Soft searches are not credit applications
Checking your own credit report uses a soft search, as do most eligibility checkers and some identity checks. Soft searches are shown only to you, not to lenders, so they do not affect your score or future applications — however many there are.
An eligibility tool is only a soft check if its terms say so, and its result is not a guarantee of acceptance.
How long searches stay on your report
Hard searches stay visible to lenders for 12 months at all three agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. After that they drop out of the information lenders see.
| Soft search | Hard search | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical trigger | Checking your own report, eligibility checkers, some ID checks | A full application for a loan, card, mortgage or phone contract |
| Who can see it | Only you | You and lenders you apply to |
| Effect on your score | None | Can lower it, especially several in a short period |
| How long lenders see it | Never | 12 months |
Next steps before you apply
- Use a soft-search eligibility checker first, and confirm it says “soft search”.
- Space out applications — several hard searches within weeks can look like financial difficulty.
- If you are declined, ask the lender which agency it used and check that report before applying again.
- Query any hard search you do not recognise with the organisation and the agency; it can be a sign of fraud.