Every time you apply for credit, the lender pulls your report and a hard inquiry is recorded. A few are normal. A long list of them can lower your score and make lenders wonder why you need so much new credit.
Hard Inquiries vs. Soft Inquiries
A hard inquiry happens when you apply for a credit card, auto loan, mortgage, or other credit. It can affect your score.
A soft inquiry happens when you check your own credit, when a company pre-approves you for an offer, or when an employer runs a background check. Soft inquiries do not affect your score.
How Long Do Hard Inquiries Last?
Hard inquiries stay on your credit report for two years. In most scoring models, they only affect your score for about the first 12 months. After that, they are still visible to lenders but carry little or no weight.
Rate Shopping Counts as One Inquiry
Scoring models understand that people compare rates for big loans. When you shop for a mortgage, auto loan, or student loan within a short window, multiple inquiries are treated as one for scoring purposes. Newer FICO models use a 45-day window. Older FICO models and VantageScore use a 14-day window. Shop within two weeks to be safe.
This rule does not apply to credit cards. Each card application is scored separately.
Which Inquiries Can Be Disputed?
You can dispute any inquiry you did not authorize. Common examples include:
- Applications you never made, which can be a sign of identity theft
- Dealerships that sent your application to more lenders than you agreed to
- Duplicate inquiries from the same lender on the same day
- Inquiries tied to accounts that were opened fraudulently
If you did apply for the credit, the inquiry is generally accurate, and bureaus are not required to remove it.
How to Dispute an Unauthorized Inquiry
- Pull all three reports. Get your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and list every inquiry.
- Flag what you do not recognize. Match each inquiry against applications you actually made.
- Contact the creditor. Ask them to confirm you authorized the pull and to request removal if you did not.
- Dispute with the bureau. Explain that you did not authorize the inquiry. If identity theft is involved, file a report at IdentityTheft.gov and ask the bureaus to block the fraudulent information.
Get Help With Inquiries
Our Hard Inquiry Removal service targets unauthorized and excessive inquiries across all three bureaus. See pricing or book a free 30-minute credit review.