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How Many Hard Credit Inquiries Are Too Many?

3 min read

Last Updated: February 21, 2025

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

Any hard credit inquiry may alter your credit score and having multiple hard inquiries in a short time may increase this likelihood.
Multiple credit card inquiries may signal to lenders that you’re over-extended and a risky borrower.

Applying for a credit card, home loan, or auto loan typically results in a hard credit inquiry. Also called a hard credit pull, this is when the lender requests a copy of your credit report to evaluate the risk associated with your credit history.

You might wonder if shopping around for the credit deals can affect your credit. The short answer is yes. But it depends on how many inquiries a credit bureau receives and the type of inquiry.

What is a hard inquiry vs. a soft inquiry?

Credit inquiries can have an effect on your credit score, but not all inquiries are the same, and it’s important to know the difference.

Soft Inquiry. Soft inquiries will not affect your credit score. A soft inquiry (sometimes called a “soft credit pull” or “soft credit check”) is a review of your credit report that isn’t associated with an application for credit. When a credit card issuer offers prequalification, for example, they usually conduct a soft credit inquiry.
Hard Inquiry. A hard inquiry (sometimes called a “hard credit pull” or “hard credit check”) is a review of your credit report that’s associated with an application for new credit. This type of inquiry will affect your credit score.

Did you know?

Each hard credit inquiry can have a small impact on your credit score. Many inquiries over a short time period can have a greater impact on your credit score than just one.

The overall impact to a credit score depends on the situation and credit scoring model. In general, a single inquiry may take less than five points off your credit score (assuming it’s a hard credit check).

So, if you’re trying to open multiple credit cards or other new credit accounts in a short period of time (like a mortgage, personal loan, or a car loan), it might look like you’re a greater credit risk than before.

How long do hard inquiries last?

Each hard credit check remains on your credit report for two years, but some credit score models only consider the last 12 months.

It’s important to keep track of how many times you apply for credit so you can potentially reduce the risk of credit rejection.

See what Discover offers you could be pre-approved for with no harm to your credit score.¹

The bottom line

Hard credit inquiries can affect your credit, but typically the impact to your score will be minimal for a single hard credit inquiry. But if you’re applying for many different types of credit, rate shopping to find the right credit card issuer can have a greater impact on your credit history. If you’d like to request your credit report for free and how many hard inquiries you have, go to AnnualCreditReport.com.

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