How to Check Your Credit Report for Free
You can get your credit report free once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus
The three companies that track your credit history — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — are required by federal law to give you a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months. You do not have to pay a fee, sign up for a trial, or buy anything. The official place to request these reports is AnnualCreditReport.com, a government-authorized website run by the three bureaus together.
You can request all three reports at once or space them out over the year. Many people request one report every four months so they can check for errors or fraud more frequently without paying. Each report shows your payment history, how much debt you owe, how long you have had credit accounts, and recent inquiries from companies checking your credit.
Key Takeaways
- Go to AnnualCreditReport.com to request your free reports — this is the only official site authorized by the three credit bureaus.
- You can request reports from all three bureaus at once or spread them throughout the year to monitor your credit more often.
- Your report shows payment history, account balances, and inquiries, but does not include your credit score — you may have to pay for that separately.
- Check your report for accounts you do not recognize, late payments you dispute, or errors in your name or address.
- If you find an error, contact the bureau in writing and include copies of documents that prove the mistake.
What information is actually on your credit report
Your credit report is a record of how you have borrowed and repaid money. It lists every credit account in your name — credit cards, loans, mortgages — along with the balance, credit limit, and payment history for each one. It shows whether you have paid on time, paid late, or missed payments entirely. It also lists recent inquiries: when you applied for credit, who checked your report, and whether the inquiry was from you shopping for a loan or from a company checking you as a customer.
The report does not include your credit score. Your score is a number calculated from the information on your report, and the three bureaus may calculate it differently. Some scores are free through your bank or credit card company. Others you have to pay for, though many websites offer free score estimates that are close enough to give you a sense of where you stand.
How to request your reports from AnnualCreditReport.com
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and click the button to request your reports. You will be asked to verify your identity by answering questions about your credit history or by providing your Social Security number and other personal information. The site will then let you choose which bureaus' reports you want to see — you can request from all three or just one.
You can view your reports on the screen and print or download them. Some people print them to review on paper; others save them as a PDF to search for specific accounts or names. Keep a copy for your records. The whole process usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.
Do not use other websites that claim to offer free reports. Many charge a fee after a trial period or try to sell you credit monitoring. AnnualCreditReport.com is free, no trial required, and you will not be charged anything.
What to look for when you review your report
Start by checking that your name, address, and Social Security number are correct. Mistakes in your personal information can cause confusion if you apply for credit or if someone else's information gets mixed with yours.
Next, look at the list of accounts. Do you recognize all of them? If you see an account you did not open, that could be a sign of fraud or identity theft. Check the payment history for each account — does it match what you remember? Late payments stay on your report for seven years, so if you see a payment marked late that you believe you made on time, that is worth investigating.
Look at the inquiries section. Hard inquiries (from companies you applied to for credit) can lower your score slightly and stay on your report for two years. Soft inquiries (from companies checking you as a customer, or from you checking your own credit) do not affect your score. If you see a hard inquiry you do not remember authorizing, that is another sign of possible fraud.
How to dispute errors on your credit report
If you find an error, contact the credit bureau in writing. You can mail a letter or use the dispute process on the bureau's website. Explain what is wrong, say why you believe it is wrong, and include copies of documents that support your claim — a bank statement showing you paid on time, a letter from the creditor, a police report if it is fraud.
The bureau has 30 days to investigate. They will contact the company that reported the information and ask them to verify it. If the company cannot verify it, the bureau must remove it or correct it. If the bureau finds the information is accurate, they will tell you and explain why they are keeping it on your report.
You can also dispute directly with the creditor — the bank, credit card company, or lender that reported the wrong information. Send them a written dispute with supporting documents. They have 30 days to investigate and respond.
Free credit monitoring and score tracking
Your annual free report from AnnualCreditReport.com is a snapshot at one moment in time. If you want to watch for changes throughout the year, several options are free. Many banks and credit card companies now offer free credit scores and monitoring to their customers — check your account online or call the customer service number on the back of your card. Websites like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame offer free score estimates and alerts when your report changes, though they make money by showing you ads or credit offers.
Free monitoring is useful if you are worried about fraud or if you are working to improve your credit. Paid monitoring services offer more features and sometimes insurance against identity theft, but they are not necessary for most people. Start with what your bank or card company offers, and if you need more, you can add a paid service later.
When to check your report and how often
Check your report at least once a year, ideally before you plan to apply for a major loan like a mortgage or car loan. That gives you time to spot and fix errors before a lender sees them. If you have been a victim of identity theft or fraud, check more often — many people request one report every four months to spread out their free checks.
If you are working to improve your credit score, checking your report will not change your score, but it will show you which accounts are helping or hurting you. Paying down balances, making on-time payments, and fixing errors all take time to show up in your score, so check back in a few months to see progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay anything to get my free credit report?
No. AnnualCreditReport.com is free and authorized by the three credit bureaus. You will not be charged during or after requesting your reports. If another website asks for a credit card or charges a fee, it is not the official site.
Will checking my credit report hurt my credit score?
No. Checking your own report creates a soft inquiry, which does not affect your score. Only hard inquiries — when you apply for credit — can lower your score slightly.
What if I find fraud on my credit report?
Contact the credit bureau and the creditor in writing with a dispute. Also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the bureaus to prevent someone from opening new accounts in your name.
Can I get my credit score from AnnualCreditReport.com?
No, the free annual report does not include your score. You can get free score estimates from Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, or your bank or credit card company. Paid scores from the bureaus themselves are usually more accurate but cost money.
How long do negative items stay on my credit report?
Late payments and collections stay for seven years from the date of the first missed payment. Bankruptcies stay for seven to ten years depending on the type. Hard inquiries stay for two years. Once the time is up, the item must be removed from your report.