What is Hard Pull?

A hard pull, or hard inquiry, happens when a lender checks your credit report as part of a formal credit decision. Hard pulls are recorded on your credit report and may lower your personal credit score slightly for a period of time. Several hard inquiries in a short span can raise concerns for lenders. Some lenders use a soft pull for pre-qualification and only perform a hard pull once you choose to move forward.

Example

An SBA lender performs a hard pull on each guarantor when the full application is submitted.

Related terms

GuarantorHELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit)Invoice FactoringAll terms