Your credit report holds the details of your financial life—what you’ve borrowed, how you’ve paid it back, and who’s taken a look. But not everyone has the right to access it.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), only certain people or companies can check your credit report, and often, they need your permission to do it. Knowing who’s allowed to pull your credit—and spotting when something looks off—can help you protect your identity and keep your credit score on track.
Key Takeaways
- Certain lenders, employers, insurers, landlords, and government agencies can access your credit report under specific conditions.
- The Fair Credit Reporting Act outlines when your permission is required and when access is allowed without it.
- Checking your credit report regularly helps you catch unauthorized activity and gives you the chance to dispute errors before they cause damage.
How to See Who Has Viewed Your Credit Report
You can check who’s pulled your credit report by reviewing the “Inquiries” section at the end of your credit report. This section lists all credit checks from the past two years. To access it, request your free annual credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. Look for any names or companies you don’t recognize—those could signal unauthorized activity.
Who is legally allowed to check your credit report?
Most of the names on your credit report should be familiar. But if something looks off, it helps to know who’s legally allowed to access your information and when they’re required to get your permission. Here’s a breakdown of who can check your credit report and why.
Banks & Lenders
When you apply for a loan or mortgage, the lender will pull your credit report to assess your risk as a borrower. This is a hard inquiry. If you shop around for the best rate, multiple inquiries may show up, but credit scoring models often treat them as one—if they’re made within a short timeframe.
Credit Card Companies
Any time you apply for a new credit card, the issuer will perform a hard inquiry. This includes store cards and promotional offers. Most companies ask for your permission during the application process, but the law doesn’t always require it.
Insurance Companies
Insurance providers can check your credit report when you apply for coverage or renew an existing policy. They don’t need your consent. These are usually soft inquiries and won’t affect your credit score, but they help insurers decide how much to charge.
Employers
A potential employer can only check your credit report if you give written permission. This typically happens during the job application process—especially for roles involving financial responsibility. If you say no, they may choose not to move forward with your application.
Debt Collectors
Debt collection agencies can access your credit report to locate you or evaluate whether you’re likely to pay. Some states limit this access, so it’s worth checking your local laws. If a debt collector pulls your report, and you’re not actively in collections, you should ask questions.
Landlords
Many landlords check your credit report before approving a rental application. It helps them assess whether you’re likely to pay rent on time. These are usually hard inquiries and don’t always require your permission, though some landlords will let you know upfront.
Utility & Phone Companies
When you sign up for ongoing service—like internet, phone, or electricity—the company may run a credit check. Some are soft inquiries, but others are hard. These can affect your credit score and may be worth trying to remove if you didn’t agree to them.
Government Agencies
Certain agencies can pull your credit report for legal or administrative reasons. This might include checking eligibility for public benefits, verifying income for child support, or tracking down contact details. They can also access your report under a court order.
Quick Reference: Who Can Legally Access Your Credit Report
Here’s a quick-reference table that shows who can access your credit report, whether they need your permission, and how the inquiry affects your credit.
| Entity | Can Access Without Permission? | Type of Inquiry | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banks and Lenders | Yes (if you apply) | Hard | Treated as one inquiry if rate shopping within a short timeframe |
| Credit Card Companies | Sometimes | Hard or Soft | Applications = hard inquiry; pre-approvals = soft |
| Insurance Companies | Yes | Usually Soft | Used for underwriting; may impact pricing |
| Employers | No | Soft | Must have your written consent |
| Debt Collectors | Yes (with permissible purpose) | Soft | Can vary by state; used to locate you or assess collectability |
| Landlords | Yes | Typically Hard | Often require credit checks for lease applications |
| Utility and Phone Companies | Sometimes | Hard or Soft | Varies by provider and type of service |
| Government Agencies | Yes (in specific cases) | Varies | Includes court orders, benefits eligibility, or law enforcement reasons |
| You (the consumer) | Yes | Soft | Checking your own report never affects your credit score |
Tip: Not all credit checks require your consent, but any hard inquiry will show up on your credit report and may affect your credit score. Check your reports often to keep an eye on who’s accessing your information.
Hard Inquiries vs. Soft Inquiries
Not all credit checks are created equal. Here’s the difference:
- Hard inquiries – These show up when you apply for credit and can lower your credit score by a few points. They stay on your credit report for two years and require either explicit or implied permission.
- Soft inquiries – These include employer checks (with consent), pre-approved offers, or pulling your own credit report. They don’t affect your credit score and usually don’t need your permission.
How to Spot and Dispute Unauthorized Credit Checks
If you find a credit inquiry you didn’t authorize, take action right away.
- Dispute the inquiry – Contact the credit bureau reporting the inquiry and file a dispute. If it can’t be verified, it must be removed.
- Check your report regularly – You’re entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus. Use these to keep an eye on any new activity.
Why You Should Check Your Own Credit Report
Checking your own credit report is one of the easiest ways to catch fraud and stay in control of your financial health. If someone gets hold of your Social Security number, they could open accounts in your name without you knowing—until it’s too late.
You’re entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus. Some states even let you request them more often. If you want more frequent access, many credit monitoring services let you check daily.
Pulling your own credit report is considered a soft inquiry, so it never affects your credit score.
How Credit Inquiries Affect Your Credit Score
Credit inquiries can lower your credit score, but the impact depends on how many you have and how close together they happen.
A single hard inquiry—like applying for a loan or credit card—typically lowers your credit score by about five points. That’s not a big deal by itself, but multiple inquiries in a short time can add up. If you apply for several credit cards or loans over a few months, your score could drop by 50 points or more.
The good news: credit scoring models usually group together multiple inquiries for the same type of loan—like a mortgage or auto loan—if they happen within a 14–45 day window. They count as one, which helps when you’re rate shopping.
Hard inquiries affect your credit score for 12 months and stay on your credit report for two years. If you’re planning a big purchase, be mindful of how your credit activity might look to lenders.
How to Handle Unauthorized Credit Inquiries
If you see a credit inquiry you don’t recognize, don’t ignore it. It could be a mistake—or a sign that someone is trying to open credit in your name.
Start by contacting the credit bureau that shows the inquiry. File a dispute and ask them to investigate. If the company that pulled your credit can’t prove they had permission, the bureau must remove the inquiry.
You can also add a fraud alert or freeze your credit if you suspect identity theft. This makes it harder for anyone to open new accounts using your information.
Final Thoughts
Knowing who can access your credit report—and when they need your permission—is one of the best ways to protect your credit.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to see who’s checking your report and to dispute any inquiry that doesn’t belong. Make it a habit to review your credit reports regularly and follow up on anything suspicious.
Your credit report tells lenders your financial story. Make sure it’s accurate—and that you’re the one writing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information is required to pull a credit report?
To request a credit report, most companies must provide your full name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. This ensures the credit bureau matches the request to the correct file.
Can I stop companies from checking my credit without permission?
You can’t block all access, but placing a credit freeze with each bureau stops new credit accounts from being opened in your name. It also prevents most hard inquiries. You’ll need to temporarily lift the freeze if you plan to apply for credit.
Can someone check your credit without your Social Security number?
Not usually. Most credit bureaus require your Social Security number to match the request with the correct credit file. Without it, a full report typically can’t be pulled.
Is there a limit to how many times your credit can be pulled?
There’s no set limit, but multiple hard inquiries in a short period can lower your credit score and raise concerns with lenders. Soft inquiries don’t affect your score, no matter how often they happen.
