When Do Hard Inquiries Fall Off Your Credit Report?

Seeing a drop in your credit score after applying for a loan or line of credit can seem alarming, especially if you’ve been working hard to improve your credit score. But there’s no need to worry — a hard credit inquiry is a normal part of the credit application process and usually has only a small, temporary impact on your credit score.

Let’s explore what hard inquiries are, when (and if) they can be removed from your credit report and how you can monitor and protect your credit moving forward.

What is a hard inquiry?

A hard inquiry is a credit check that happens when you submit a formal application for a loan or credit card product. When you apply for a personal loan, credit card or mortgage, you give lenders permission to view your credit report. A hard inquiry is different from a soft inquiry which is when someone looks at your credit but not as part of a credit application.¹ A soft inquiry doesn’t affect your credit score, but a single hard inquiry temporarily lowers your credit score by a few points.

A hard inquiry may lower your credit score because it shows you may be actively applying for new credit.

When can you clear a hard inquiry from your credit report?

Generally, hard inquiries that you authorized cannot be removed from your credit report.² However, hard inquiries typically fall off your credit report after about two years, and the impact on your credit score usually fades sooner than that. According to the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO), one of the leading credit scoring agencies in the United States, hard inquiries do not affect your score for more than a year.³

How to remove hard inquiries

While you can’t remove authorized hard inquiries from your credit report, you may be able to request removal for unauthorized ones. To check for and dispute an unauthorized hard inquiry:

1. Get a free copy of your credit report: If you use a credit monitoring service, you may get alerts when hard credit inquiries appear on your credit report. If you don’t, there are several ways to check your credit report for free to see if any inquiries have been made without your knowledge. Your credit card issuer, bank or lender may offer free access to credit monitoring apps. Federal law also gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. In addition, the bureaus have permanently extended a program that lets you check your credit report from each bureau once a week for free on AnnualCreditReport.com.⁴
2. Look for hard inquiries you don’t recognize: Hard inquiries may appear on your credit report if you have applied for a credit card, mortgage, auto loan, personal loan or private student loan. They may also appear if you have used a loan broker or an intermediary who connects borrowers with other lenders to find loan offers. If you see a name you don’t recognize, it doesn’t necessarily mean the inquiry was unauthorized, but it’s worth looking into.
3. File a dispute: If you find an unauthorized hard inquiry, open a dispute with the credit bureau that shows the inquiry. You can do so online, by phone or by mail with each of the bureaus. State clearly that you didn’t authorize the inquiry. You only need to contact the bureau that lists the errors, but you may also contact the creditor directly to clarify an inquiry.
4. Wait for a response: If you file a dispute with a credit bureau, they must investigate the claim, typically within 30 days.⁵ The credit bureau will also forward the evidence in your dispute to the creditor that provided the information. That creditor is obligated to verify the information and send corrections to all the credit bureaus if it determines there was an error.⁶

Tips to avoid unnecessary hard inquiries in the future

Protecting your credit report and score is important, and it doesn’t have to be difficult. To avoid unnecessary hard inquiries:

• Limit new credit applications: Every time you apply for a loan or new credit account, it may trigger a hard inquiry. Limiting how many new credit cards, lines of credit or loans you apply for within a few months can help reduce the impact on your credit.
• Talk to lenders: It may be in the disclosures, but you can always ask lenders if a credit check will be a hard inquiry or not before you submit an application.
• Consider prequalification: Prequalifying for a personal loan or credit card can give you an idea of the amount you may qualify for before applying. Prequalification is typically quick and easy, and because it only involves a soft credit inquiry, it doesn’t affect your credit score. However, not all lenders offer it.
• Monitor your credit report and score: You’re allowed to check your credit report at each of the three bureaus each week. By checking your credit report regularly, you can spot errors early. You may also want to keep an eye on your credit score and investigate if it drops unexpectedly. If you’re a current OneMain customer, you can easily access your VantageScore® credit score by logging into your account online or using OneMain’s mobile app. Your score is updated monthly, and you can check it as often as you want.

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Take control of your credit activity

Seeing your credit score dip because of a hard credit inquiry may seem troubling, but the impact is temporary. Keep an eye on your credit report, so you can catch and dispute any potential mistakes. While you cannot remove an authorized hard credit inquiry from your credit report, you don’t need to take any action — it will fall off on its own after approximately two years. Whether you’re opening a credit card account, applying for an auto loan or getting a mortgage to buy a home, hard credit inquiries are a part of the process.

Sources

1. https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-long-do-hard-inquiries-stay-on-your-credit-report/
   
2. https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-to-remove-hard-inquiries-from-credit-report/
   
3. https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/credit-reports/does-checking-credit-score-lower-it
   
4. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports
   
5. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314/
   
6. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/disputing-errors-your-credit-reports