{"ok":true,"canonical_url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-inquiry","api_url":"https://dealroom.so/api/public/glossary/credit-inquiry","data_freshness":{"sba_records_through":"2026-05-31","fdic_records_through":"2026-03-31","dealroom_last_updated":"2026-06-15","timezone":"America/Chicago"},"source_summary":["Public SBA 7(a) loan records","FDIC institution data","DealRoom lender and franchise enrichment"],"term":{"slug":"credit-inquiry","term":"Credit inquiry","group":"People and paperwork","definition":"A record of someone checking your credit history. 'Hard' inquiries, like those for an SBA loan, can temporarily affect your credit score, while 'soft' inquiries do not. Buyers will incur hard inquiries when applying for financing.","what_it_means":"When you apply for an SBA loan, lenders perform a 'hard' credit inquiry, which typically causes a temporary, minor dip in your credit score. Too many hard inquiries in a short timeframe can be a red flag to lenders, so it's wise to consolidate your loan applications once you've committed to a specific lender.","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-inquiry","official_sources":[{"slug":"sop-50-10","title":"SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs","official_url":"https://www.sba.gov/document/sop-50-10-lender-development-company-loan-programs","official_label":"View on SBA.gov","authority_tier":2,"publisher":"U.S. Small Business Administration","source_guide_url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/sources/sop-50-10"}],"related":[{"slug":"credit-report","term":"Credit report","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-report"},{"slug":"fico-score","term":"FICO score","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/fico-score"},{"slug":"creditworthiness","term":"Creditworthiness","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/creditworthiness"}],"related_questions":[{"question":"What if my personal credit report shows a recent late payment on a minor credit card?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/what-if-my-personal-credit-report-shows-a-recent-late-payment-on-a-minor-credit-card"},{"question":"Does having many recent credit inquiries on my personal credit report affect SBA 7(a) loan approval chances?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-7a/questions/does-having-many-recent-credit-inquiries-on-my-personal-credit-report-affect-sba-7-a-loan-"},{"question":"Does the sunset of the SBSS score impact the requirement for a credit memo or documented credit analysis for 7(a) Small Loans?","url":"https://dealroom.so/for-lenders/questions/does-the-sunset-of-the-sbss-score-impact-the-requirement-for-a-credit-memo-or-documented-c"},{"question":"Can a credit card cash advance be used for my down payment?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/can-a-credit-card-cash-advance-be-used-for-my-down-payment"},{"question":"What is the 'credit elsewhere' test for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-is-the-credit-elsewhere-test-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"},{"question":"What credit score is generally needed for an SBA 7(a) loan?","url":"https://dealroom.so/sba-loans/basics/what-credit-score-is-generally-needed-for-an-sba-7-a-loan"}]},"caveats":["Definitions represent DealRoom's plain-English interpretation for buyers; verify regulatory terms against the official SBA and eCFR sources listed.","Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an SBA eligibility determination."],"citation":{"label":"DealRoom.so Glossary — Credit inquiry","url":"https://dealroom.so/glossary/credit-inquiry","source_type":"DealRoom Data"}}