How a credit check affects your credit score depends on who is making the inquiry, how many inquiries are made over a period of time and what the credit check is for.
Facts
Inquiries for new lines of credit lower your score slightly as a way to show potential lenders that you may be taking on more credit than you can handle.
Soft Inquiry
A soft inquiry is when you check your own credit score, a current lender rechecks your score or when a creditor offers you credit through "pre-screening." These inquiries are not seen by outside sources and don't affect your score.
Hard Inquiry
Hard inquiries show up on your credit report when you apply for new lines of credit. Hard inquiries are visible by potential lenders.
Timeline
Credit checks will stay on your credit report for two years and multiple inquiries in a short period have a more negative impact on a credit score than inquiries that are spread out over time.
Considerations
Multiple credit checks made within a month or less have little or no effect on your credit score when the inquiries were made for home, student or car loans.
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