How Many Hard Credit Inquiries are Too Many? | Chase (2024)

When you apply for a credit card or a loan, your lender conducts a hard inquiry into your credit. Since hard inquiries affect your credit score and what is found may even affect approval, you might be wondering: How many inquiries is too many? The answer differs from lender to lender, but most consider six total inquiries on a report at one time to be too many to gain approval for an additional credit card or loan.

In this article, we will review:

  • What a hard credit inquiry is
  • What the difference is between hard and soft inquiries
  • How long hard inquiries stay on credit reports
  • If credit card applications are considered hard or soft inquiries
  • How hard inquiries affect your chances of getting a credit card

What is a hard credit inquiry?

A hard inquiry (also known as a “hard pull”) is a request by a lender to see your full credit report in order to help determine eligibility for loans and credit cards. Hard pulls are a necessary and unavoidable part of extending credit in most circ*mstances.

What is the difference between hard and soft credit inquiry?

Just as there are hard inquiries, there are also soft inquiries. There are few key differences between the two.

A hard inquiry affects your credit score, impacting it by a few points, while a soft inquiry does not. A hard inquiry is necessary for a lender to determine your APRs, credit limits and more, while a soft inquiry can be run for the purposes of pre-screens and as part of a background check.

Soft inquiries are sometimes used to help determine your pre-approval status for certain credit cards as well, however this is not the same as being approved for a credit card or loan.

How long do hard inquiries stay on my credit report?

Hard inquiries remain on your credit report for about two years. However, this does not necessarily mean they will hurt your credit score for this long. Generally speaking, the effects of a hard pull on your credit score are not significant and the impact usually lessens over time.

Are credit card applications considered hard or soft inquiries?

A credit card application (as well as other applications, such as for auto loans and mortgages) requires a hard inquiry. Soft inquiries, however, can be used as part of a pre-approval process.

How can hard inquiries affect my chances of getting a credit card?

Having too many hard inquiries can hurt your credit score and potentially make it harder for you to get approved for a credit card. For example, if you apply for multiple credit cards within a short period of time, this may appear as a red flag for the issuer. They may be suspicious that you potentially may not make payments back on time towards your current credit cards or are looking to make purchases that you may not be able to pay off.

If you collect about six hard inquiries within a two-year period on your credit report, you may have a difficult time getting approvals for future cards and other lines of credit. Hard pulls can affect your credit score and may also hurt your eligibility for new credit cards and/or loans — especially if the number of inquiries reaches six.

If you’re curious about how your credit score is being impacted and want to find ways to improve it, be sure to enroll in Chase Credit Journey®, a free online tool that provides strategies if you want to improve your credit before applying for a loan and tips after a hard inquiry has affected your score.

In summary

Hard inquiries are a necessary part of the process of getting a new line of credit. While they can hurt your credit score at first, they won't typically have a lasting impact. Unless you collect several hard inquiries (especially in a short period of time), hard inquiries shouldn’t affect your ability to get your next credit card, loan or other credit account. Remaining aware of your financial habits, such as the frequency you get new lines of credit, can help you better prepare yourself for a healthy financial future.

How Many Hard Credit Inquiries are Too Many? | Chase (2024)

FAQs

How Many Hard Credit Inquiries are Too Many? | Chase? ›

Since hard inquiries affect your credit score and what is found may even affect approval, you might be wondering: How many inquiries is too many? The answer differs from lender to lender, but most consider six total inquiries on a report at one time to be too many to gain approval for an additional credit card or loan.

How many hard inquiries is too many? ›

For many lenders, six inquiries are too many to be approved for a loan or bank card. Even if you have multiple hard inquiries on your report in a short period, you may not see negative consequences if you're shopping for a specific type of loan.

What is the 5 24 rule for Chase? ›

The 5/24 rule is an unofficial policy that dictates that Chase won't approve you for its cards if you've opened five or more personal credit card accounts from any issuer in the last 24 months. Put simply, the number of cards you've opened in the previous two years will affect your approval odds with Chase.

How many points does credit score drop with hard inquiry? ›

How do hard inquiries impact your credit score? A hard credit inquiry could lower your credit score by as much as 10 points, though in many cases, the damage probably won't be that significant. As FICO explains, “For most people, one additional credit inquiry will take less than five points off their FICO Scores.”

What is the secret way to remove hard inquiries? ›

The easiest way is to file a dispute directly with the creditor. If the creditor cooperates, the inquiry may be removed after sending a single dispute letter.

How many inquiries is too many in 12 months? ›

In general, six or more hard inquiries are often seen as too many. Based on the data, this number corresponds to being eight times more likely than average to declare bankruptcy. This heightened credit risk can damage a person's credit options and lower one's credit score.

How bad is 3 hard inquiries? ›

However, multiple hard inquiries can deplete your score by as much as 10 points each time they happen. People with six or more recent hard inquiries are eight times as likely to file for bankruptcy than those with none. That's way more inquiries than most of us need to find a good deal on a car loan or credit card.

What is the 2 year rule for Chase credit cards? ›

The Chase 5/24 rule limits the number of credit cards you can be approved for within a two-year period and still qualify for additional Chase credit cards. Here's everything you need to know about the Chase credit card rules so you can plan your applications.

What is the Chase 0 30 rule? ›

The 0/30 Rule

This Chase application rule means that you can not have applied for any Chase credit cards in a 30-day period before applying for a business card.

What is the 2 30 rule for Chase? ›

Two Cards per 30 Days

Chase reportedly limits credit card approvals to two Chase credit cards per rolling 30-day period. Data points conflict on this, but a safe bet is to apply for no more than two personal Chase credit cards or one personal and one business Chase credit card every 30 days.

How do you get rid of hard inquiries in 15 minutes? ›

If you identify an unauthorized hard inquiry, here's a detailed approach on how to remove hard inquiries in 15 minutes:
  1. Dispute with the Credit Bureau: Initiate a dispute online or via mail. ...
  2. Contact the Creditor: Engage with the lender or creditor responsible for the inquiry. ...
  3. Safeguard Your Credit:
Oct 10, 2023

How long do you have to wait between hard credit checks? ›

Generally, it's a good idea to wait about six months between credit card applications. Since applying for a new credit card will result in a slight reduction to your credit score, multiple inquiries could lead to a significantly decrease.

How do I fix too many inquiries on my credit report? ›

Here's how the credit inquiry removal process works.
  1. Obtain free copies of your credit report. You can order free credit reports once a year from each bureau. ...
  2. Flag any inaccurate hard inquiries. ...
  3. Contact the original lender. ...
  4. Start an official dispute. ...
  5. Include all essential information. ...
  6. Submit your dispute. ...
  7. Wait for a verdict.

Is it illegal to remove hard inquiries? ›

You have a legal right to request that a credit bureau remove hard inquiries from your report only when one of the following conditions applies: You did not apply for credit through the company that pulled your report. You did not authorize the company to pull a credit report.

How many credit cards are too many? ›

Owning more than two or three credit cards can become unmanageable for many people. However, your credit needs and financial situation are unique, so there's no hard and fast rule about how many credit cards are too many. The important thing is to make sure that you use your credit cards responsibly.

Is Credit Karma not accurate? ›

The credit scores and credit reports you see on Credit Karma come directly from TransUnion and Equifax, two of the three major consumer credit bureaus. They should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those bureaus — but they may not match other reports and scores out there.

How many hard inquiries are OK per year? ›

The answer differs from lender to lender, but most consider six total inquiries on a report at one time to be too many to gain approval for an additional credit card or loan. In this article, we will review: What a hard credit inquiry is. What the difference is between hard and soft inquiries.

Is it bad to have 2 hard inquiries within 30 days? ›

Lenders and credit scoring models consider how many hard inquiries you have on your credit reports because applications for new credit increase the risk a borrower poses. One or two hard inquiries accrued during the normal course of applying for loans or credit cards can have an almost negligible effect on your credit.

How long should I wait between hard inquiries? ›

Bottom line. Generally, it's a good idea to wait about six months between credit card applications. Since applying for a new credit card will result in a slight reduction to your credit score, multiple inquiries could lead to a significantly decrease.

How long until hard inquiries fall off? ›

If a hard inquiry is the result of a credit application you made, it cannot be removed from your credit report. It is simply a matter of record, and it will fall off your report naturally after two years—and will have no effect on your credit scores after one year.

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