Hard Inquiry
What triggers a hard inquiry on your credit report, how much it affects your FICO score, how long it stays on your report, and the difference between hard and soft inquiries.
What Is a Hard Inquiry?
A hard inquiry (also called a hard pull) occurs when a lender or card issuer accesses your full credit report to evaluate your creditworthiness for a credit application. Hard inquiries are recorded on your credit report and can temporarily reduce your credit score.
Hard inquiries are triggered by:
- Credit card applications
- Auto loan applications
- Mortgage applications
- Personal loan applications
- Student loan applications (some private lenders)
- Apartment rental applications (some landlords)
- Utility account setup (some providers)
Impact on Your FICO Score
A single hard inquiry typically reduces your FICO score by 3 to 10 points, depending on your overall credit profile. The impact is larger for people with thin credit files (few accounts, short history) and smaller for people with long, established credit profiles.
The impact is temporary. FICO scoring models treat inquiries over 12 months old with less weight, and inquiries fall off your report entirely after 24 months.
Rate shopping exception: FICO treats multiple inquiries for the same type of loan (mortgage, auto, student loan) made within a 14 to 45-day window as a single inquiry. This allows you to shop rates from multiple lenders without each application counting separately. Credit card inquiries do not qualify for this exception.
How Long Hard Inquiries Stay on Your Report
Hard inquiries remain on your credit report for 24 months (2 years) from the date of the inquiry. However, FICO scoring models typically stop counting inquiries against you after 12 months, so the practical impact fades within a year.
When Hard Inquiries Matter Most
If you are planning to apply for a major loan (mortgage, auto) in the next 12 months, minimize new credit card applications. Lenders view multiple recent hard inquiries as a signal that you are seeking a lot of new credit, which can raise questions about financial stability.
If you are not actively managing your score for a specific loan application, one or two inquiries per year from card applications are a minor factor compared to payment history and utilization.
Hard vs. Soft Inquiry
| Type | Visible to lenders? | Score impact? | Examples | |------|--------------------|-----------|----| | Hard inquiry | Yes | Yes, small | Credit card application, loan application | | Soft inquiry | No | None | Checking your own score, pre-qualification checks, employer background checks |
Pre-qualification checks (when a card issuer shows you offers you might qualify for) are soft inquiries and do not affect your score. Use pre-qualification tools when exploring card options before committing to a full application.
See also: soft inquiry, prequalification.