Does Bank Of America Use FICO Credit Scores (Fair Isaac)?

Bank of America (BofA) relies on FICO scores for virtually every credit‑card, mortgage, auto‑loan and personal‑loan decision, pulling the applicant's Equifax, Experian and TransUnion reports. The bank typically looks at the most recent FICO 8 or FICO 9 score, and a low‑score reading from any bureau can trigger a denial or a higher interest rate.

When you submit an application BofA generates a hard pull, which appears on your credit report, while the pre‑qualification tools you'll see later use a soft pull that does not affect your score. This practice sets the stage for the next section, where we break down which FICO version and bureau BofA will use for you.

Bank of America pulls a single, product‑specific FICO version from a predetermined bureau, so it does not choose the highest consumer score.

• Credit cards and personal loans: usually Experian FICO Score 8
• Mortgage loans: FICO Score 2 (Equifax), FICO Score 4 (TransUnion), or FICO Score 5 (Equifax) - the versions required by Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac
• Auto loans: typically FICO Score 5 (Equifax) or Experian FICO Score 8

BofA runs a hard pull whenever you submit a formal application for a credit product  -  new credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, mortgages, or a credit‑limit increase that requires a full credit assessment; the inquiry records on your credit report and can affect your score.

BofA runs a soft pull for any pre‑qualification, rate‑shopping, or account‑management check that does not result in an immediate commitment, such as the online 'See if you're pre‑qualified' tool, a balance‑transfer offer, or a routine review of existing accounts; these inquiries stay off your credit report. This distinction sets the stage for the next section on which BofA products actually use the pulled FICO score.

Bank of America applies your FICO score to any product that requires a credit decision.

• Credit cards, including cash‑back, travel, and student‑focused cards, rely on a hard pull of your FICO 8 or 9 score.
• Mortgage loans (purchase, refinance, and HomeReady) use a hard inquiry of your FICO, typically from Experian or Equifax.
• Auto loans and lease financing trigger a hard pull of your FICO score from the bureau most favorable to BofA's risk model.
• Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC) and home equity loans require a hard FICO inquiry to determine eligibility and limits.
• Personal loans and unsecured installment loans pull your FICO score hard to set rates and approvals.
• Small business loans, including Business Advantage lines of credit, run a hard FICO pull (often using the business owner's personal score).

A higher FICO score improves your Bank of America (BofA) approval odds, but it never guarantees acceptance. BofA typically reviews a single FICO 8 (most credit‑card products) or FICO 9 (mortgages) from one bureau - Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion - according to internal policy, not the highest available number. Scores above 720 usually place you in a favorable tier, 660‑719 land you in a middle tier where income and debt‑to‑income become decisive, and below 660 signal higher risk and lower odds.

A hard pull/inquiry that BofA makes during an application can shave a few points off the reported FICO score, though the exact drop varies. Because BofA also weighs income, payment history, and overall debt load, a strong FICO score alone won't outweigh a weak credit profile. You'll learn which bureau's score was used in the next section, then you can fine‑tune the other factors that affect your chances.

BofA tells you the exact FICO score, version and bureau that powered your application. Look it up in your online account or by contacting the bank.

1. Log into Bank of America online banking and go to the 'Credit Score' or 'Credit Decisions' tab. The dashboard lists the FICO score used, the version (usually 8 or 9) and the bureau (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion).
2. If the score isn't displayed, download the 'Credit Decision Letter' from the same tab; the letter notes the bureau and version that supplied the score.
3. Match the date on the letter with a recent FICO report from the same bureau. The report will show the identical numeric value if you have that bureau's credit file.
4. Call BofA's credit‑inquiry line (1‑800‑727‑ATM (2686)) and ask, 'Which bureau and FICO version was used for my recent application?' A representative will confirm the details.
5. Keep a screenshot or PDF of the score information for future reference or dispute purposes.

Boost your FICO quickly by targeting the five credit‑score levers BofA looks at most often.

• Pay down revolving balances to bring overall utilization below 30 % (ideally under 10 %) on each card; lower utilization lifts the score instantly.
• Dispute any inaccurate items on your Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion report; a single correction can add 10‑20 points.
• Keep oldest credit‑line accounts open and active; age of credit heavily influences BofA's FICO calculations.
• Avoid new hard inquiries for at least six months before you apply; each hard pull can shave 5‑10 points.
• Request a credit‑limit increase on existing cards and use the extra capacity responsibly; a higher limit reduces utilization without extra debt.

BofA typically approves applicants whose FICO scores fall within product‑specific windows, and real‑world cases illustrate those brackets clearly.

• Cash‑Back Credit Card (Preferred Rewards): Approved with FICO 8/9 scores from 720 to 740 (hard pull). Applicants below 700 often receive a lower‑limit or a secured alternative.
• Travel Rewards Card (Travel Rewards®): Accepted with scores between 730 and 760; a 760+ score usually unlocks the highest credit limit and bonus offers.
• Auto Loan (new/used): Approved with scores ranging 660 to 700 (hard pull). Borrowers at 680 or higher tend to secure the most competitive APR.
• Mortgage (fixed‑rate 30‑yr): Typically requires a FICO 8/9 score of 680 to 720 for standard rates; scores above 720 qualify for the best rate tiers.
• Personal Loan (unsecured): Soft pull pre‑qualification shows eligibility at 700 plus; final approval after hard pull usually needs 720 or higher.

These examples show that while BofA uses the same FICO version across most products, the acceptable score range shifts upward for premium cards and downward for installment loans. Your existing BofA accounts can nudge the score into the optimal bracket, which the next section explores.

Existing Bank of America (BofA) accounts directly shape your FICO score because BofA reports payment activity, balances, and account status to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Every on‑time payment, each dollar of revolving debt, and the age of the account become part of the score's four major factors.

On‑time payments boost the 35 % payment‑history component, while high credit‑card balances raise the utilization ratio and can pull the score down. Keeping a long‑standing BofA card open preserves average account age, and holding both a BofA credit card and an installment loan (mortgage, auto, etc.) improves the credit‑mix factor. Closing an old BofA account or letting a balance climb will generally hurt your score.

BofA's soft pulls for balance checks or pre‑approval reviews do not affect the score, but a hard pull when you apply for a new BofA product does. That hard inquiry, plus the new account's early reporting, will temporarily lower the score before the account's positive activity can lift it again. Managing existing BofA accounts responsibly therefore keeps your FICO strong for future BofA decisions. How credit scores are calculated

Reporting on‑time rent and utility payments can add tradelines to a thin credit file, which may lift your mortgage FICO score once the data reaches the bureaus your lender checks.

1. Confirm a thin file - fewer than three revolving accounts or a short credit‑history length usually signals limited data.
2. Pick a reputable rent‑reporting service; options include Experian Boost for utility bills and RentReporters for monthly rent.
3. Link the chosen utility or authorize the rent‑payment platform to share each on‑time payment with Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.
4. Wait roughly 30 days for the bureau to post the new tradeline; check the update in the credit‑report pull you performed earlier.
5. Verify that the reported tradeline appears on the same bureau your mortgage lender will use (FICO 8, 9, 10 or 10T). If only one bureau shows the data, consider a service that reports to all three.
6. Monitor score changes; a single positive payment history can add 5‑15 points for thin files, though the exact boost varies by lender and FICO version.
7. Keep the reporting active - continuous on‑time rent and utility payments sustain the tradeline and prevent score regression.

(Next, explore how adding an authorized‑user status can further strengthen a thin file.)

Even if your FICO score sits below 620, you can still secure a BofA product by leveraging alternatives to a high number.

• Apply for the BankAmericard® credit card, which accepts fair‑to‑poor scores and weighs income and banking history more heavily (see the underwriting notes in section 5).
• Request a pre‑qualification through BofA's online portal; this triggers a soft pull and often reveals offers that a hard inquiry would not.
• Become an authorized user on a family member's BofA credit card; the primary's positive payment history lifts the household's overall risk profile.
• Use a co‑signer with a stronger FICO; the co‑signer's credit offsets your lower score during the hard pull.
• Leverage an existing BofA relationship - checking, savings, or mortgage accounts - to qualify for 'relationship discounts' that can compensate for a low score.