Hard inquiries typically remain on your credit report for up to two years before they naturally fall off
. However, their impact on your credit score usually lasts for only about one year; after that, they generally no longer affect your score even though they are still visible on the report
. A single hard inquiry may reduce your credit score by less than five points, and the effect tends to lessen over time, often becoming negligible after 3 to 6 months
. Multiple hard inquiries in a short period can have a greater impact, as they may signal financial risk to lenders
. If you find a hard inquiry on your credit report that you did not authorize or believe is incorrect, you have the right to dispute it with the credit bureaus, which can lead to its removal after investigation-typically within about 30 days
. In summary:
- Hard inquiries stay on credit reports for up to 2 years.
- They usually affect credit scores for only the first 12 months.
- The score impact is minor, often less than 5 points.
- Disputes can remove unauthorized or erroneous inquiries faster.
This information is consistent across multiple reputable sources including Experian, Capital One, NerdWallet, and Chase
