What Counts as a Hard Inquiry (And What Doesn’t)
If you’ve ever checked your credit score and seen a dip you weren’t expecting, chances are someone mentioned the words “hard inquiry.” Cue the panic.
Did checking your own score cause it?
Did that “pre-approved” credit card mailer just sabotage your progress?
Is your credit doomed now that you shopped for a car loan?
Let’s clear it up. Here’s what really counts as a hard inquiry, what doesn’t, and how to keep your score safe.
First, What Is an Inquiry?
An inquiry is any time someone accesses your credit report.
There are two types:
- Hard Inquiries (Hard Pulls) – These can impact your credit score
- Soft Inquiries (Soft Pulls) – These do not affect your score at all
The difference depends on who’s checking your credit and why.
What Counts as a Hard Inquiry
Hard inquiries happen when you apply for new credit, and the lender needs to make a decision based on your creditworthiness.
Common examples:
- Applying for a credit card
- Applying for a mortgage, auto loan, or personal loan
- Requesting a credit limit increase (with some lenders)
- Getting financing at a store, like furniture or electronics
- Signing up with certain cell phone or utility companies
Hard pulls are usually unavoidable when applying for credit, but they’re not inherently bad. A few inquiries won’t tank your score.
In fact, each hard inquiry typically lowers your score by only 2 to 5 points, and the impact fades quickly.
They fall off your report entirely after 2 years, but they only affect your score for about 12 months.
What Doesn’t Count as a Hard Inquiry
Now here’s the good news: many credit-related actions don’t hurt your score at all.
Soft inquiries include:
- Checking your own credit (through apps like Credit Karma, Experian, or AnnualCreditReport.com)
- Pre-approval checks (when you get those “you’re pre-approved” letters in the mail)
- Background checks (for jobs or apartment rentals)
- Insurance quotes
- Some loan prequalification tools (when it clearly says “no impact to your credit”)
These are considered informational checks, not credit-seeking behavior, so they don’t affect your score in any way.
What About Rate Shopping?
Thinking of buying a car or a house and getting quotes from multiple lenders?
That’s smart, and it won’t punish you the way most people think.
Credit scoring models like FICO and VantageScore allow a “shopping window” (usually 14 to 45 days depending on the model) where all similar inquiries count as one single inquiry.
That means you can shop around for the best rates without worrying about stacking up multiple dings on your report.
How to Keep Inquiries Under Control
Hard inquiries are a normal part of life. But if you’re trying to improve or maintain your credit score, here are a few smart moves:
- Only apply when you’re ready – Avoid applying for multiple cards or loans “just to see what you get.”
- Ask before a pull – If you’re talking to a lender or service provider, ask: “Will this be a hard or soft inquiry?”
- Spread out your applications – If you need new credit, space them out by a few months to minimize the impact.
- Monitor your credit report – Unexpected inquiries can be a red flag for identity theft.
Final Thought
Hard inquiries aren’t evil, and they’re not the credit score killer many people fear.
But knowing what counts and what doesn’t helps you stay in control, make smart decisions, and avoid surprises.
So next time someone checks your credit, you’ll know exactly what it means, and whether your score is truly at risk.
Need help understanding your credit report or recovering from a hit to your score?
At CreditNerds.com, we break it down in plain English, and we only charge when we get results.
Book a free consultation here and let’s take the mystery out of credit for good.
