What Is a Hard Inquiry & How Does It Affect Your Credit?
A hard inquiry (hard pull) occurs when a lender checks your credit report to approve a loan, credit card, or financing request. Hard inquiries temporarily lower your credit score and remain on your report for 2 years.
Types of Credit Inquiries
✔ Hard Inquiries – Impact your credit score and occur when applying for:
- Mortgages
- Auto loans
- Credit cards
- Personal loans
- Business financing
✔ Soft Inquiries – Do NOT impact your credit score and occur when:
- Checking your own credit
- Employers run background checks
- Pre-approvals for loans or credit cards
How Hard Inquiries Affect Your Credit Score
- Temporary Credit Score Drop – 2-5 points per inquiry.
- Loan Approval Impact – Too many inquiries signal high financial risk.
- Stay on Credit Report for 2 Years – But only impact scores for 12 months.
- Security Clearance Risks – Excessive inquiries may raise financial red flags.
How to Remove Hard Inquiries from Your Credit Report
- Dispute Unauthorized or Fraudulent Hard Inquiries
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you can dispute any hard inquiry that is:
Unauthorized – You didn’t apply for credit or give permission.
Fraudulent – A lender pulled your credit without your consent.
Incorrect – Multiple inquiries for the same application should be merged into one.
Step 1: Obtain a free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Step 2: Identify hard inquiries you didn’t authorize.
Step 3: Submit a written dispute letter to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
Step 4: If the inquiry is unauthorized, it must be removed.
Note: If you applied for credit and the inquiry is valid, it cannot be removed through a dispute.
- Contact the Creditor Directly for Removal
If you believe a hard inquiry was made in error, you can contact the lender and request removal.
- Call the company that performed the inquiry.
- Ask for written confirmation that they will remove it.
- Follow up with the credit bureaus to ensure deletion.
- Report Identity Theft & Fraudulent Inquiries
If you find inquiries you never authorized, you may be a victim of identity theft.
- File a fraud report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at IdentityTheft.gov.
- Contact the credit bureaus and request a fraud alert or credit freeze.
- File a police report for additional protection.
- Wait for the Hard Inquiry to Drop Off (2-Year Rule)
If an inquiry is legitimate, you may need to wait for it to naturally expire.
- Hard inquiries stay on your report for 2 years.
- After 12 months, they no longer impact your credit score.
At Credit1Solutions.com, we help clients dispute unauthorized inquiries and provide legal-backed solutions to protect your credit from fraud.
How Long Do Hard Inquiries Stay on Your Credit Report?
| Inquiry Type | Time on Credit Report | Impact on Credit Score |
|---|---|---|
| Hard Inquiry | 2 years | Affects score for 12 months |
| Soft Inquiry | Not reported | No impact on score |
How Credit1Solutions.com Helps Remove Hard Inquiries Faster
- We dispute unauthorized or fraudulent inquiries with credit bureaus.
- We contact creditors directly to request inquiry removal.
- We provide legal support for identity theft and unauthorized credit pulls.
- We help protect your credit from future unauthorized inquiries.
Instead of waiting 2 years, we help remove fraudulent or unauthorized inquiries legally.
Client Testimonials
Jessica L., Homebuyer
“I had multiple hard inquiries from lenders I never applied with. Credit1Solutions.com got them removed, and my score improved immediately!”
David R., Military Personnel
“Excessive credit inquiries were affecting my security clearance. Credit1Solutions.com handled the disputes and restored my credit!”
Mark J., Small Business Owner
“Someone was pulling my credit without my consent. Credit1Solutions.com helped me remove the inquiries and prevent future fraud!”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I remove a hard inquiry from my credit report?
Yes, if it is unauthorized, fraudulent, or incorrectly reported.
How many hard inquiries are too many?
More than 4-6 inquiries in a short time can make lenders view you as a high-risk borrower.
Do hard inquiries affect my credit score?
Yes, each hard inquiry can drop your score by 2-5 points, but the impact fades after 12 months.
Can I prevent future hard inquiries?
Yes. You can:
- Opt-out of pre-approved credit offers at OptOutPrescreen.com.
- Freeze your credit to block unauthorized inquiries.
- Be cautious about applying for multiple loans or credit cards at once.
Can Credit1Solutions.com remove hard inquiries for me?
Yes! We dispute unauthorized hard inquiries, contact creditors for removal, and protect your credit from fraud.
Get Hard Inquiries Removed the Right Way – Contact Us Today
If hard inquiries are hurting your credit, don’t wait 2 years for them to disappear. Let us help.
✔ We remove unauthorized and fraudulent inquiries legally.
✔ We dispute errors and contact lenders on your behalf.
✔ We help security clearance holders protect their credit.
✔ We provide solutions to prevent future hard inquiries.