Does Checking Your FICO (Fair Isaac) Score Lower It?

Checking your own FICO score never lowers it because the inquiry is classified as a soft pull, which does not affect the scoring models at all. Only hard inquiries - those initiated by a lender when you apply for credit - can cause a temporary dip of a few points, typically lasting up to 12 months even though the record remains on your report for two years. For example, a mortgage application might generate a hard pull that nudges a 720 score down to 715, but the impact fades as the inquiry ages.

Understanding this distinction is crucial before you move on to the next section, which explains whether a lender's pull counts as soft or hard.

Checking your own FICO score always creates a soft inquiry; only a lender‑initiated request counts as a hard inquiry.

A soft inquiry appears on your credit report but never changes your FICO score. It includes self‑checks through myFICO, free‑credit apps, employer or landlord pre‑approval screens, and any request you make for informational purposes. A hard inquiry also appears on the report, stays for two years, and can temporarily lower your score by a few points for up to twelve months.

Typical soft examples: logging into a credit‑monitoring website, using a budgeting app that shows your score, or an employer running a background check. Typical hard examples: submitting an application for a credit card, auto loan, mortgage, or a tenant‑screening service that requests a full credit pull. Pre‑qualification forms that state 'no impact on your score' are designed to generate a soft pull. For more details see FICO's guide to credit inquiries.

Yes, a lender‑initiated pull registers as a hard inquiry and can temporarily lower your FICO score.

Hard inquiries typically knock 5 - 10 points off your FICO score, stay on your report for two years, and influence scoring models for up to twelve months. The dip is usually short‑lived; if you're rate‑shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, or student loan, the multiple hard pulls made within a short window are treated as a single inquiry - see when you shop rates, multiple hard pulls count as one.

This built‑in cushion means the overall impact remains modest, especially compared with the zero‑point effect of soft checks discussed earlier.

When you shop for rates, most FICO models treat all hard pulls made within a short window as a single inquiry. The window is typically 30 days for older FICO versions and up to 45 days for the newest models, so the score sees only one deduction even if three lenders pull your report.

1. Choose the loan type - mortgages, auto loans and credit‑card offers all qualify for rate‑shopping treatment.
2. Set a time frame - submit all applications within the same 30‑ or 45‑day period; extra pulls after the window will count separately.
3. Use the same credit bureau - lenders that pull from the same bureau (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) enable the 'single inquiry' rule.
4. Review offers before the window ends - decide which rate you like while the window is still open, then stop applying.

Remember, each hard pull stays on your credit report for two years, but only the first one in the shopping window can temporarily lower your FICO score for up to twelve months. This understanding leads directly into the next section on how long hard inquiries remain on your report.

A hard inquiry stays on your credit report for two years, but it only drags down your FICO score for the first twelve months. After the first year the effect fades, even though the record remains visible until the two‑year mark.

During that year the score dip is usually small and disappears as the inquiry ages. By the time the twelve‑month window closes, you can keep shopping for loans without worrying about additional impact - your next section explains how often you can safely check your FICO.

You can check your FICO score as often as you want - self‑checks generate a soft inquiry and never lower the score. Because they're soft, they don't appear on your credit report and have zero impact, so unlimited checks are safe; the only limitation comes from the free‑service provider, which may cap you at one or two checks per month. (Hard inquiries from lenders are a different story - they stay on your report for two years and may affect your score for up to 12 months.)

• Use your credit‑card or bank portal, which usually offers a free monthly update.
• Download the official FICO app; the trial gives you one free score per month.
• Set a quarterly reminder to review trends rather than obsess over daily changes.
• If you need more frequent monitoring, consider a paid service but know it isn't required for score health.
• Never request a hard pull yourself unless you're applying for credit; that's the only check that can temporarily dip your score.

• Use the free 'soft‑pull' score provided by your credit‑card issuer's online portal (e.g., Capital One, Discover); soft inquiries never dent your FICO score (see section 2).
• Sign up for a reputable free‑score app that reports via a soft inquiry, such as Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.
• Log into the official MyFICO site and view your 'soft‑pull' preview; it does not affect the score.
• Download your free annual credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com and use a companion score tool that runs a soft pull.
• Request a 'pre‑approval' check from a lender that explicitly uses a soft inquiry; many auto and mortgage lenders offer this without harming your FICO score.

You can view your FICO score instantly without triggering a hard inquiry by using services that rely on soft pulls.

• myFICO app and website - the official FICO source; a soft inquiry reveals up to three FICO scores (versions 2, 8, 9). Free trial available; full access requires a subscription.
• Experian free FICO Score - creates a soft pull when you register; shows your FICO Score 8 on the Experian portal and mobile app. No credit‑card requirement.
• Credit.com free FICO Score - after a simple sign‑up, provides a soft‑pull FICO Score 8 along with personalized tips.
• Discover cardholder FICO Score - available to any Discover account holder; a soft inquiry displays a FICO Score 30 (and often versions 8 and 9) in the online dashboard.

These tools let you monitor your FICO score safely, keeping the inquiry soft and the impact on your credit nil, which sets the stage for understanding why the specific FICO version you see matters.

You see the version that the reporting platform or lender has chosen to pull; most free consumer sites default to FICO Score 8, while many mortgage and auto lenders now use FICO Score 9 or the newer FICO Score 10/10T. Some credit‑monitoring apps let you toggle between versions, but the number shown always reflects the specific model that generated it.

Understanding which FICO version you're looking at matters because each model weights credit factors differently - version 9 reduces the impact of paid collections, and version 10T adds rent and utility payments. That means the same credit behavior can produce a higher or lower FICO score depending on the version, which in turn affects loan approval, interest‑rate offers, and how a hard inquiry will temporarily dent your score.

Knowing the version lets you interpret the number accurately and plan improvements that align with the model your lender uses. official FICO version guide

Hard inquiries can actually lower a FICO score, usually by five to ten points, and the effect spikes when several lenders pull the report within a few weeks. For example, a first‑time homebuyer who applied with three mortgage lenders saw a brief dip that slowed loan‑approval timing (Understanding how hard inquiries affect your FICO score).

If someone else pulls your FICO score without you initiating the check, it can lower your score. Whether it hurts you depends on the type of inquiry they use.

A hard inquiry - typical when a lender, landlord, or credit‑card issuer requests permission - will: • drop your score by a few points, • remain on your credit report for two years, • influence scoring models for up to twelve months. FICO's guide to inquiry types confirms these effects.

A soft inquiry - common for existing creditors reviewing an account or for pre‑approval offers - does not affect your score at all, so ask the requester which pull they intend before you give consent.

When a lender pulls credit for a co‑signer or a joint‑account holder, that pull registers as a hard inquiry on each person's credit file.

• The hard inquiry appears on both reports and remains for 2 years, but it only influences the FICO score for up to 12 months.
• Typical impact ranges from a 5‑ to 10‑point dip, depending on the individual's existing credit depth.
• If the same lender checks both parties for the same loan within the 45‑day rate‑shopping window, the inquiry is counted once for scoring purposes, yet it still shows up on each report.
• Paying off the loan does not erase the inquiry; it stays on the file for the full reporting period.
• To protect your score, co‑sign only when you can comfortably afford the debt and avoid stacking multiple co‑sign requests in a short time.
• For a deeper dive on how co‑signer inquiries affect credit, see how co‑signer inquiries affect credit.