Remove hard inquiries from credit

The difference between hard and soft inquiries

Certain businesses check your credit when you make an application for services with them. Reviewing your credit allows these businesses to determine whether you qualify for the type of account you're applying for. Credit card companies, lenders, utility companies, and insurance companies are just a few of the businesses that routinely check credit as part of their application process. The credit bureaus keep a record of all the businesses that have requested your credit report or your credit score. This record is listed in a section of your credit report called Inquiries.

By Mike Pearson. If you want to get a hard inquiry removed from your credit report, you're going to have to jump through a few hoops first and put in some work, and it can be a confusing process if you've never done it before. There are two primary ways to get a hard inquiry removed from your credit report:. For DIY credit inquiry removal, you are doing all the work—it's a somewhat laborious process, but it could end up raising your credit score, and it won't cost you a dime. To help guide us through the complicated world or credit inquiries, we've enlisted the help of Leslie H.