U.S. Mortgage Index

Soft inquiry

Definition

A soft inquiry is a credit inquiry typically recorded for account review, prequalification, or the consumer’s own report check. It is not the hard inquiry that follows a new-credit application.

In plain English

Some looks at a credit report are not new applications. Those are usually recorded as soft inquiries. This page does not say how any scoring model treats the event. Hard inquiry is the contrasting page.

Technical definition

CFPB’s credit-report heading is the official consumer file that records inquiries. Soft inquiry is the non-application form of that recorded event.

Why it matters

A prequalification pull and a full mortgage application are not the same inquiry type.

Sources reviewed