To run a credit check on yourself for free, go to AnnualCreditReport.com, the only federally authorized site for free reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. All three bureaus now let you pull your report once a week at no cost, and the online process takes about ten minutes if you have your Social Security number handy.1Federal Trade Commission. You Now Have Permanent Access to Free Weekly Credit Reports
What You’ll Need Before You Start
Each bureau verifies your identity before releasing anything, so gather this information first:
- Your full legal name, including any suffix like Junior, Senior, or III.2Federal Trade Commission. Annual Credit Report Request Form
- Your Social Security number, which is the primary identifier linking accounts and public records to your file.2Federal Trade Commission. Annual Credit Report Request Form
- Your date of birth.2Federal Trade Commission. Annual Credit Report Request Form
- Your current address, plus any previous address if you have moved in the last two years.3Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Free Credit Reports
Small mistakes can block a request. A wrong zip code or a misspelled street name is enough, so check every field before submitting.
Three Ways to Request Your Report
You can ask for one, two, or all three bureau reports in a single request. The FTC and CFPB both say to use one of the three official channels below and not to contact the bureaus individually for your free copies.3Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Free Credit Reports
Online
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com, pick which bureaus you want to hear from, and enter your identifying details. Each bureau then asks a few security questions drawn from your financial history, such as the amount of a monthly payment or the name of a past lender, to confirm your identity.3Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Free Credit Reports Your report appears on screen and can usually be downloaded as a PDF. Save or print it before you close the browser, because the viewing session can expire once you navigate away.
By Phone
Call (877) 322-8228. An automated system walks you through the same identifying information described above, and your report is mailed to you.4Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Get Free Credit Reports?
By Mail
Download the Annual Credit Report Request Form from AnnualCreditReport.com, print it, and fill it out in full.5Annual Credit Report.com. Getting Your Credit Reports Mail the completed form to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-52812Federal Trade Commission. Annual Credit Report Request Form
Online requests deliver a report within minutes. Federal law gives each bureau up to 15 days to send phone or mail requests after receiving them.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681j – Charges for Certain Disclosures
How Often You Can Check for Free
Federal law entitles you to one free report from each of the three nationwide bureaus every 12 months through the centralized source.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681j – Charges for Certain Disclosures All three bureaus have permanently extended a program letting you pull your report from each of them once a week through AnnualCreditReport.com at no charge.1Federal Trade Commission. You Now Have Permanent Access to Free Weekly Credit Reports Equifax is also offering six additional free reports per year through 2026 at the same site.3Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Free Credit Reports
You get another free report any time a lender, insurer, or employer takes adverse action against you based on information in your file. You have 60 days after the denial notice to request that free copy from the bureau that supplied the report.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681j – Charges for Certain Disclosures
Checking your own report does not affect your credit score. It counts as a soft inquiry, visible only to you.
Your Report vs. Your Score
A credit report is the detailed record: open accounts, balances, payment history, collections, and public records like bankruptcies. A credit score is a three-digit number calculated from that data, and different models (FICO, VantageScore) can produce different numbers from the same file.
The free reports you get through AnnualCreditReport.com typically do not include your score. Federal law guarantees free access to the report but not the score.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681j – Charges for Certain Disclosures If a lender denies your application and used a score in the decision, the denial notice has to include that score.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681m – Requirements on Users of Consumer Reports Many banks and card issuers also show a free score inside their app or online banking, even without a denial.
If You Find an Error
Errors are worth acting on quickly because bad information can drag your score down and affect future applications. If you spot an account you never opened, a payment marked late that you paid on time, or a balance that does not match your records, you can dispute it.
File the dispute with the bureau showing the error (online, by phone, or by mail) or directly with the company that furnished the incorrect information. A direct dispute to the furnisher should include enough detail to identify the account, an explanation of what is wrong, and supporting documents such as account statements, a police report, or a court order.8eCFR. 12 CFR 222.43 – Direct Disputes
Once a bureau receives your dispute, it generally has 30 days to investigate. Submitting additional information during that window can extend the investigation by up to 15 days. A dispute filed after receiving your free annual report can run up to 45 days total.9Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Long Does It Take to Repair an Error on a Credit Report
The bureau has to notify you of the result in writing within five business days after completing its investigation. That notice includes an updated report if changes were made, the name and contact of any company the bureau contacted, and a reminder that you can add a written statement to your file if you disagree with the outcome.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681i – Procedure in Case of Disputed Accuracy If the bureau resolves the dispute by deleting the information within three business days, it must call you first and follow up in writing.
Locking Down Your File
Pulling your report is a good moment to think about whether you want to restrict who else can pull it. Two tools do that job at different levels.
A security freeze blocks new creditors from accessing your report entirely, which stops anyone from opening accounts in your name. Placing, lifting, and removing a freeze is free under federal law. A phone or online request has to be honored within one business day for placement and within one hour for a lift. Mail requests take up to three business days.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts You have to freeze each bureau separately. A freeze does not touch your score and does not affect accounts you already have.
A fraud alert is lighter. Instead of blocking access, it tells lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account. An initial alert lasts at least one year and can be renewed. Identity theft victims who file an identity theft report can request an extended alert that lasts seven years.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts Placing an alert at one bureau requires that bureau to notify the other two, so a single request covers all three.