Not all credit checks are equal
When someone checks your credit, it either shows up on your report or it doesn't — and if it does, it may or may not affect your score. Understanding the difference between hard and soft inquiries helps you make smarter decisions about when to apply for credit and when to push back.
What is a soft inquiry?
A soft inquiry (also called a soft pull) is a credit check that does NOT affect your credit score and is not visible to lenders. You can have dozens of soft inquiries and it won't hurt you.
Soft inquiries happen when:
- You check your own credit score or report
- A lender does a pre-approval check or pre-qualification
- An employer runs a background check (with your permission)
- A credit card company sends you a pre-screened offer
- You use a credit monitoring service
These are entirely harmless. Checking your own credit never hurts your score — a common myth that stops people from monitoring their own reports.
What is a hard inquiry?
A hard inquiry (also called a hard pull) happens when you formally apply for new credit. It shows up on your report, is visible to other lenders, and temporarily reduces your score.
Hard inquiries happen when you apply for:
- Credit cards
- Auto loans
- Mortgages
- Personal loans
- Student loans
- Apartment rentals (in some cases, when the landlord pulls credit)
- Some utility accounts in certain states
How much does a hard inquiry hurt your score?
A single hard inquiry typically costs you 5–10 points, sometimes less. For most people, one inquiry is not a major concern. The impact peaks immediately and then fades — inquiries stop affecting your score after about 12 months, even though they remain on your report for 24 months.
Where inquiries become a problem is when you have many in a short period. Multiple hard pulls within a few months signal to lenders that you may be aggressively seeking credit, which can look like financial stress.
The rate-shopping window
If you're shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, or student loan, multiple inquiries for the same type of loan within a short window are treated as a single inquiry. This is called the rate-shopping window:
- FICO older models: 14-day window
- FICO newer models (8 and 9): 45-day window
- VantageScore: 14-day window
This means you can apply to five different mortgage lenders in a month without it counting as five separate hits. Use this to your advantage — always shop around for rates, especially on large loans.
Note: this protection only applies to mortgage, auto, and student loans. Applying for five different credit cards in a month will still count as five separate inquiries.
How to dispute an unauthorized hard inquiry
If a hard inquiry shows up on your report that you didn't authorize — meaning you never applied for credit with that company — you have the right to dispute it.
Here's how:
- Pull your report from AnnualCreditReport.com and identify the inquiry
- Note the name of the creditor and the date
- File a dispute with the bureau where it appears (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) through their online dispute portal
- State clearly: "I did not authorize this inquiry and did not apply for credit with this company"
- If you have documentation (like emails or records showing you never applied), include it
The bureau will contact the creditor. If the creditor can't verify you authorized the inquiry, it must be removed. Unauthorized hard pulls are relatively rare but do happen, particularly if you've been a victim of identity theft.
The practical takeaway
Check your own credit as often as you want — it's always a soft pull. Be strategic about credit applications, especially before a major loan. And if you're rate shopping for a mortgage or auto loan, do it all within 45 days to consolidate the impact. A single inquiry or two is noise. Consistent credit management matters far more.