You can check your credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion for free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com. The three bureaus made weekly access permanent in 2023. So the real question is how often you should check your credit report.
How often to check your credit report
- At least once a year for each of the three reports, even if nothing is going on.
- Every few months if you’re building credit, recovering from a drop, or planning a big application like a mortgage or car loan.
- Monthly or more if you’ve been a victim of identity theft, got a data breach notice, or see charges you don’t recognize.
- Before any big application, give yourself a month or two to fix any errors first.
The three reports can differ, because not every lender reports to every bureau. Check all three.
How to request your reports
- Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and choose to request your reports.
- Enter your name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number.
- Pick the bureaus you want. You can get all three at once or spread them out.
- Answer the security questions each bureau asks. They may ask about past addresses or loan payments, so have a recent statement nearby.
- Download or save each report as a PDF so you can compare it next time.
If a bureau can’t verify you online, it may ask you to request the report by mail instead. That’s normal and doesn’t mean anything is wrong.
Where to get them
AnnualCreditReport.com is the only site authorized to provide the free reports that federal law guarantees. Other sites with similar names may charge you or try to collect your personal information. You can also call 1-877-322-8228 or request reports by mail.
Free reports don’t include a credit score. Many banks and card issuers show you a free score in their app.
When you check your credit report or score yourself, it’s a soft inquiry and never lowers your score.
Other times you get a free report
Federal law gives you a free report in some other situations too, according to the FTC. You can ask for one if a company takes adverse action against you based on your report, such as denying you credit, insurance, or a job, as long as you ask within 60 days. You’re also entitled to one if you’re unemployed and plan to look for work within 60 days, if you receive public assistance, or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud.
What’s in your report
- Personal information: name, addresses, date of birth, employers
- Credit accounts: cards and loans, balances, limits, payment history
- Inquiries: who has pulled your report
- Collections: debts sent to collection agencies
- Bankruptcies
Our guide on reading your credit report line by line walks through each section.
Report vs. score
Your credit report is the record: your accounts, balances, payment history, and inquiries. Your credit score is a number that a scoring model like FICO or VantageScore calculates from that record. If the report is wrong, the score built from it will be wrong too, which is why the report is the thing to check.
When you look at a free score in a banking app, check which model and which bureau it comes from. It may not match the score a lender uses, and that’s normal. Use it to spot big changes, and go to the full reports to find out why.
Why errors matter
An FTC study found that one in five consumers had an error on at least one of their three credit reports, and about one in twenty had an error serious enough to raise their borrowing costs. Watch for:
- Accounts you don’t recognize
- Late payments you made on time
- Wrong balances or credit limits
- Debts listed twice
- Old negative items that should have aged off
If you find one, dispute it with the bureau and with the company that reported it. Explain in writing what’s wrong, include copies of any proof, and keep records of everything you send. The bureau generally has 30 days to investigate, and it must tell you the results. If the item can’t be verified, it has to be corrected or removed.
If the dispute doesn’t fix it, you can add a short statement to your report explaining your side, or submit a complaint to the CFPB. The FTC explains how to dispute errors.
If you spot fraud
An account you didn’t open can be a sign of identity theft. Report it at IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan, and think about freezing your credit at all three bureaus. A freeze is free and stops new accounts from being opened in your name. See what a credit freeze is and when to use it.
Credit reports and jobs, rentals, and insurance
Lenders aren’t the only ones who look at your report. Landlords often check it before renting to you, insurers in many states use credit-based scores to set rates, and employers can review a version of your report, but only with your written permission. If you’re about to apply for an apartment or a new job, checking your reports first gives you time to fix mistakes before someone else sees them.
Build it into your routine
- Set a calendar reminder to check all three reports
- Turn on free account alerts from your bank and card issuers
- Review your statements each month
For what drives your score, see what impacts your credit score most, or visit the Credit Center.
Revised: September 2026
Sources
- FTC: You now have permanent access to free weekly credit reports
- FTC: Free credit reports
- FTC: In FTC study, five percent of consumers had errors on their credit reports that could result in less favorable terms for loans
- FTC: Disputing errors on your credit reports
- CFPB: Submit a complaint
This article is general education, not financial, legal, or tax advice. Your situation may differ, so check the details with the lender, agency, or a qualified professional before you act. How we research and review articles.
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