What kind of credit inquiry has no effect on my credit score?

Credit scoring models also take into account that consumers shop around for the best rate on a loan or credit, and they don’t penalize you for comparison shopping. When a lender requests a copy of your credit report, it’s called a credit inquiry. Scoring models generally count multiple credit inquiries as one credit inquiry as long as they take place within a reasonably short period of time.

In general, credit inquiries within 14 to 45 days of each other for the same type of loan will be treated as no more than a single inquiry. For the most common credit scoring models, student loan, auto loan and mortgage-related inquiries that occur 30 days prior to scoring have no effect at all on your credit score. In addition, when your existing creditors check your credit report, it should not hurt your score.

If your comparison shopping goes beyond 45 days – or if you’re shopping for two different types of loans such as a mortgage loan and an auto loan – it generally counts as multiple credit inquiries, and it can negatively impact your credit score.

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