How many points will credit score drop with inquiry?

Impact of Credit Inquiries on Credit Score

A credit inquiry is a request by a lender to access your credit report. While it’s essential for lenders to assess your creditworthiness, it can also have a short-term impact on your credit score.

Hard Inquiries vs. Soft Inquiries

There are two types of credit inquiries: hard inquiries and soft inquiries. Hard inquiries are made when you apply for a loan, credit card, or other type of credit. Soft inquiries occur when you check your own credit report or when a lender pre-approves you for an offer.

Impact of Hard Inquiries

Hard inquiries can temporarily lower your credit score by a few points. According to FICO, a hard inquiry typically results in a drop of around five points. This is because hard inquiries are considered a new type of credit application, which can indicate a higher risk of default.

Impact of Credit History

The impact of a hard inquiry on your credit score can vary depending on the strength of your credit history. Individuals with a strong credit history, such as a high credit score and a history of timely payments, may experience a smaller drop in their score. This is because lenders may weigh recent hard inquiries less heavily when making a lending decision.

Temporary Nature of the Impact

The negative impact of a hard inquiry on your credit score is typically temporary. Most scoring models will remove the inquiry from your credit report after two years. As you continue to make timely payments and build a strong credit history, the impact of the inquiry will diminish over time.

Conclusion

While credit inquiries can have a small impact on your credit score, it’s important to remember that this impact is usually temporary. If you have a strong credit history, the effect of a hard inquiry will be less pronounced. By maintaining a healthy credit profile and avoiding excessive hard inquiries, you can minimize the potential impact on your credit score.