How to Remove Inquires From Your Credit Report

A hard inquiry occurs when a lender or creditor requests to see your credit report before approving your credit application. It stays on your credit report for up to two years and can negatively affect your credit score. Removing hard inquiries from your credit report can improve your credit score. Here's how to do it:

1.Check for inaccurate or unauthorized inquiries

The first step is to check your credit report for any unauthorized or inaccurate hard inquiries. If you find any, dispute them with the credit bureau reporting the inquiry. You can do this by submitting a dispute letter, along with any supporting documentation, to the credit bureau.

2.Request removal from the creditor

If the hard inquiry is accurate, but you believe it shouldn't be there, you can contact the creditor who made the inquiry and request that they remove it from your credit report. Be prepared to provide a good reason why the inquiry should be removed, such as if you didn't authorize the inquiry or if you were not aware of it.

3. Wait for the hard inquiry to drop off

If the hard inquiry is accurate and you can't get it removed, you'll have to wait for it to drop off your credit report. Hard inquiries typically stay on your credit report for up to two years, but their impact on your credit score diminishes over time. In the meantime, focus on making on-time payments and keeping your credit utilization low to improve your credit score.

It's important to note that removing hard inquiries from your credit report will not have a significant impact on your credit score. Payment history, credit utilization, and length of credit history are the most significant factors that affect your credit score.