Credit Pulls: Understanding Hard vs. Soft Inquiries

When someone checks your credit, it's called a credit inquiry — or a credit pull. But not all credit checks work the same way. Some affect your credit score; some don't. Knowing the difference helps you make smarter decisions when applying for credit or monitoring your financial health.

What Is a Credit Inquiry?

A credit inquiry happens when you or a company requests information from your credit report. There are two types — hard and soft — and the distinction comes down to whether the check affects your score.

What Is a Hard Credit Pull?

A hard inquiry is made with your authorization when a lender is actively evaluating your application for new credit. These do affect your credit score — usually by a small amount — and they remain on your report for up to two years.

Common situations that trigger a hard pull:

• Mortgage applications
• Auto loan applications
• Credit card applications
• Personal loan applications

Important: If you're rate-shopping for a mortgage or auto loan, multiple inquiries within a 14-day window typically count as a single hard pull. Don't let fear of inquiries stop you from comparing lenders.

What Is a Soft Credit Pull?

A soft inquiry is initiated by you or a company, but does not require a formal credit application. Soft pulls have no impact on your credit score — none at all.

Common examples of soft pulls include:

• Checking your own credit score
• Employment background checks
• Insurance quotes
• Pre-approval offers from lenders
• Rental applications

How Hard vs. Soft Inquiries Affect Your Credit Score

Hard inquiries: Each one may lower your score by a few points and stays on your report for two years (though the scoring impact typically fades within 12 months).

Soft inquiries: No scoring impact — ever. You can check your own credit as often as you like without any risk to your score.

When Should You Worry About Hard Inquiries?

Applying for several new accounts in a short period can signal financial risk to lenders and cause a temporary dip in your score. Apply for new credit strategically, especially in the months leading up to a major loan application like a mortgage.