Understanding Credit Inquiries: When Do They Disappear and How to Protect Your Score

Credit inquiries can significantly impact your credit score, especially in the short term. However, they eventually disappear from your credit report. Understanding how long they persist and what you can do to protect your score is crucial for maintaining good financial health.

How Long Do Hard Inquiries Last?

Credit inquiries are a common part of the lending process, but how long do they affect your credit score and credit report? Typically, hard inquiries, which occur when a lender checks your credit for lending purposes, remain on your credit report for two years. However, their impact diminishes over time, with the most significant impact being in the first few months. Soft inquiries, such as those for pre-approval offers, do not affect your credit score at all.

Hard Inquiries vs. Soft Inquiries

Hard Inquiries: These inquiries have a more significant impact on your credit score. They indicate that you are actively seeking credit, and as a result, they can lower your score temporarily. However, this impact decreases over time, with most of the effect being felt during the first 12 months. An authorized hard inquiry stays on your credit report for two years but only impacts your score during the first 12 months.

Soft Inquiries: These inquiries do not affect your credit score. Banks and credit issuers may check your credit for marketing purposes or other non-lending reasons. Such inquiries are marked as soft and do not impact your score unless you specifically sign up for a service.

Authorized vs. Unauthorized Inquiries

Authorized hard inquiries, which you initiate by applying for credit, are a normal part of the borrowing process. UnAuthorized hard inquiries, on the other hand, may cause confusion and potential issues. If you find an unauthorized hard inquiry on your report, you can file a dispute and request it to be removed. Legitimate hard inquiries cannot be removed from your credit report, but they do fade away over time.

Protecting Your Credit Score from Unexpected Hard Inquiries

While it's important to understand the nature of credit inquiries, you want to avoid unnecessary fluctuations in your credit score. Here are some tips to help you stay alert and protect your credit score:

Never Apply for Credit You Don't Need: Applying for credit when you don't need it can result in hard inquiries, which may temporarily lower your score. Be deliberate and mindful of your credit applications. Complete Shopping Shortly Before Applying: When you are in the process of taking out a loan, such as a mortgage or car loan, complete your shopping before applying. This can help reduce the number of hard inquiries on your credit report. Regularly Check Your Credit Report: Monitoring your credit report can help you identify any unauthorized inquiries. You can request a free report from the three major credit bureaus annually at

Persistence of Credit Inquiries

It's worth noting that hard inquiries may remain in the credit bureau database even if they are not showing up on your credit report. This can be the case for a variety of reasons, such as changes in the credit bureau's policies or system updates.

The credit inquiry period is typically 24 months, as most credit bureaus only show inquiries from the past 24 months. For example, if a credit inquiry was made in 2018, it would not appear on your credit report in 2021. While there is no specific regulation dictating this time period, 24 months is a common practice.

Impact on Your Credit Score

The impact of hard inquiries on your credit score generally diminishes after the first 12 to 18 months. While hard inquiries do have a temporary negative impact on your score, they do not have as significant an impact as your payment behavior. Payment history is one of the most critical factors in determining your credit score, followed by credit utilization and debt levels.

Over time, the effect of hard inquiries on your score will decrease, making it less important as a factor in lending decisions. However, it is still crucial to monitor your credit score and pay attention to any inquiries that may have an impact.

In conclusion, understanding the duration of credit inquiries and how to protect your credit score is essential for maintaining good financial health. By being mindful of your credit applications and regularly checking your credit report, you can keep your score on a positive path.