What Is a Hard Credit Inquiry?

Short answer

A hard credit inquiry is a lender pulling your credit report to decide on an application, and for most people one extra hard inquiry costs less than five FICO points, with newer FICO versions counting all mortgage inquiries within 45 days as a single inquiry (myFICO, as of November 2026). A soft inquiry, like checking your own credit, does not affect your score at all.

Definition

A credit check made by a lender because you applied for credit. It appears on your report and can affect your score. A soft inquiry, such as a pre-screen, an account review or checking your own report, does not affect your score.

Worked example

Example only: you apply with three mortgage lenders over 10 days in March. Newer FICO models count those as one inquiry, and FICO ignores mortgage inquiries less than 30 days old, so a score pulled in early April is not hurt by them. Shopping that stretches over two months can count as more than one inquiry.

How much a hard inquiry really hurts

• New credit is 10% of a FICO Score.
• One more hard inquiry usually costs less than five points.
• An inquiry can stay on your report up to 24 months, but FICO counts it for only 12 months.
• Mortgage, auto and student loan inquiries get rate-shopping treatment: 45 days in newer FICO versions, 14 days in older ones. Some mortgage lenders still use older versions, so keep shopping within about two weeks to be safe.

The CFPB gives the same advice: inquiries for the same type of loan within 14 to 45 days are generally treated as one.

Smart ways to shop for a mortgage

A broker can compare many lenders from one credit report, which keeps inquiries down. Avoid opening new cards or financing furniture between pre-approval and closing, since lenders recheck credit before funding. If a score is close to a pricing tier, ask about a rapid rescore.

In South Florida

South Florida buyers used to get flooded with calls and texts within hours of a mortgage credit pull, from "trigger leads" sold by the credit bureaus. The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act, signed September 5, 2025, took effect March 5, 2026. It limits trigger leads: a bureau can only send one to a company that has your documented consent, originated or services your current mortgage, or holds a current account with you, and it must be used for a firm offer of credit (as of November 2026). You can also opt out of pre-screened offers at optoutprescreen.com.