How to Get a Credit Report Free

The primary way to obtain a free credit report in the United States is AnnualCreditReport.com, the centralized service the nationwide credit reporting companies are required to maintain under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Through that site, by toll-free telephone, or by mail, a consumer can request a file disclosure from each of the three national credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each company must provide one free disclosure within a twelve-month period upon request. Websites that advertise free reports but ask for a payment card are generally selling a subscription product alongside the disclosure.

A credit report is a record of how an individual's accounts are reported, not a number. It typically lists identifying information, addresses and employers reported by creditors, account histories with payment status, collection accounts, inquiries made by lenders, and public records such as bankruptcy filings. A credit score is a separate calculation, and the free annual file disclosure from the nationwide companies does not by itself include a score. Scores are delivered in other circumstances, such as when a lender takes adverse action or when a risk-based pricing notice is issued.

Beyond the annual request, federal law provides additional free reports. A consumer denied credit, insurance, or employment based on information in a report is entitled to a free copy from the company that supplied it if the request is made within sixty days of the notice. A free report is also available after placing an initial fraud alert, after filing an identity theft report, when file information is inaccurate because of fraud, and for consumers on active military duty or receiving public assistance or unemployment compensation, subject to conditions in the statute. State laws may require further free disclosures.

Requests generally require a full name, current and prior addresses, Social Security number, and date of birth. Verification may include multiple-choice questions drawn from the file, so consumers often need account records nearby. Online requests typically display the report immediately, while requests sent by mail using the Annual Credit Report Request Form are answered by mail. A consumer who finds inaccurate or incomplete information can dispute it with the credit reporting company and, separately, with the company that furnished the data.

Because the national credit reporting companies maintain separate files, the information in one may differ from another, which is why the centralized service allows requests to all three at once or on a staggered schedule. Consumers can also place a security freeze, which restricts access to a file and is free to place and lift under federal law. Suspected identity theft can be reported at IdentityTheft.gov, which generates an identity theft report that supports additional free file disclosures and extended fraud alerts.