How to get a free credit report
You can get free copies of your credit reports online and through credit-monitoring tools, including CreditWise from Capital One. Use this guide to learn more about how to get your reports and why it’s worth keeping an eye on them.
What you’ll learn:
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You can request free copies of your Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion® credit reports online by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. There are also ways to request by phone or mail.
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Alternative services might charge fees to help you access your credit reports.
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CreditWise from Capital One is a free tool that lets you monitor your credit and keep up with changes to your credit reports and credit scores.
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Checking your credit reports can help you spot errors and identify fraud that might affect your credit scores.
How to request free credit reports
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, each of the three major credit bureaus is legally required to provide one free copy of consumer credit reports at least every 12 months. But free weekly online credit reports are now available from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
There are three ways to get your free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com:
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Online: Follow the steps to request your reports
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Phone: Call 1-877-322-8228
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Mail: Complete a request form and mail it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Does anyone charge for accessing credit reports?
If you’re trying to access your credit reports another way, keep this in mind: Some services may charge a fee to show you your credit reports and scores. But by law, credit bureaus can’t charge more than $14.50 for a copy of a credit report.
You can visit AnnualCreditReport.com or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to learn more about your options. The CFPB also has information on obtaining free copies of specialty reports that might be used when you do things such as apply for a job or try to rent an apartment.
What information do I need to get my credit reports?
To get your free credit reports, you’ll need to confirm your identity. You may be asked to provide details like your Social Security number, date of birth and home address. For each major credit bureau, you might need to answer financial questions no one else should know.
Accessing your credit report with CreditWise
You can also use CreditWise to access your TransUnion credit report for free. CreditWise helps you monitor your credit. And it can also alert you when something meaningful changes on your TransUnion or Experian report. It’s free—even if you don’t have a Capital One credit card.
What information is included in a credit report?
A credit report tells the story of your credit history and activity. It includes information about your credit card accounts and other loans, including details about your payment history, credit inquiries and more. It also includes personal information, such as your Social Security number, and information about collections and public records, such as foreclosures or civil lawsuits.
Why is it important to check your credit reports?
The information in a credit report reflects what lenders might see while reviewing loan or credit applications; it also helps set terms such as interest rates. Credit reports may also impact housing requests or job applications. So it’s important to check your reports for accuracy.
Errors related to things like late payments or unauthorized charges could impact your credit scores or even point to identity theft. If you spot any errors when reviewing your credit reports, you can contact the credit bureaus about having misinformation removed.
Monitoring your credit reports regularly can help you know if you need to take action to improve your credit scores.
Free credit report FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about the safety and accuracy of free credit reports:
How long does it take to get a free credit report?
When getting your free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com, you should be able to access them right away. If you request credit reports by phone or mail, the site says reports are mailed within 15 days.
Using CreditWise, you can view your TransUnion credit report anytime.
Is it safe to get a free credit report online?
Yes, if you’re using a reputable and trustworthy source. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only source of free credit reports that’s recognized by federal law. So be wary of websites with similar names that claim to offer free credit reports but request personally identifiable information. They might be scams.
Will requesting a credit report impact your credit score?
Checking your own credit report doesn’t trigger a hard inquiry, so it won’t impact your credit scores. And regularly monitoring your credit reports for accuracy can be a good way to identify and address any errors that could potentially have a negative effect on your credit scores.
Which credit report is most accurate?
No single credit bureau’s report is definitively more accurate than another’s. Each credit report may contain slightly different information, based on how lenders report it. So reviewing all three reports can give you a better understanding of how lenders might see your creditworthiness.
Similarly, no credit score from providers like FICO® and VantageScore® is considered more accurate than any other.
Key takeaways: Free credit reports
You can get free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.
With CreditWise, you can check your TransUnion credit report as often as you like without hurting your credit scores. Plus, CreditWise can send you alerts when a new inquiry, delinquent account or other noteworthy change hits your TransUnion or Experian credit report.
