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What are Credit Inquiries?

5 min read

Published February 11, 2026

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

A credit inquiry is a request to view someone’s credit report.
Hard inquiries, which are connected to new credit applications, may affect your credit score.
A soft credit inquiry may appear on your credit report, but it doesn’t affect your score.

When you apply for a new credit card or loan, the prospective lender views your credit reports to better understand your experience managing credit. But financial institutions and other companies or individuals must get a copy of your report from a major credit bureau to view the details.

A credit inquiry, or credit check, is a request for access to a person’s credit report from a credit bureau. Whenever a credit card issuer, financial institution, landlord, employer, or anyone else checks your credit report, that’s a credit inquiry.

A credit bureau, also known as a credit reporting agency, compiles credit reports based on your credit activity, such as loan and credit card applications, the amount of credit you use, and payment history.

Every credit inquiry you receive may appear on your credit report. However, only one type of credit inquiry affects your credit score.

Type of credit inquiries

There are two types of credit inquiries: hard inquiries and soft inquiries. A hard inquiry may temporarily lower your credit score, while a soft inquiry doesn't affect your credit.

Hard inquiries

A hard credit inquiry (also known as a hard credit check or hard pull) is any credit check related to a new credit application.

Loan and credit card applications typically require your Social Security number. Prospective lenders may use your Social Security number, which you typically provide on loan and credit card applications, to request a copy of your complete credit report from a major credit bureau.

Applications for new credit cards or loans and requests for higher credit limits may result in hard credit inquiries. Lenders usually use your credit report and other factors, like your income, to determine whether you’re eligible for certain offers.

Financial institutions need your permission to conduct hard inquiries into your credit file, so you should be aware of the hard credit checks that appear on your report.

Soft inquiries

A soft credit inquiry (also known as a soft credit check or a soft pull) is any credit check not connected to an application for additional credit. Individuals and organizations may conduct a soft credit inquiry for a variety of reasons:

Potential employers may review your credit report as part of a background check.
Prospective landlords often conduct credit checks to determine whether you’re a trustworthy renter.
Some credit card issuers conduct a soft inquiry instead of a hard inquiry after you request a credit limit increase.
You conduct a soft credit check when you request your own credit reports. You may receive one free credit report per week from each major credit bureau at AnnualCreditReport.com.
A credit card issuer typically conducts a soft inquiry to determine whether you’re eligible for a pre-approved or pre-qualified credit card offer.

Financial institutions don’t need permission for soft inquiries. They may receive your information from the credit bureaus.

How credit inquiries affect your credit score

New credit accounts for about 10% of your FICO^® credit score.¹ Hard credit inquiries may bring your credit score down by a few points. The impact of a single hard credit check depends on your overall credit history. A hard credit inquiry may have a bigger effect if you have a limited credit history. But generally, a single credit check may not bring your score down very much. Responsible use of your new credit card may offset the impact.

Multiple hard credit inquiries in a short time may affect your credit score more than a single inquiry. Applying for a lot of credit at once may point to financial instability and make you seem like a higher risk for lenders. If you’re looking for a new credit card, consider seeking pre-qualification instead of applying for several credit cards simultaneously.

Did you know?

Credit card pre-qualification may help you find the best offers for your lifestyle without multiple hard inquiries. See what Discover^® offers you could be approved for with no harm to your credit score.²

See if You’re Pre-Approved

However, shopping for the best mortgage or auto loan rate is treated differently. Credit reporting agencies may consider multiple mortgage or auto loan applications within a short period of time as though they were a single inquiry, minimizing damage to your credit.

Soft credit checks may appear on your credit report, but they don’t affect your credit score.

How long do credit inquiries stay on your credit report?

Credit inquiries may remain on your credit report for up to two years. However, their impact on your credit score goes down over time.

In fact, according to the Texas State Law Library, hard inquiries stop affecting your FICO^® Score altogether after 12 months.¹

Can you remove credit inquiries?

You can’t remove legitimate credit inquiries from your credit report. But you may dispute an unauthorized hard credit check with the credit reporting agency in order to have it removed from your credit report.

An unauthorized hard check might mean a creditor has pulled your credit report by mistake, or that someone may have applied for credit in your name. Regularly checking your credit report helps you quickly spot and address any errors, fraud, or identity theft.

The bottom line

A credit inquiry occurs whenever anyone, including a financial institution, a landlord, or even you, accesses your credit file.

Credit inquiries play a small role in determining your credit score. You may keep hard inquiries to a minimum by doing your research before applying for credit and applying for only as much credit as you need. Good credit habits, such as paying your monthly credit bill on time and keeping your balance low, are generally more important for your score.

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