Does Removing Hard Inquiries Increase Your Credit Score?
If your credit report shows several hard inquiries, you may wonder whether removing them can boost your score. The short answer is yes — it can help, especially if those inquiries are recent, excessive, or unauthorized. In this guide, we’ll explain how inquiries work, how much they affect your credit score, and when professional inquiry removal makes the biggest difference.
What Is a Hard Inquiry?
A hard inquiry (or “hard pull”) occurs when a lender checks your credit report after you apply for financing—such as a credit card, auto loan, mortgage, or business credit line. Hard inquiries appear on one or more of the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. They typically remain for up to 24 months, although their impact on your score fades after about 12 months.
How Much Do Hard Inquiries Affect Your Score?
- Each hard inquiry can temporarily lower your score by 3–5 points.
- Multiple inquiries within a short time can compound the effect.
- Borrowers with shorter or thinner credit histories often see a bigger impact.
Those few points can mean the difference between approval and denial, or between average and prime interest rates. That’s why many people choose to remove unnecessary or unauthorized inquiries as a quick step toward improving credit.
When Does Removing Hard Inquiries Help?
Removing hard inquiries is most effective when they are recent, excessive, or unauthorized. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute any inaccurate information on your credit report, including inquiries you didn’t authorize.
Examples of Inquiries You Can Remove
- Credit pulls from companies you never applied with
- Duplicate inquiries from the same lender
- Hard pulls that should have been soft (for pre-approvals or account reviews)
- Inquiries older than 24 months that are still being reported
When these inquiries are deleted, your report looks cleaner, and your score can rebound—especially if you had many clustered inquiries within a short timeframe.
When Inquiry Removal Might Not Change Your Score
Removing hard inquiries won’t fix late payments, collections, or high credit utilization. If your score is suffering due to these factors, you may also need broader credit repair services. However, inquiry cleanup is often the fastest improvement you can make.
Hard vs. Soft Inquiries
Soft inquiries (checking your own report, pre-approvals, employer checks) do not affect your score. Only hard inquiries—those triggered by actual credit applications—can lower your score temporarily. Understanding this difference prevents unnecessary disputes.
How Much Can Your Score Increase After Inquiry Removal?
- Removing one or two inquiries: usually a few points gained.
- Removing several unauthorized or clustered inquiries: 10–20+ point increase possible.
Even modest improvements can make a major difference when qualifying for new credit, mortgages, or business loans.
How to Remove Hard Inquiries From Your Credit Report
You can remove hard inquiries in two ways: the DIY method or through a professional inquiry removal service.
1. Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Dispute
You can dispute unauthorized inquiries directly with each bureau. Provide evidence that you didn’t authorize the inquiry, such as emails, fraud alerts, or identity theft reports.
This method can work but often takes weeks, and you’ll need to track follow-ups carefully.
2. Professional Inquiry Removal Service
Our team at InquiriesRemoval.com handles the process for you—from identifying disputable inquiries to contacting the bureaus on your behalf. We use proven, FCRA-compliant methods designed to deliver fast results—often within days, not weeks.
How Long Do Hard Inquiries Stay on a Credit Report?
Hard inquiries automatically drop off your report after two years. However, waiting that long can limit your borrowing power. Proactive removal can clean up your credit history now—helping you qualify sooner for better credit and rates.
Common Myths About Hard Inquiries
- Myth: Hard inquiries don’t matter.
Truth: They do—especially when there are many within a short time frame. - Myth: All inquiries are fraud.
Truth: Many are legitimate, but errors happen and should be fixed. - Myth: Removing inquiries fixes everything.
Truth: It helps, but you’ll still need to manage utilization and payment history for maximum results.
Best Practices to Avoid Unnecessary Inquiries
- Only apply for credit when you truly need it.
- Use pre-qualification tools that use soft pulls instead of hard pulls.
- Keep your applications within short rate-shopping windows (auto, mortgage, etc.).
- Monitor your credit monthly through CheckMyBureaus.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will removing hard inquiries increase my credit score?
Yes, often it will. Each removal may only raise your score slightly, but several removals combined can produce a noticeable boost.
Can I remove legitimate inquiries?
Only unauthorized or mistaken inquiries can be legally disputed. If you applied for the credit, the inquiry is valid and will drop off naturally after 24 months.
How quickly will my score improve?
Once the bureau processes your dispute, you may see results on your next credit score update, usually within one to two reporting cycles.
What if I have other credit issues?
Inquiry removal is a strong first step. For deeper issues like charge-offs or late payments, consider a full credit repair plan.
Related Reading
- How to Remove Hard Inquiries from Your Credit Report Online
- Best Credit Inquiry Removal Service
- Can You Pay Someone to Remove Hard Inquiries?
- How Many Hard Inquiries Is Too Many?
Bottom Line
Removing hard inquiries can give your credit score a small but meaningful lift and make your overall credit profile look cleaner to lenders. Whether you handle it yourself or let professionals take care of it, cleaning up your report is a smart move before applying for new credit or financing.
