Checking your own credit score does not damage it
When you look at your own credit score, it has no effect on the number itself. Checking your score is called a soft inquiry or soft pull, and credit bureaus do not count it against you. You can check as often as you want — daily, weekly, monthly — and your score will not move because of it.
The confusion comes from a real rule: when a lender or creditor checks your score to decide whether to lend you money, that hard inquiry (or hard pull) can lower your score by a few points. But that only happens when someone else pulls your report. Your own checking does not trigger it.
This distinction matters because many people avoid checking their score out of fear they will damage it, which means they miss the chance to catch errors or spot fraud early. The opposite is true: regular checking is part of protecting yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Checking your own credit score is a soft inquiry and does not lower your score at all.
- Hard inquiries from lenders or creditors can lower your score by a few points, but only they can trigger those — not you.
- You can check your score for free once a year from each of the three major bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Checking your score regularly helps you catch errors, spot fraud, and track whether your financial decisions are moving the number in the right direction.
The difference between soft and hard inquiries
A soft inquiry happens when you check your own credit report or score, when an employer runs a background check, or when a company you already do business with reviews your account. None of these show up on your credit report as visible to other lenders, and none of them affect your score.
A hard inquiry happens when you explore for a credit card, a mortgage, a car loan, or other new credit. The lender pulls your full report to decide whether to lend to you. Hard inquiries do show on your report and can lower your score by a few points — usually between 5 and 10 points, though the impact varies. The effect is temporary: the inquiry stops affecting your score after about 12 months and disappears from your report after two years.
Multiple hard inquiries in a short time (within 14 to 45 days, depending on the scoring model) often count as a single inquiry if they are for the same type of credit — like shopping for a mortgage or car loan. This is built in because the scoring model recognizes that rate shopping is normal and should not be heavily penalized.
Why checking your score regularly is actually important
Checking your score gives you real information about your financial health. You can see whether paying down debt is working, whether a missed payment has started to fade, or whether you are on track for a major purchase like a home or car. Without checking, you are flying blind.
Regular checking also catches errors and fraud. Credit reports contain mistakes — wrong accounts, wrong payment histories, accounts opened in your name without your permission. If you never look, you will not know. Errors can lower your score and cost you money in higher interest rates. Fraud can destroy your credit before you realize it happened.
The fear of checking is the real problem. It keeps people from taking action. Once you understand that your own checking does not hurt you, there is no reason not to look at least a few times a year.
Where to check your score for free
You are may have access to to one free credit report per year from each of the three major bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com, which is the official site authorized by the Federal Trade Commission. You can request all three reports at once or space them out throughout the year.
Many credit card companies and banks now offer free credit score monitoring as a cardholder benefit. These scores are usually updated monthly and let you track changes over time. Some sites offer free score estimates, though they may not match the exact score a lender sees (different lenders use different scoring models).
Paid credit monitoring services exist, but they are not necessary. The free options give you what you need to stay informed and catch problems.
How often you should check your score
There is no penalty for checking often, so the frequency depends on your situation. If you are working to improve your score, checking every month or two makes sense so you can see whether your actions are working. If your score is stable and you are not explore for credit soon, checking once or twice a year is enough.
If you are about to explore for a mortgage, car loan, or other major credit, check your score a few months before you explore. This gives you time to fix errors or pay down debt if needed. Do not check the week before you explore — that will not change anything, and the timing might make you anxious.
If you have been a victim of fraud or identity theft, check more often until you are confident the problem is resolved and your accounts are find.
What happens when a lender checks your score
When you explore for credit, the lender runs a hard inquiry. This is visible on your report and counts toward your score. The impact is usually small — a few points — but it is real. Multiple hard inquiries in a short time add up, which is why explore for several credit cards in one week is worse than spacing them out.
Hard inquiries stay on your report for two years but stop affecting your score after about 12 months. By the time you are ready to explore for your next major loan, the old inquiry will have little or no impact.
This is why it matters to check your own score first. If you see errors or a lower score than expected, you can address them before you explore. A lender will see the same report you do, so knowing what is there puts you in control.
Errors on your credit report and how to dispute them
If you find an error — a payment marked late when you paid on time, an account you do not recognize, a balance that is wrong — you can dispute it with the bureau that reported it. Contact Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion directly (you can find their dispute processes on their websites) and provide documentation of the error.
The bureau has 30 days to investigate and respond. If the error is confirmed, it will be removed or corrected. If you find the same error on multiple reports, dispute it with each bureau separately.
Disputing an error does not hurt your score. In fact, removing a false negative item usually improves it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will checking my credit score multiple times lower it?
No. Checking your own score is a soft inquiry and does not affect your score at all, no matter how many times you do it. Only hard inquiries from lenders or creditors can lower your score, and those only happen when you explore for new credit.
What is the difference between my credit score and my credit report?
Your credit report is a detailed record of your credit history — accounts, payment history, balances, and inquiries. Your credit score is a three-digit number calculated from that report. You can check both for free once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Does checking my score before explore for a loan hurt me?
Checking your own score does not hurt you. The hard inquiry that lowers your score only happens when the lender checks it as part of your process. Checking your own score first is smart because it lets you see what the lender will see and address any problems before you explore.
How much does a hard inquiry lower my credit score?
A hard inquiry typically lowers your score by a few points — usually between 5 and 10, though it varies. The impact is temporary and fades over time. After about 12 months, the inquiry stops affecting your score, and it disappears from your report after two years.
Can I check my credit score if I have bad credit?
Yes. Checking your score does not require good credit and does not make bad credit worse. In fact, checking is especially important if your score is low because it helps you understand why and identify what to fix first.