Hard inquiry
A hard inquiry is a lender checking your credit report after you apply for credit; it can lower a score by a few points and stays on your report for two years, while soft inquiries don't affect scores.
FICO scores count hard inquiries from the last 12 months. Rate shopping for a mortgage, auto or student loan within a short window counts as one inquiry; credit card applications each count. Checking your own credit and preapproval offers are soft inquiries.
Related terms
Sources: myFICO: What's in my FICO scores