How to Remove Hard Inquiries From Your Credit Report

You checked your credit report and noticed a hard inquiry you don’t recognize. Now you’re wondering whether it can be removed and whether it is hurting your credit score.

Hard inquiries can lower your credit score by a few points, and several inquiries in a short period can raise concerns with lenders. Some inquiries can be removed, but only in specific situations.

This guide explains when hard inquiries can be removed, how to identify unauthorized activity, and what steps you can take to protect your credit score going forward.

Can You Really Remove Hard Inquiries?

In many cases, yes—but only if the issue involves an unauthorized credit inquiry or a reporting error.

A hard inquiry is one type of credit inquiry that appears when you apply for new credit and a lender checks your credit report. If an inquiry shows up and you did not apply for credit, you may be able to dispute it and have it removed. If you did apply, even if you never used the account, the inquiry is usually valid and will remain.

Here is a clear breakdown of what can and cannot be removed:

• Unauthorized inquiries: These result from errors or possible identity theft and can often be disputed successfully.
• Authorized inquiries: These are tied to applications you actually submitted and typically remain on your credit report for up to two years.

Disputing legitimate inquiries rarely works. The key is knowing which credit inquiries are worth challenging and which ones should be left alone.

What Is a Hard Inquiry on Your Credit Report?

Hard inquiries reflect recent credit activity and give lenders insight into how often you apply for new accounts. While they are common, timing and frequency matter more than the inquiry itself.

A single hard inquiry usually causes a small and temporary drop in your credit score, often less than five points. The impact becomes more noticeable when several inquiries appear close together, which can suggest increased borrowing risk.

Hard inquiries remain visible on your credit report for up to two years. However, credit scoring models generally factor them into your credit score for only the first 12 months.

When you are rate shopping for certain loans, such as auto loans or mortgages, credit scoring models often group multiple inquiries together if they occur within a short period. This allows you to compare offers without being penalized for each application, as long as you apply within the same shopping window, which typically ranges from 14 to 45 days depending on the scoring model.

How Hard Inquiries Affect Your Credit Score

Hard inquiries usually lower your credit score by a few points. On their own, they’re not a big deal. But if you rack up several in a short period, it can start to hurt—especially if your credit score is already borderline.

Too many hard inquiries can make it look like you’re desperate for credit or taking on too much debt at once. That’s the kind of thing lenders want to avoid.

Here’s what you need to know about how credit scoring models treat inquiries:

• Grouped inquiries count as one: If you’re shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, or student loan, scoring models often group multiple hard inquiries together—as long as they happen within a short time frame (usually 14 to 45 days). This encourages smart rate shopping.
• They affect your credit score for 12 months: A hard inquiry stays on your credit report for two years, but it only affects your credit score for the first year.
• Credit cards and other revolving credit don’t get grouped: If you apply for three credit cards in a week, you’ll likely get dinged three separate times.

If your credit score is borderline—for example, between 679 and 680—even a few points can make a difference. That’s when hard inquiries matter most.

How to Find and Dispute Unauthorized Inquiries

If there’s a hard inquiry on your credit report that you didn’t approve, it could be a reporting error—or a sign of identity theft. Either way, you’ll want to take action quickly.

Here’s how to find and dispute unauthorized credit inquiries:

1. Get Your Credit Reports

Start by pulling your credit reports from all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can get them for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the only site officially backed by the government.

2. Look for Hard Inquiries You Don’t Recognize

Check the “Inquiries” section on each report. Note the dates and names of any companies you don’t recognize or don’t remember authorizing.

If an inquiry looks suspicious or flat-out wrong, make a note of it. Some might show slightly different names (for example, a financing company behind a car dealership), so double-check anything you’re unsure about.

3. File a Dispute With Each Credit Bureau

You’ll need to file a separate dispute with each credit bureau reporting the inquiry. Here’s what to do:

• Write a credit dispute letter explaining that the inquiry was unauthorized and request its removal.
• Include supporting documents such as a copy of your ID and a copy of your credit report with the inquiry highlighted.
• Send your letter by certified mail to each credit bureau so you have proof it was received.

Want help writing the letter? Use our Credit Inquiry Removal Letter template to get started.

4. Wait for the Investigation

The credit bureaus have 30 days to investigate your claim. If they can’t confirm that the inquiry was authorized, they have to remove it.

Once the investigation is complete, you’ll get a response by mail or online. If the inquiry is removed, check your credit report again to make sure it’s actually gone.

Can You Remove a Legitimate Hard Inquiry?

If you applied for credit and a lender pulled your credit report, that’s a legitimate hard inquiry—and it’s probably staying put.

Credit bureaus don’t remove accurate information just because it’s inconvenient. But there are a few exceptions:

• If the lender pulled your credit without proper authorization
• If the inquiry was triggered by a pre-approval offer you didn’t accept
• If there was confusion or a clerical error

In those cases, it’s worth contacting the lender and asking them to remove the inquiry. You can also send a goodwill letter, politely explaining the situation and requesting that they ask the credit bureaus to delete the inquiry.

Just don’t count on success. Removing a legitimate hard inquiry is rare, and most lenders won’t bother unless a clear mistake was made.

Are Hard Inquiries Worth Worrying About?

Most of the time, hard inquiries aren’t a big deal. If the rest of your credit report looks good—no missed payments, low balances, and a decent credit history—then a few hard inquiries won’t ruin your credit score.

But there are situations where they matter more. Here’s when to care and when to ignore:

When to care:

• You’re applying for a major loan (like a mortgage) and your credit score is borderline
• You have several inquiries in a short period for different types of credit
• You’re trying to rebuild your credit and every point counts

When to ignore:

• You only have one or two recent inquiries
• You were rate shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, or student loan
• Your credit score is already strong, and you’re not applying for new credit soon

If you’re in the clear on those points, it’s usually better to leave the inquiries alone and focus on bigger issues—like paying down debt or catching up on missed payments.

How to Prevent Unauthorized Inquiries in the Future

If you’re tired of chasing down unauthorized inquiries, there are steps you can take to keep them from happening in the first place.

1. Freeze your credit – A credit freeze locks down your credit file so no one can access it without your permission. It’s free, and you can lift it anytime you need to apply for new credit.

2. Set up fraud alerts – A fraud alert tells lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new accounts. It won’t block access completely, but it adds a layer of protection.

3. Opt out of pre-screened credit offers – Go to OptOutPrescreen.com to stop getting pre-approved credit offers in the mail. This helps reduce the chance of someone opening an account in your name.

4. Be selective about credit applications – Only apply when you really need to. Don’t submit multiple credit card applications just to “see what you get.”

When to Consider Hiring a Credit Repair Company

If you’re only trying to remove one or two unauthorized hard inquiries, you probably don’t need professional help. But if your credit report has multiple issues—like collections, charge-offs, or several inquiries tied to identity theft—it might be worth working with a credit repair company.

A reputable credit repair service can help you dispute errors, deal with creditors, and save time by handling the back-and-forth for you. They’ll also keep things organized and push the credit bureaus to meet their legal deadlines, which can speed things up.

If you’re overwhelmed or just don’t want to deal with the hassle, hiring a professional could be a smart move.

Final Thoughts

Hard inquiries are a normal part of applying for credit, and in most cases, they’re nothing to stress about. Still, it’s smart to check your credit reports regularly and take action if you spot inquiries you didn’t authorize. Removing those can protect your credit score and may even help you catch early signs of identity theft.

If you’re dealing with multiple inquiries or other negative marks, focus on the items that carry more weight—like missed payments or high balances. Hard inquiries only affect your credit score for a year, and they fall off your credit report completely after two. In the meantime, you can protect yourself going forward by freezing your credit, reducing unnecessary applications, and keeping a close eye on your reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hard inquiries is too many?

There’s no magic number, but most lenders start raising eyebrows if they see more than three hard inquiries in a short period—especially if they’re for different types of credit. If you’re applying for several credit cards or loans at once, it can signal financial distress and hurt your chances of getting approved.

Do inquiries affect your credit score if you’re rate shopping?

If you’re rate shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, or student loan, credit scoring models typically treat multiple inquiries as a single hard inquiry—as long as they happen within a specific time window. For most models, that window is 14 to 45 days. This helps you compare rates without damaging your credit score.

Do inquiries hurt your score if you’re denied credit?

Yes. A hard inquiry affects your credit score whether you’re approved or denied. The scoring models only care that a lender accessed your credit report—they don’t factor in the outcome of the application. That’s why it’s a good idea to limit how often you apply, especially if you’re not sure you’ll get approved.

Does checking your credit hurt your credit score?

No. When you check your own credit, it’s considered a soft inquiry—and soft inquiries don’t affect your credit score at all. You can review your credit report or check your score as often as you want without doing any damage.

In fact, keeping an eye on your credit is one of the best ways to spot problems early and stay on top of your financial health.

List of Hard Credit Inquiries Found on Credit Reports