When something checks your credit, it leaves an inquiry on your report. There are two kinds: hard inquiries, which can lower your score a little, and soft inquiries, which never do. Knowing the difference helps you apply for credit wisely and stop worrying about harmless checks.
What a soft inquiry is
A soft inquiry happens when your credit is checked but not because you applied for new credit. Examples include checking your own score, a lender pre-screening you for an offer, or an existing card issuer reviewing your account.
Soft inquiries are invisible to lenders and never affect your credit score. You can check your own credit as often as you like without any harm.
What a hard inquiry is
A hard inquiry happens when you actively apply for credit and a lender pulls your report to make a decision, such as a new credit card, loan, or mortgage application.
A hard inquiry can lower your score by a small amount and typically stays on your report for a couple of years, though its scoring effect usually fades well before that.
Why the difference matters
Because only hard inquiries affect your score, you never need to avoid checking your own credit. What is worth being thoughtful about is how many new credit applications you submit in a short window.
Several hard inquiries close together can have a larger combined effect and may signal risk to lenders, so spacing out applications is generally wise.
Rate shopping and how it is treated
When you shop around for a single loan, such as an auto loan or mortgage, scoring models often bundle multiple inquiries made within a short period into one. This lets you compare offers without being penalized for each check.
This bundling generally applies to loan rate-shopping rather than to opening several different credit cards, so treat card applications more cautiously.
Common questions
Does checking my own credit score hurt it?
No. Checking your own credit is a soft inquiry and never affects your score. You can check it as often as you like.
How long does a hard inquiry stay on my report?
A hard inquiry typically remains on your credit report for about two years, but its effect on your score usually fades well before then, often within several months.
Will applying for several cards at once hurt my score?
Multiple hard inquiries in a short time can have a larger combined effect and may look risky to lenders. Spacing out new credit card applications is generally the safer approach.
By O.B., Founder · Last reviewed June 3, 2026
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