How Many Points Does a Credit Enquiry Drop Your CIBIL Score?
Disclaimer: This article is for general information/education and is not investment advice. The information is shared in good faith and for general informational purposes only. Ujjivan SFB does not make any representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the content.
September 03,2026
If you have applied for credit recently, you may have noticed a new entry in your CIBIL Report. A hard credit enquiry can have a marginal impact on your CIBIL score, but there is no single, fixed number of points that every enquiry reduces. The actual effect depends on your overall credit profile and how many enquiries you have made recently.
What is a Credit Enquiry?
A credit enquiry is recorded whenever a lender accesses your Credit Information Report to process a loan or credit card application. Every such access shows up in the "Enquiries" section of your CIBIL Report, along with the lender's name and the type of credit applied for. Lenders use this section to understand how often, and how recently, you have sought credit.
Soft Enquiry vs Hard Enquiry: What Is the Difference?
Enquiries fall into two categories. A soft enquiry happens when you check your own CIBIL score or report, or in certain checks that don't involve a formal application. This does not affect your CIBIL score, and you can check your score as often as you like without any impact.
A hard enquiry happens when a lender accesses your report while assessing a loan or credit card application you have submitted. Because a hard enquiry reflects an actual attempt to take on credit, it factors into your CIBIL score, even though the effect is usually small.
How Many Points Can a Credit Enquiry Reduce Your CIBIL Score?
The honest answer is that there is no universally fixed number of points. TransUnion CIBIL does not publish a set deduction for every enquiry. The impact of a single hard enquiry varies from person to person, depending on factors such as the age of your credit history, your repayment record, your credit utilisation, and how many other enquiries appear on your report.
Be cautious of anything online that quotes an exact figure, such as "5 points" or "10 points," for every enquiry. No official source supports a single number that applies uniformly to everyone.
Do Multiple Credit Enquiries Affect Your CIBIL Score?
A single hard enquiry usually has a limited effect. The bigger concern is applying to several lenders within a short span. When multiple hard enquiries appear close together, they can suggest what is described as "credit hungry" behaviour, which lenders may view less favourably. This pattern can affect both your score and how carefully a lender scrutinises your next application.
This does not mean you should avoid comparing credit options. It means it helps to compare terms first and apply formally only once you have narrowed down your choice.
How Long Does a Credit Enquiry Stay on Your CIBIL Report?
A credit enquiry can remain visible in your CIBIL Report for up to 36 months. However, visibility on the report is not the same as ongoing impact on your score. An enquiry's influence on your score is typically strongest in the period soon after it is recorded and tends to matter less as time passes and your credit behaviour continues.
How to Compare Credit Options Without Making Too Many Hard Enquiries
You do not need a hard enquiry just to explore what is available. A few category-neutral approaches can help:
- Start with informal conversations with a lender's representative about eligibility, applicable charges, and documentation, before submitting a formal application.
- Compare published interest rates, fees, and eligibility criteria across lenders online.
- Use eligibility calculators or estimators where available, since these typically do not involve a hard enquiry.
- Ask a lender directly whether a particular check, such as a pre-approval or in-principle offer, will result in a hard enquiry.
How Does Frequent Credit Reporting Affect Credit Enquiries?
The Reserve Bank of India has directed credit institutions to report credit information to credit information companies on a fortnightly basis (as on the 15th and last day of each month), rather than monthly, effective from January 1, 2025. This means updates to your credit information, including new enquiries, can reflect in your CIBIL Report sooner than before.
This should not be confused with enquiries being combined. Fortnightly reporting only changes how quickly information reaches your report; it does not mean multiple enquiries made in the same period are clubbed into one. If different lenders access your report for separate applications, each access is typically recorded as a separate enquiry.
What Should You Do If You Spot an Enquiry You Don't Recognise?
Download your free annual CIBIL Report and review the Enquiries section carefully. If you find an entry you don't recognise, first check whether it could relate to a credit product you availed through a marketplace or partner arrangement, since these can sometimes appear under a different lender name. If it still looks unfamiliar, you can raise a dispute with CIBIL through your online account, or contact the lender named in the enquiry directly. A genuine dispute is reviewed and resolved with the relevant lender.
Final Thoughts
A credit enquiry, particularly a hard enquiry, plays only a small role in your overall CIBIL score. What matters more is avoiding a pattern of frequent applications within a short window. By comparing options thoughtfully before applying formally, you can explore what is available in the market without unnecessarily affecting your credit profile.
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