How to get a free credit report

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 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 during the pandemic, Experian®, Equifax® and TransUnion® started offering free weekly reports. And in 2023, the bureaus made it a permanent option. Learn more about how to get your free reports—and about other tools that can help you manage and monitor your credit.

Key takeaways

• You can request free copies of your Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion® credit reports by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. There are also ways to request by phone or by mail.
• Checking your credit reports can help you spot errors and identify fraud that might affect your credit scores.
• CreditWise from Capital One is a free tool that lets you monitor your credit and keep up with changes to your credit scores and reports.
• Some services charge fees to help you access your credit reports.

There are three ways to get your free credit reports from the three major credit bureaus:

• Online: Go to AnnualCreditReport.com
• Phone: Call 1-877-322-8228
• Mail: Complete a request form and mail it to: 

Annual Credit Report Request Service 
P.O. Box 105281 
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

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 reports. It’s free to join and open to everyone—even if you don’t have a Capital One credit card.

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.

The information in a credit report reflects what lenders might see while reviewing loan or credit applications and setting terms, such as interest rates. So it’s important to check your reports for incomplete or inaccurate details. Credit reports may also impact housing requests or job applications.

Credit report errors related to things like late payments or unauthorized charges could impact your credit scores or even point to identity theft.

Monitoring your reports and scores regularly can also help you know if you need to take action to improve your credit scores.

There are multiple ways to access and check your credit reports for free. You can use:

• AnnualCreditReport.com to get free weekly online credit reports. 
• CreditWise to see your TransUnion report. CreditWise can also show you your credit score.

If you’re trying to access your credit another way, keep a couple of things in mind: Some services may charge a fee to show you your credit reports and scores. And 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.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the safety and accuracy of free credit reports:

You can get free annual credit reports from Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion® by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. 

With CreditWise, you can check your credit score too—as often as you want. And because it uses a soft inquiry, it won’t hurt your credit.