What’s the difference between a hard inquiry vs soft inquiry?

Hard Inquiry - May appear on your credit report when someone accessed your credit report in connection with an application for credit like for mortgages, auto loans or credit cards - Can remain on your credit report for up to two years - Can be seen by lenders - May have a temporary negative impact your credit score Soft Inquiry There are two types of soft inquiries: Promotional inquiries: - Occur when a company wants to make a credit offer, like a pre-approved credit card or other loan offer Account review inquiries: - Can appear on your credit report when an insurer pulls your credit report for underwriting purposes, when employers verify your credit as part of their hiring process or when a landlord screens you as a potential tenant - Can also appear when a creditor you already have an account with reviews your credit - A prequalification for some loans, like mortgages, can result in a soft inquiry - You may also see an account review inquiry when you look at your own credit report for review Some loans, like buy now, pay later installment loans, may also require a soft inquiry before you’re approved for a purchase Won’t impact your credit score If you’re interested in learning when and why your lenders are pulling your credit report, reach out to them. You can find their contact information on your credit report.

What do I do if I see an inquiry I don’t recognize on my credit report?

1. Contact the company or lender directly to ask them about the inquiry. If they find it was made in error, ask them to inform the credit reporting agencies. If you see account information on your credit report you believe to be inaccurate, you can dispute those items. 2. If the lender finds the inquiry was made fraudulently, report it to the FTC. You'll receive documentation, which you can use when disputing the fraudulent inquiry to the credit reporting agencies.

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Disputes and Credit Inquiries

A credit inquiry is a request to review your credit report by lenders and companies that are authorized to do so.

Inquiries on Your Credit Report

Types of Inquiries

Depending on where you get your credit report, it may list hard and soft inquiries, including promotional inquiries.

Unfamiliar or Fraudulent Inquiries

You can dispute fraudulent inquiries on your credit report, but if you don't recognize one, first contact the company that checked your credit using the contact information in your credit report. They may have more information about why it was made. If the company indicates it was a fraudulent inquiry, then you should dispute it with the credit reporting agency.

Permissible Purpose

A company doesn't always need your authorization to view your credit report as long as they have a permissible purpose.

Common Questions About Inquiries on Your Credit Report

Typically, promotional inquiries stay on your credit report for one year, while other soft inquiries and hard inquiries may stay on your credit report for two years.

Hard Inquiry

May appear on your credit report when someone accessed your credit report in connection with an application for credit like for mortgages, auto loans or credit cards
Can remain on your credit report for up to two years
Can be seen by lenders
May have a temporary negative impact your credit score

Soft Inquiry

There are two types of soft inquiries:

Promotional inquiries:
- Occur when a company wants to make a credit offer, like a pre-approved credit card or other loan offer

Account review inquiries:
- Can appear on your credit report when an insurer pulls your credit report for underwriting purposes, when employers verify your credit as part of their hiring process or when a landlord screens you as a potential tenant
- Can also appear when a creditor you already have an account with reviews your credit
- A prequalification for some loans, like mortgages, can result in a soft inquiry
- You may also see an account review inquiry when you look at your own credit report for review

Some loans, like buy now, pay later installment loans, may also require a soft inquiry before you’re approved for a purchase

Won’t impact your credit score

If you’re interested in learning when and why your lenders are pulling your credit report, reach out to them. You can find their contact information on your credit report.

Companies can only access your credit report for a valid reason, known as a "permissible purpose." Examples of a permissible purpose include credit transactions, employment consideration (where permitted), review or collection of an existing account or other legitimate business need, insurance underwriting, government licensing, rental application or court order.

Contact the company or lender directly to ask them about the inquiry. If they find it was made in error, ask them to inform the credit reporting agencies. If you see account information on your credit report you believe to be inaccurate, you can dispute those items.
If the lender finds the inquiry was made fraudulently, report it to the FTC. You'll receive documentation, which you can use when disputing the fraudulent inquiry to the credit reporting agencies.

Start the Dispute Process

Here's how to file a dispute online with TransUnion^®. It's free to create an online account and free to file. You can also dispute for free by mail or phone.

Create Free Account

Create a free TransUnion Service Center account to get started. Log in if you already have one.

Create an account Log in to existing account

Determine What to Dispute

Review your credit report and see what you want to dispute.

Learn what you can dispute

Gather Supporting Documents

You can add supporting documents to your disputes. This can help with your request.

Learn more in our blog post

Submit and Track Online

Follow the steps in the TransUnion Service Center. After you submit, you can check its status there too.

Log in to check status

Disputes and Credit Inquiries