How long does a credit check stay on your credit report?

A credit check, or inquiry, typically stays on your credit report for about two years. However, the impact of a hard inquiry on your credit score usually diminishes after a few months. Soft inquiries, such as those made for pre-approval offers, do not affect your credit score and are not visible to lenders. It's important to manage the number of hard inquiries, as too many in a short period can negatively impact your credit score.