How to Get a Hard Inquiry Off Your Credit Report

A hard inquiry, also known as a hard pull or hard credit check, occurs when a lender or creditor reviews your credit report as part of an application for new credit. This can include applying for a mortgage, an auto loan, a credit card, or a personal loan. Hard inquiries are typically recorded on your credit report and can temporarily influence your credit scores.

The impact of a single hard inquiry on your credit score is usually minimal, often resulting in a drop of fewer than five points. While hard inquiries can remain on your credit report for up to two years, they generally only affect your credit scores for about 12 months. Multiple hard inquiries within a short period, especially for different types of credit, can signal higher risk to lenders and may have a more significant impact on your score.

Determining If an Inquiry Can Be Removed

Legitimate hard inquiries, those you authorized by applying for credit, typically cannot be removed before they naturally expire after two years. The focus for removal efforts centers on inquiries that are unauthorized or factually inaccurate.

An unauthorized inquiry occurs when an entity accesses your credit report without your explicit consent or a permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This can happen due to identity theft, where someone applies for credit in your name without your knowledge. It might also stem from a mistake, such as a lender pulling a hard inquiry when only a soft inquiry was permitted or intended.

Inaccuracies or errors on an inquiry also provide grounds for removal. This includes situations where the inquiry lists an incorrect date, a wrong creditor, or if a hard inquiry was mistakenly pulled instead of a soft inquiry, which does not affect your score. If you believe an inquiry is unauthorized or inaccurate, you have the right to dispute it with the credit reporting agencies.

Preparing Your Dispute Documentation

You will need to compile specific details about the inquiry itself, including the creditor’s name as it appears on your report and the exact date of the inquiry. This precise information helps the credit bureaus identify the entry you are disputing.

Alongside the inquiry details, you should collect your personal identifying information. This includes your full legal name, any previous names used, your current and any previous addresses from the last two years, your Social Security number, and your date of birth. Additionally, include copies of a government-issued identification, such as a driver’s license or state ID, and proof of your current address, like a utility bill or bank statement.

For unauthorized inquiries, particularly those suspected of being linked to identity theft, specific evidence is required. This may involve an identity theft affidavit, which can be obtained from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and a police report filed for the identity theft incident. Any communication or documentation that clearly indicates you did not authorize the inquiry, such as a letter from the creditor stating no application was received from you, should also be included. For errors, such as an incorrect date or a hard inquiry that should have been a soft one, provide any correspondence from the creditor or other documents that prove the inaccuracy.

When drafting your dispute letter or preparing for online form input, clearly state that you are disputing a hard inquiry. Specify the reason for the dispute, referencing whether it is unauthorized or inaccurate, and align your reason with the criteria discussed previously. Request the removal of the inquiry from your credit report and list all enclosed supporting documents.

Submitting Your Inquiry Dispute

The three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—each offer online dispute portals. You will typically navigate to their respective websites, locate the dispute section, and then input the details of the inquiry you wish to dispute and upload your prepared documentation. This digital submission method is often the quickest way to initiate the process.

Alternatively, you can submit your dispute via mail, which some individuals prefer for maintaining a paper trail. When mailing your dispute letter and supporting documents, it is highly recommended to use certified mail with a return receipt requested. This provides proof that your dispute was sent and received by the credit bureau, which can be important for tracking purposes. Ensure you send the dispute to the correct mailing address for disputes provided by each credit bureau.

While disputing directly with the credit bureaus is the primary method, contacting the creditor who made the inquiry can also be beneficial, though it is optional. You can inform them of your dispute and request their cooperation in verifying the inquiry’s status or removing it if it was an error. This direct communication might involve a phone call or a separate letter to the creditor’s customer service or credit reporting department.

After submitting your dispute, the credit bureaus are generally required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to investigate the claim within 30 days. This timeframe can extend to 45 days if you submit additional information after the initial dispute or if you obtained your credit report through a free annual report service. Upon completion of their investigation, the credit bureau must notify you of the outcome within five business days. If the dispute is successful, the inquiry will be removed from your credit report; if unsuccessful, the inquiry will remain, but you may have the option to add a consumer statement to your report explaining your side of the dispute.