When Does Your Credit Score Update?

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice. See Lexington Law’s editorial disclosure for more information.

If you’re someone who is working hard on your credit to raise your score, you may wonder how often your score updates. Having an improved score can help with your chances of approval for loans and lines of credit. In addition to these benefits, a higher score can save you money on interest rates as well.

Your credit report—and credit score—are constantly being updated with new data, such as account balances or late payments. Once updated, the three major credit bureaus, Experian®, Equifax® and TransUnion®, will show the new report, which is what lenders and others checking your credit will see.

While there isn’t an exact formula for how often your score updates, our guide will explain the process behind updating credit scores and how quickly you can expect to see changes.

When does your credit score usually update?

Your account information is typically updated every 30–45 days, but creditors report data on their own schedule throughout this time period. Since most people have more than one line of credit, their credit scores are constantly fluctuating.

The credit scoring methods calculate your credit score based on what shows up on your credit report. The primary factors influencing your credit score are your:

• Payment history
• Credit utilization ratio
• Credit age
• Credit mix
• New credit

Creditors are not obligated to keep the credit bureaus updated on your accounts. Major creditors may only report to one or two credit bureaus, while others may not report your loan activity at all. When creditors do report, it’s typically on a monthly basis, but the exact date will vary depending on the creditor.

How much does your credit score change?

If you’re working to improve your credit report, progress can feel very slow. On the other hand, there are certain items that can have a big effect on your score.

Also, keep in mind that there are different scoring models because there are different credit-scoring companies. The most popular scoring models are the FICO® and VantageScore® models. This means that depending on where you check your score, it may be different. Both scoring models look at similar factors, but they may weigh the factors differently.

• Late payments: Payment history is an important factor in your credit score. If a creditor reports that you’re more than 30 days late, you may see your score drop. A payment that is 60 to 90 days late could cause your score to drop even lower. The further you fall behind on your account, the greater its impact on your score.
• Credit utilization: Creditors typically report updates on your credit balances, which are critical to the FICO credit scoring model. If you get close to reaching your credit limit, your credit utilization will rise and, in turn, your FICO score may take a hit. And if you pay down your credit card balances or open a new account to increase your available credit, it will lower your credit utilization and help your credit.
• Credit age: Credit age refers to the age of your credit accounts. Having a long credit history is good for your credit because it demonstrates your ability to manage your credit successfully.
• New credit: Applying for new lines of credit results in hard inquiries on your account. Having too many hard inquiries on your account makes you appear risky and is a red flag for lenders.
• A mix of credit: Having a diverse mix of credit accounts can positively influence your credit. Credit accounts include credit cards, car loans, student loans and more.

How often should you check your credit?

You should check your credit report and score at least once or twice a month.

If you’re working on repairing or improving your credit, checking it more frequently can serve as great motivation, and it also helps by giving you the ability to catch potential errors sooner rather than later.

It’s a common misconception that checking your credit score will lower it. Only hard inquiries lower your credit score, and those happen when you apply for new lines of credit. Checking your own credit score through your bank, credit card provider or another service counts as a soft inquiry and won’t hurt your credit.

If you notice a sudden drop in your credit score that’s unaccounted for based on your recent credit behavior, this may be a sign of identity theft. This is why it’s typically a good idea to monitor your credit.

To see more detailed information, you can check your credit report, and you can request a free copy of your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com.

What is rapid rescoring?

Some lenders and creditors offer rapid rescoring services. If you recently paid down a balance or you had a negative item removed from your credit report, the lender can ask one or more credit bureaus to recalculate your score. This will result in an updated score within a few days instead of a month.

Many are unaware of rapid rescoring, so here are a few helpful considerations:

• You can’t request rapid rescoring on your own to the credit bureaus
• Lenders can request a rapid rescore on your behalf, but there may be a fee for the service
• Rapid rescoring won’t eliminate negative marks from your credit report

How to keep your credit report accurate

It’s important to know why and how often your credit score updates so you can keep tabs on changes in your credit score. Mistakes sometimes happen when a creditor or the credit bureau updates your account.

Even a single late payment could hurt your credit and increase your interest rates on future loans or a new credit card, and most negative items can stay on your credit report and affect your credit for seven years. At Lexington Law Firm, we have a team that works to help people repair and improve their credit. To see where you stand with your credit, get your free credit assessment today.

Note: Articles have only been reviewed by the indicated attorney, not written by them. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice; instead, it is for general informational purposes only. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website owner, authors, reviewers, contributors, contributing firms, or their respective agents or employers.