How do I check my credit report for free?

Go to AnnualCreditReport.com — the only federally authorized site — and pull free weekly reports from all three nationwide credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). No credit card required, no paid subscription needed. Reviewing all three is important because lenders may report to only one or two bureaus, and errors on one won't show on the others.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), every consumer is entitled to free credit reports. AnnualCreditReport.com — jointly operated by the three nationwide credit bureaus under FTC oversight — is the only federally authorized source. The CFPB explicitly warns that other sites using similar names are not affiliated and may charge fees or enroll you in subscriptions.

How often can you check for free?

As of 2023, the three bureaus made permanent the pandemic-era policy of free weekly reports. That means you can pull your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion reports once per week each — up to 156 free reports per year — at AnnualCreditReport.com with no cost and no subscription. Pulling your own report is a soft inquiry and does not affect your credit score.

Step-by-step: how to pull your reports

Go to AnnualCreditReport.com — type the URL directly rather than clicking a search result to avoid imposter sites.
Enter your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth to verify your identity.
Select which bureau(s) you want a report from — you can request all three at once or stagger them.
Answer the security questions (based on your credit file, not a password you've set).
Review the report on screen and/or download a PDF.

What to look for when reviewing your report

Personal information: verify your name, addresses, and Social Security number are correct — errors here can indicate a mixed file or identity theft.
Accounts you don't recognize: an open account you never opened is a major red flag for fraud.
Late payments: confirm any late payments shown were actually late — errors here directly damage your score.
Collection accounts: collections should show the original creditor and the date of original delinquency (used to calculate the 7-year drop-off).
Inquiries: hard inquiries from lenders you didn't apply with may indicate identity theft.

What to do if you find an error

File a dispute directly with the bureau reporting the error at no cost. Under the FCRA, the bureau must investigate — typically within 30 days — and correct or remove anything it can't verify. The CFPB's dispute guide walks through the process step by step. See also How do you dispute credit report errors? for the full walkthrough.

Checking your report vs. checking your score

Your credit report is the underlying data file — every account, payment, inquiry, and public record. Your credit score is a three-digit number calculated from that data. Free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com do not include a score. Scores are available separately through your card issuer (many provide free scores on statements or apps) or through the bureaus' own paid score products.

What regulators say

AnnualCreditReport.com is the only website federally authorized to provide free credit reports under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The CFPB warns that similar-sounding sites are not affiliated. — CFPB
As of 2023, consumers can pull free weekly credit reports from each of the three nationwide bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com — a permanent extension of pandemic-era policy. — CFPB
Checking your own credit report is a soft inquiry and does not affect your credit score in any way. — CFPB
Under the FCRA, credit bureaus must investigate consumer disputes — typically within 30 days — and correct or delete information that cannot be verified. — FTC

Key takeaways

AnnualCreditReport.com is the only federally authorized free-report site — type the URL directly.
Free weekly reports from all three bureaus are now permanent — no subscription, no credit card.
Pulling your own report is a soft inquiry and never hurts your score.
Review all three bureaus: errors on one won't appear on the others, and disputes must be filed separately.
If you find an error, dispute it directly with the bureau for free — you don't need to pay anyone to do this.