Can You Get Hard Inquiries Removed From Your Credit?

A hard inquiry occurs when a lender or creditor reviews an individual’s credit report as part of a credit application for new credit, such as a loan or a credit card. These inquiries can temporarily affect your credit score, signaling to potential lenders that you are actively seeking new credit.

What Are Hard Inquiries

Common scenarios leading to a hard inquiry include applying for a mortgage, an auto loan, a new credit card, or a personal loan. Unlike soft inquiries, which happen when you check your own credit or when pre-approved offers are generated, hard inquiries can influence your credit score.

Hard inquiries typically remain on your credit report for up to two years. However, their impact on your credit score usually diminishes significantly after the first 12 months. While a single hard inquiry might only cause a small drop, often fewer than five points, multiple hard inquiries in a short period could have a more noticeable effect. For certain types of loans, such as mortgages or auto loans, multiple inquiries within a specific timeframe (often 14 to 45 days) are generally grouped and counted as a single inquiry to mitigate this impact.

Conditions for Removal

Hard inquiries can only be removed from your credit report under specific circumstances, primarily when they are the result of fraud or error. If a hard inquiry appears on your report due to identity theft, meaning someone applied for credit in your name without your knowledge or consent, it constitutes a fraudulent inquiry. Such unauthorized inquiries can be disputed and potentially removed from your credit report.

Inaccurate or mistaken inquiries also qualify for removal. This can occur if a lender pulled your credit report by mistake, or if an inquiry appears that you did not authorize for a legitimate application you did submit. For instance, a dealership might “shotgun” your application to multiple lenders without your explicit permission, resulting in numerous unauthorized inquiries. If you did not authorize the specific inquiry, it can be contested. Disputing a genuine, authorized inquiry will not lead to its removal.

Process for Requesting Removal

If you identify a hard inquiry on your credit report that is fraudulent or inaccurate, you can initiate a dispute to request its removal. The initial step involves gathering all relevant information and documentation. Obtain copies of your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to identify the specific inquiry and cross-reference for discrepancies. If the inquiry stems from identity theft, a police report and an identity theft report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are crucial supporting documents.

Next, contact the credit bureau (or bureaus) where the inaccurate inquiry appears. Credit bureaus provide methods for initiating a dispute, including online portals, mail, and sometimes phone. While online disputes are convenient, sending a dispute letter via certified mail with a return receipt requested can provide a record of your submission. Your dispute letter should clearly explain why you believe the inquiry is inaccurate or unauthorized and include copies of all supporting documentation, not originals.

The credit bureaus are required to investigate your dispute. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), they generally have 30 days to complete their investigation. If the investigation determines the inquiry was unauthorized or inaccurate, it will be removed from your credit report.

Handling Legitimate Inquiries

Legitimate hard inquiries, authorized as part of a credit application, cannot be removed and remain on your credit report for up to two years. While these inquiries can cause a minor, temporary dip in your credit score, their impact typically lessens significantly after a few months. The temporary nature of this impact means that your credit score can recover over time with responsible credit management.

To mitigate the temporary effect of legitimate hard inquiries, focus on consistent positive credit habits. Making all your payments on time and keeping your credit utilization low are much more influential factors in your credit score than inquiries. Maintaining a long credit history and having a diverse mix of credit accounts also contribute positively to your credit profile. By prioritizing these foundational elements of credit health, you can help offset the minor, short-term impact of authorized hard inquiries and build a stronger financial standing.