doesn't necessarily mean it is still dragging your number down in a major way.

Do Credit Inquiries Lower Your Credit Score?

Hard inquiries can lower your score a little. Soft inquiries don't.

The key word here is little. A hard inquiry is usually not as serious as a missed payment, high utilization or a collection account. But if you stack several applications together, the effect becomes more noticeable.

Does Checking Your Own Credit Count As A Credit Inquiry?

Yes, but it's usually a soft inquiry, so it doesn't hurt your score. That means you can monitor your own credit without worrying that you are damaging it just by looking. Checking your own report or score is treated as a soft inquiry, and the FTC encourages people to review their credit reports regularly.

This is important because staying on top of your reports helps you catch mistakes, fraud or unfamiliar applications earlier. Regular monitoring is part of protecting your credit, not hurting it.

What About Rate Shopping?

If you're shopping for a mortgage, auto loan or student loan, scoring models often treat multiple inquiries made in a short period more favorably than multiple unrelated applications. Scoring models generally count multiple credit inquiries as one inquiry when they happen within a reasonably short period, and myFICO says newer FICO versions use a 45-day rate-shopping window while older versions may use 14 days.

That means comparing lenders for the same type of loan isn't treated the same way as applying for several different credit cards in one weekend. If you're rate shopping, try to keep those applications grouped closely together.

How To See Credit Inquiries On Your Report

When you request your credit report, you can usually see who has accessed it. Your report will list parties that requested it within the past year, including lenders, credit card companies and landlords and it may show employer-related access for a longer period in employment contexts.

You can get free weekly credit reports from the three nationwide bureaus, which makes it easier to review recent inquiries and spot anything you don't recognize.

What If You See An Inquiry You Don't Recognize?

If you see a hard inquiry you don't recognize, don't ignore it.

It could be a reporting error, or it could point to identity theft or unauthorized activity. You can dispute errors on your credit reports and should clearly identify the item, explain why it's wrong and include supporting documentation.

A surprise inquiry isn't always fraud, but it's worth checking. If you didn't authorize the application, review the rest of your report and consider taking additional steps to protect your credit.

The Bottom Line On Credit Inquiry

A credit inquiry is simply a record that someone checked your credit report. The most important thing to know is whether it was a hard inquiry or a soft inquiry. Hard inquiries can have a small effect on your score, while soft inquiries generally don't.

If you apply for credit only when needed, group rate-shopping applications tightly and review your reports regularly, inquiries usually stay manageable. The real risk isn't one normal inquiry, it's a pattern of repeated hard pulls or an inquiry you don't recognize.

Key Terms

• Credit inquiry: A record that shows someone checked your credit report, usually because you applied for credit or your credit file was reviewed.

• Hard inquiry: A credit check tied to a credit application. It can lower your credit score a little and can stay on your credit report for up to two years.

• Soft inquiry: A credit check that is not tied to a new credit application, like checking your own credit or getting prescreened. It does not affect your score.

• Credit report: A record of your borrowing and repayment history, including accounts, balances, payment history and recent credit inquiries.

• Rate shopping: Comparing lenders for the same loan within a short window. Credit scoring models may treat those hard inquiries as one inquiry.

Sources:

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What is a credit inquiry?

• Experian: What Is a Hard Inquiry and How Does It Affect Credit?

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What kind of credit inquiry has no effect on my credit score?

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What is a credit report?

• myFICO: How to Rate Shop and Minimize the Impact to Your FICO® Scores

Summary generated by AI, verified by MoneyLion editors

FAQ

What is a credit inquiry? A credit inquiry is a record showing that someone checked your credit report. It can be either a hard inquiry or a soft inquiry depending on why the report was accessed.

Does a credit inquiry hurt your credit score? A hard inquiry can lower your score a little. A soft inquiry usually does not affect your score at all.

How long does a hard inquiry stay on your credit report? A hard inquiry can stay on your credit report for up to two years, though its score impact is often shorter.

Is checking your own credit a hard inquiry? No, checking your own credit is usually a soft inquiry. That means it does not hurt your credit score.

Do multiple loan applications count as separate inquiries? Sometimes, but rate shopping for the same type of loan within a short time window is often treated more favorably by scoring models.