Does checking my credit score lower it?

Written by: Mika Bhatia
• Updated •5 min read • Leer en español
Young, puzzled woman wants to learn about credit score factorsImage: Young, puzzled woman wants to learn about credit score factors

In a Nutshell

Checking your own credit score won’t lower it. This type of check is known as a soft credit inquiry, and it has no impact on your scores. A hard inquiry, which happens when you apply for new credit, is the type of check that can temporarily lower your scores.
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No, checking your own credit scores will not lower them. This is a common misconception.

When you check your credit scores on Credit Karma, for example, you’ll see your VantageScore 3.0 scores from TransUnion and Equifax, and this action is considered a “soft credit inquiry,” which has no negative impact. 

The type of credit check that can temporarily lower your score is known as “hard credit inquiry,” which typically happens when you apply for a new loan or credit card and the lender checks your credit.

We’ll explain the key differences between these two types of credit inquiries, the range of factors that do affect your scores and how you can monitor your credit with confidence.

What is a soft inquiry?

A soft inquiry, also known as a soft pull or soft credit check, occurs when you or a company checks your credit for informational purposes. These inquiries do not affect your credit scores. You may not even be aware that some soft inquiries are happening.

Examples of soft inquiries include:

  • Checking your own credit scores. When you check your free scores from Equifax and TransUnion on Credit Karma, it’s a soft inquiry.
  • Prequalifying for credit offers. Lenders and credit card issuers may perform a soft inquiry to see if you meet their initial criteria for a prequalified offer.
  • Employment verification. A potential employer may perform a background check that includes a soft inquiry on your credit.

Soft inquiries may be noted on your credit reports, but they’re not visible to lenders and don’t factor into your credit scores.

What is a hard inquiry?

A hard inquiry, also known as a hard pull or hard credit check, occurs when a financial institution checks your credit report after you’ve applied for a new credit account. A hard inquiry typically requires your direct permission as part of the application process.

Hard inquiries are visible to other lenders on your credit reports because they signal that you’ve recently applied for new credit. To lenders, hard inquiries can be a sign that you’re taking on more debt and might be at higher credit risk.

Examples of hard inquiries include:

  • Applying for a mortgage
  • Applying for an auto loan
  • Applying for a new credit card
  • Applying for a student loan or personal loan

How do hard inquiries affect your credit scores?

A single hard inquiry is considered a low-impact factor and may only cause your credit scores to dip by a few points, if at all.

But if you have multiple hard inquiries in a short period, that can have a greater negative impact. That’s because opening several new credit accounts at once can signal to lenders that you might be struggling and therefore a higher-risk borrower.

The impact from a hard inquiry wears off over time, often within a few months — although they can stay visible on your credit reports for two years.

One exception to keep in mind: Credit scoring models often recognize when you’re shopping for the best rate on a mortgage, auto loan or student loan. In these cases, multiple hard inquiries within a short time frame (typically 14 to 45 days) are often treated as a single inquiry to minimize the impact on your credit scores.

Factors that affect your credit scores

While different scoring models like VantageScore 3.0 or FICO have slightly different ways of calculating scores, most models focus on five key areas.

Here are the five that influence your scores the most — in order from most to least influential:

  • Payment history: This is the record of your on-time, late or missed payments across your accounts. It’s generally the most important factor in your credit scores.
  • Credit usage or utilization: This is your total credit card balances divided by your total credit card limits. For example, if you have a $1,000 balance on a card with a $5,000 limit, your utilization for that card is 20%. Keeping your overall utilization below 30% (ideally 10% or less) will help your scores. Higher utilization can signal to lenders that you might struggle to pay back your new loan or credit card balance.
  • Length of credit history: This factor looks at the average age of all your credit accounts. A longer credit history shows that you have more experience using credit. Keeping old accounts open even if you don’t use them can be a good idea because closing them could shorten your credit history.
  • Credit mixes and types: Having a variety of account types — mainly revolving credit (like credit cards) and installment loans such as car loans and personal loans) — can help build your scores. This shows lenders you can handle different types of credit.
  • Recent credit: This factor considers how recently and how many times you’ve applied for and opened new accounts. Applying for new credit generates a hard inquiry, which can temporarily lower your scores.

How to check your credit scores

Since checking your own scores is a soft inquiry, you can do it as often as you want without fear of it lowering them. Here are a few ways to check your credit scores:

  • Credit Karma. You can get your free VantageScore 3.0 credit scores and reports daily from two of the three major credit bureaus:  Equifax and TransUnion.
  • Your bank or credit card issuer. Many financial institutions offer customers free access to one of their FICO or VantageScore scores.
  • Directly from the credit bureaus. Each of the three main bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) offers services to access your scores.

What’s next?

It is not only safe to check your own credit scores — it’s a solid habit that can help you keep your credit healthy. Credit monitoring can help you track your progress, understand the factors affecting your credit, and spot potential inaccuracies on your credit reports.

Check your scores regularly, with more frequency if you’re working on your credit, applying for a loan soon, recovering from identity theft or applying for a job.

If you’re a Credit Karma member, you can check your Equifax and TransUnion reports and scores any time for free and watch for notifications of any changes.

FAQs about checking your credit score

Does checking my credit score make it go lower?

No, checking your credit score yourself will not lower it. This is known as a soft inquiry or soft credit pull, which has no effect on your credit scores. A hard inquiry, which can temporarily lower your scores, only happens when you apply for new credit and a lender checks your credit report.

What factor has the biggest impact on a credit score?

Payment history is typically the most important factor in calculating credit scores. Both FICO and VantageScore models weigh payment history more heavily than any other factor.

How often is my credit score updated?

Your credit scores can be updated any time — whenever new information is reported to the credit bureaus. Lenders and creditors may report at different times to the bureaus, which could result in a score that doesn’t reflect your most up-to-date information.

About the author: Mika Bhatia is an Editorial Content Strategist for Credit Karma. She's worked in financial services and tech, and has now found the perfect union of the two at Credit Karma. When she's not busy strategizing about cred… Read more.