How to Remove Hard Inquiries

It is important to be aware of your credit report for maintaining your finances. Hard inquiries, known as “hard pulls,” are one of the items that may appear on your report. They hold significance in a quiet manner. A lender reviews your credit history to determine if they will provide you with a loan, credit card, or other financing options. Having hard inquiries when applying for credit is common, but accumulating too many in a brief period can negatively impact your credit score and raise concerns for future lenders.

Hard inquiries might not seem as bad at first as missed payments or a lot of debt. But if they pile up, especially if they aren’t authorized, they can make it harder for you to get new credit or loans. It’s important to know how hard inquiries work, when you can dispute them, and how to lessen their effect in the future, whether you’re applying for a mortgage, financing a car, or just want to know how your credit is doing.

We will explain hard inquiries, how they affect your credit score, how to remove them, and how to avoid them in the future.

What Are Hard Inquiries and How Do They Affect Your Credit?

A hard inquiry, also called a legitimate credit pull, happens when a lender or creditor reviews your credit history to assess your eligibility for a loan, credit card, or financing. This type of credit check is typically performed when you apply for:

• Personal loans
• Mortgages
• Auto loans
• Credit cards
• Apartment rentals

Unlike soft inquiries, which occur when you check your credit or when a company pre-approves you for an offer, hard inquiries are visible to lenders and can have a small impact on your credit score. Each inquiry may reduce your score by a few points, and they remain on your credit report for up to two years. While a single hard inquiry is unlikely to cause major damage, multiple inquiries in a short time frame can signal risk to lenders, making it harder to qualify for new credit.

Can Hard Inquiries Be Removed?

Hard inquiries cannot be removed if they were authorized and correctly reported. You can dispute an unauthorized inquiry on your credit report. Incorrect or fraudulent inquiries should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent further potential damage to your credit profile.

Steps to Remove Unauthorized Hard Inquiries

1. Review Your Credit Report

Start by obtaining a copy of your credit report from all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You can get a free copy from AnnualCreditReport.com, a government-authorized source.

Look for any unfamiliar hard inquiries. If you find a credit check from a company you did not interact with, it may have been added in error or could be a sign of fraudulent activity.

2. Contact the Creditor Responsible for the Inquiry

If you notice an unauthorized inquiry, the next step is to contact the company that initiated it. Creditors are required to have your permission before accessing your credit report. When reaching out, ask for documentation proving that you gave consent. Request the removal of the inquiry if they are unable to provide proof.

3. File a Dispute with the Credit Bureaus

If the creditor does not cooperate or if you suspect fraud, you can dispute the inquiry directly with the credit bureaus. Each bureau has its own process for handling disputes:

• Experian: File a dispute online at Experian’s dispute center
• Equifax: Submit a dispute at Equifax’s dispute portal
• TransUnion: Dispute inaccuracies at TransUnion’s website

When submitting a dispute, provide any supporting evidence, such as correspondence with the creditor or identity theft reports, to strengthen your case.

4. Consider Placing a Fraud Alert or Credit Freeze

Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file if unauthorized inquiries are associated with identity theft. A fraud alert informs creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before approving new credit applications. You can request a fraud alert through any of the three major credit bureaus, and they will notify the others.

For more severe cases, a credit freeze can prevent lenders from accessing your credit report entirely, reducing the risk of further fraudulent activity.

How Long Do Hard Inquiries Stay on Your Credit Report?

Hard inquiries naturally fall off your credit report after two years. However, their impact on your score is typically short-lived, lasting only a few months in most cases.

How to Minimize Hard Inquiries in the Future

Reducing unnecessary hard inquiries can help maintain a stable credit score and improve approval chances for future credit applications. Here are some strategies to avoid excessive credit checks:

• Be selective when applying for credit: Only apply for loans or credit cards when necessary.
• Use pre-qualification options: Many lenders offer pre-approval checks that use soft inquiries instead of hard pulls.
• Space out applications: Multiple inquiries within a short time frame can make lenders view you as a higher risk.
• Monitor your credit regularly: Checking your credit report frequently can help you spot unauthorized inquiries early.

Final Thoughts

While hard inquiries are a typical aspect of obtaining credit, it’s crucial to regularly monitor them to ensure their accuracy. You can’t get rid of legitimate inquiries, but you can dispute any that were made without your permission. You can keep your credit score high and your finances stable by keeping an eye on your credit activity and taking the right steps to dispute unauthorized inquiries.

If you think someone is trying to steal your money or see mistakes on your credit report, you should act quickly and contact your creditors and credit bureaus. By monitoring your credit and making wise financial decisions, you can prevent unnecessary hard inquiries and maintain the integrity of your credit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hard inquiry?

A hard inquiry, or “hard pull,” happens when a lender checks your credit report as part of a decision to offer you credit—such as a loan, credit card, or financing. It may slightly lower your credit score and stays on your report for up to two years.

How is a hard inquiry different from a soft inquiry?

A soft inquiry occurs when you check your own credit or when a company performs a background check without a formal application (e.g., pre-approval offers). Soft inquiries do not affect your credit score and are not visible to lenders.

When do hard inquiries typically occur?

Hard inquiries usually happen when you apply for:

• Personal loans

• Mortgages

• Auto loans

• Credit cards

• Apartment rentals

Can hard inquiries lower my credit score?

Yes, but usually only by a few points. A single hard inquiry has a minor impact, but multiple inquiries in a short time frame can be seen as a risk and may reduce your score further.

How long do hard inquiries stay on my credit report?

Hard inquiries remain on your credit report for up to two years, though their impact on your score generally fades within a few months.

Can I remove a hard inquiry from my credit report?

You cannot remove a legitimate, authorized hard inquiry. However, unauthorized or fraudulent inquiries can be disputed and potentially removed.

How do I dispute an unauthorized hard inquiry?

1. Review your credit report from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

2. Contact the creditor who made the inquiry and request proof of your authorization.

3. If needed, file a dispute with the credit bureau(s) and provide supporting documentation.

What should I do if I suspect identity theft?

You should:

• Place a fraud alert with one of the credit bureaus (they will notify the others).

• Consider a credit freeze to block new inquiries.

• Monitor your credit for further suspicious activity.

How can I minimize hard inquiries in the future?

• Apply for credit only when necessary.

• Use lenders’ pre-qualification tools that trigger soft pulls.

• Space out applications to avoid multiple inquiries at once.

• Monitor your credit report regularly.

Where can I get a free copy of my credit report?

Visit AnnualCreditReport.com – the official site authorized by the U.S. government to provide free annual credit reports from all three bureaus.

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Reviewed and edited by Albert Fang.

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Article Title: How to Remove Hard Inquiries

https://fangwallet.com/2025/06/19/hard-inquiries-removal/

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