Your credit score isn’t static—it shifts month to month. It reflects your ability to manage debt and financial habits like payments, credit usage, and transactions. 

While changes in credit score are usually tied to your actions, errors can sometimes creep into your credit report. If you’ve recently noticed an unexpected drop, even by just a few points, an unauthorized credit inquiry might be the reason.

Credit inquiries occur whenever a lender requests your credit history from one of the major credit reporting companies. These inquiries, while routine, can have a small but negative effect on your credit; they typically remain on your report for up to two years. They indicate how frequently you’ve applied for credit and help lenders assess your financial responsibility and risk.

The good news? Not all inquiries are permanent. Unauthorized or unapproved credit inquiries can often be disputed and removed to improve credit scores. 

Anyone keen to remove inquiries from their credit reports can submit a formal credit inquiry removal letter or dispute the entry online. A credit repair company can simplify the process from start to end. 

Types of Credit Inquiries and the Difference Between Them

Hard Inquiries

This type of credit inquiries occur when you apply for new credit—like a car loan, personal loan, credit card, or mortgage. 

Lenders conduct a detailed review of your credit report to evaluate your creditworthiness. This process, often referred to as a "hard credit check" or "hard pull," is a standard part of applying for credit. 

Each hard inquiry is recorded on your credit report. So if you are keen to improve your credit score by removing inquiries from your credit report, this is the type of inquiry that you need to focus on. 

Soft Inquiries

Soft inquiries are less formal and don’t impact your credit score. 

They happen when people are checking their own scores or when a lender conducts a pre-approval check for an offer. A soft credit inquiry is like a quick glance at your credit history.

How Do Credit Inquiries Affect My Credit Score?

Hard inquiries can influence your credit score. Each one may lower your score by a few points, and multiple inquiries in a short time might signal financial instability to lenders. 

But, when you’re shopping for rates on a mortgage or car loan, credit scoring models often treat multiple inquiries within a 14- to 45-day window as a single inquiry.

Soft inquiries, meanwhile, are harmless and do not affect your score.

How Long Do Hard Inquiries Remain Relevant?

Hard inquiries affect your credit score for a relatively short period—typically six months to a year. Their impact reduces over time. 

Hard inquiries show up on your credit report for up to two years, after which they are automatically removed.

How Long Does It Take to Remove a Hard Inquiry from My Credit Report?

If the hard inquiry is legitimate, it will remain on your report for the full two years. However, if you have reasons to believe that an inquiry appearing on your report is inaccurate or unauthorized, you have the right to challenge it. 

The dispute process usually takes about 30 days, though it might extend depending on the situation. You can dispute such credit report errors on your own or you can rely on a trusted credit repair company. 

Common Reasons Why My Credit Report Might Have Hard Inquiries

Hard inquiries appear for various reasons, including: