Inquiries do factor into overall credit scores, but a small portion of a bigger picture – and it’s often smaller than many people realize. The score is based on calculations of your overall credit history. It takes into account the amount of money you owe, your payment history, how long you’ve been using credit, the types of credit you use and recent credit activity. Inquiries fall into this last part.

So when might inquiries affect your credit? Inquiries impact individuals differently based on their credit standing. Those with only a few credit accounts or a short credit history are impacted more by inquiries than those with a stronger credit history. After a year, an inquiry of any type shouldn’t count toward your score.

Inquiries do NOT play a major role when it comes to your credit scores. If you experience a dip because of inquiries, it usually won’t be much.