Hard Inquiry vs Soft Inquiry in Credit Report: Everything You Need to Know

Credit inquiries are records of when your credit information is accessed by a lender, creditor, or another authorized entity. There are two main types of inquiries that appear on your credit report — hard inquiries and soft inquiries. The key difference between the two determines whether your credit score will be affected or not.

A hard inquiry occurs when you apply for new credit, such as a loan, mortgage, or credit card. Because this type of inquiry is associated with a credit application, it can cause a small, temporary drop in your credit score. A soft inquiry, on the other hand, happens when your credit is checked for informational or pre-approval purposes and does not affect your credit score at all. Understanding how these inquiries work, how long they remain on your report, and how to manage or remove them is important for maintaining a healthy credit profile.

What Is a Hard Credit Inquiry?

A hard credit inquiry, also called a hard pull, happens when a lender or creditor checks your credit report to decide whether to approve your credit application. Every time you apply for new credit — such as a credit card, car loan, or mortgage — the lender requests your credit data from one or more of the major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. This request becomes a hard inquiry and is recorded on your credit report.

Because a hard inquiry suggests you’re seeking new credit, it can slightly lower your credit score by a few points. Multiple hard inquiries in a short period may raise concerns for lenders, signaling potential financial stress or overextension. However, credit scoring models such as FICO and VantageScore often treat multiple inquiries for the same loan type (like mortgage or auto loans) within a short window as a single inquiry to allow rate shopping without excessive penalties.

Common examples of hard inquiries include:

• Applying for a credit card
  

• Requesting a personal loan
  

• Financing a vehicle
  

• Applying for a mortgage
  

• Requesting a new line of credit with a store or retailer

How Long Do Hard Inquiries Stay on a Credit Report?

Hard inquiries remain on your credit report for up to two years, but their impact on your credit score typically lasts only a few months. According to Experian, most scoring models ignore hard inquiries older than 12 months when calculating your score. So while they’re visible for 24 months, their effect fades relatively quickly.

Still, it’s best to limit unnecessary credit applications. Too many hard inquiries within a short period can make you look risky to lenders and lower your approval chances for future credit.

How Many Hard Inquiries Is Too Many?

There’s no strict number that applies to everyone, but generally, more than 5 or 6 hard inquiries within a year may raise red flags with lenders. If you’re shopping for rates on a single loan type (like a mortgage or auto loan), try to do so within a 14- to 45-day window — depending on the scoring model used, those inquiries are usually grouped as a single inquiry. This allows you to find the best deal without multiple score impacts.

What Is a Soft Credit Inquiry?

A soft credit inquiry, or soft pull, occurs when your credit report is checked for informational or non-lending purposes. Unlike hard inquiries, these checks are not connected to an active credit application, so they don’t affect your score.

Soft inquiries can happen when:

• You check your own credit report
  

• A lender pre-approves you for an offer
  

• An employer runs a background check
  

• An insurance company checks your profile for a quote
  

• Credit monitoring services review your credit report
  

Because these checks are not tied to borrowing activity, they are not visible to lenders and don’t influence your creditworthiness. You can check your own credit as often as you like — it’s always considered a soft inquiry.

How Long Do Soft Inquiries Stay on a Credit Report?

Soft inquiries can remain on your credit report for up to two years, but only you can see them. They are not visible to lenders or creditors reviewing your report, so they play no role in lending decisions or your credit score. This means you can safely check your credit as often as needed to stay informed.

Credit Report Hard Inquiry vs Soft Inquiry

When reviewing your credit report, you’ll see both types of inquiries listed separately. Hard inquiries are typically grouped under “Requests Viewed by Others,” while soft inquiries may appear under “Requests Viewed Only by You.” This separation helps you understand who has accessed your credit and for what purpose.

Monitoring both sections is important. If you notice hard inquiries you don’t recognize, it could indicate unauthorized activity or potential identity theft. In that case, you should take immediate steps to dispute or remove them.

Credit Score Hard vs Soft Inquiry: How They Affect You

The difference between hard and soft inquiries matters because only hard inquiries can lower your credit score. Each hard pull can reduce your score by a few points, and multiple inquiries in a short period can have a compounding effect. While this impact is temporary, it can make a difference if you’re applying for a major loan soon.

Soft inquiries, on the other hand, have no impact at all. They’re used mainly for background or pre-qualification checks, which means you can compare credit offers or monitor your credit without worrying about hurting your score.

Annual Credit Report: Soft or Hard Pull?

When you check your own credit report through AnnualCreditReport.com or a similar credit monitoring service, it’s always a soft pull. The credit bureaus encourage consumers to review their reports regularly — doing so has no negative effect on your credit score. You’re entitled to one free credit report each year from each bureau under federal law, and checking them helps you identify errors or potential fraud early.

How to Minimize Credit Inquiries

Reducing unnecessary inquiries is one of the easiest ways to protect your credit score. Here are a few strategies:

• Only apply for credit when necessary.
  

• Compare offers and rates before applying.
  

• Use pre-qualification tools that use soft pulls instead of hard pulls.
  

• Group rate-shopping inquiries (like auto or mortgage applications) within a short timeframe.
  

• Regularly monitor your credit reports to spot any unauthorized or repeated inquiries.
  

By being selective and informed, you can keep your credit profile strong while still accessing new credit when you truly need it.

Can You Remove Hard Inquiries?

If you find a hard inquiry on your report that you didn’t authorize, you have the right to dispute it. Unauthorized or fraudulent hard inquiries can occur when someone uses your information to apply for credit in your name. To remove them, contact the credit bureau that issued the report and the creditor who made the inquiry. Provide evidence that you didn’t initiate the application.

You can also submit a dispute online through Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. If you find the process complicated or time-consuming, consider getting professional help from experienced Credit Report Attorneys. They can handle the dispute process for you, communicate with the bureaus and creditors, and ensure that all unauthorized inquiries are removed efficiently and legally.

Hiring an attorney is especially helpful if:

• You’re dealing with identity theft or repeated unauthorized inquiries
  

• You’ve tried DIY disputes with no results
  

• You need to protect your credit ahead of a major purchase or loan application
  

Attorneys understand the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and can use it to ensure your rights are protected.

Monitor Your Credit to Support Your Financial Health

Regular credit monitoring is one of the most effective ways to maintain control over your financial health. By reviewing your reports frequently, you can detect changes, unauthorized activity, or errors early. You can check your credit score and report through services like Experian, Equifax, TransUnion, or free platforms like Credit Karma.

Keeping a close eye on your credit activity helps prevent fraud, improve your borrowing readiness, and ensure you catch any issues before they affect your score.

Where Can You Check Your Credit Score for Free?

You can check your credit score and report for free through several trusted sources, including AnnualCreditReport.com, which provides official reports from all major credit bureaus. Checking your own credit report or score through these platforms is considered a soft inquiry, meaning it won’t affect or harm your credit in any way.

Key Takeaways: Hard Inquiry vs Soft Inquiry

• Hard inquiries are triggered when you apply for new credit; soft inquiries are informational checks that don’t affect your score.
  

• Hard pulls can slightly lower your score and stay on your report for up to two years.
  

• Soft pulls have no impact on your score and are visible only to you.
  

• Always review your reports for accuracy and dispute any unauthorized hard inquiries.
  

• Use pre-qualification tools and limit unnecessary applications to reduce hard pulls.
  

• If DIY dispute methods fail, consult professional Credit Report Attorneys for help removing unauthorized or incorrect inquiries.