Hard Inquiry
Also called: hard pull, hard credit check
A hard inquiry is a lender checking your credit file because you applied for credit, and it typically costs a handful of points for up to a year. Several in a short window signal distress, with one important exception: rate shopping for a single mortgage, auto or student loan inside a 14–45 day window is scored as one inquiry, so comparing lenders doesn't punish you. Hard inquiries stay visible on the report for two years but stop affecting the score after one.