Credit Checks
Who checks your credit, and how hard and soft checks work
This guide is general educational information for U.S. readers. It is not financial advice and does not describe your individual credit file. Figures such as score ranges and timeline estimates are typical examples, not promises.
Guides in this topic
Credit Check vs Credit Report: What Is the Difference
A credit check and a credit report are not the same thing. Learn who can request each one, what each contains, and how lenders use them in lending…
Credit Checks for Renting: How Apartments Verify You
Learn how a credit check for renting works: what landlords see, what screening companies review, and how a credit check for apartments differs from…
Does a Credit Check Affect Your Credit Score? Explained
Hard and soft credit checks affect credit scores differently. Learn which inquiries appear on your credit report, how long each type lasts, and what…
Hard Credit Check Meaning: What Counts as a Hard Pull
Find out what a hard credit check is, which applications trigger a hard pull, how long hard inquiries stay on a report, and how they differ from…
Hard vs Soft Credit Check: What the Difference Means
Learn the difference between a hard and soft credit check, when each is used, how long inquiries stay on a credit report, and how scoring models…
How Are Hard Inquiries Removed From a Credit Report?
Hard inquiries stay on a credit report for about two years. Learn how disputes, errors, and unauthorized checks are handled under the Fair Credit…
How Employment Credit Checks Work: What Employers See
An employment credit check is a background credit check an employer may run after a conditional job offer. Learn your rights under the FCRA and how…
How Long Do Hard Inquiries Stay on a Credit Report?
Hard inquiries typically remain on a credit report for two years. Learn when they fall off, what they are, and how they are counted in your credit…
How to Check Your Credit Report and What to Look For
How to check your credit report from all three nationwide agencies, what each section shows, and how disputes, fraud alerts, and freezes work under…
How to Check Your Credit Score: Free and Paid Routes
Learn how to check your credit score for free, which sources provide scores, what FICO and VantageScore ranges mean, and how score factors are…
Landlord and Tenant Credit Checks: How They Work Explained
Learn how landlord and tenant credit checks work under the FCRA: what screening reports show, how rental credit checks are run, and your consumer…
Soft Credit Check Examples and What a Soft Pull Shows
A soft credit check, or soft pull, does not affect credit scores. Learn the soft credit check meaning, common examples, and how it differs from a…
What Are Credit Check Companies and How Do They Work?
Credit check companies include consumer reporting agencies and verification services. Learn how they work, who uses them, and your rights under the…
What Is a Credit Check? Definition and Uses Explained
A credit check is a review of your credit report by a lender, landlord, or employer. Learn what a credit check shows and how it differs from a…
Who Can Check Your Credit? Permissible Purpose Rules
Who is allowed to check your credit? Learn what permissible purpose means under the FCRA, who can pull your report, and how to read hard vs soft…
Related terms
- Background Check
- Credit Check Company
- Credit Pull
- Inquiry
- Permissible Purpose
- Rental Credit Check
- Soft Credit Check
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