Hard vs Soft Credit Pull for Tenant Screening: What to Use

TL;DR: A soft credit pull checks an applicant's credit without affecting their score, while a hard pull can lower it by 5-10 points and stays on their report for up to two years. Most tenant screening services (TransUnion SmartMove, RentPrep, Experian RentBureau) use soft pulls, which is what most landlords should use unless they're also running the check for a mortgage co-sign or unusual credit decision.

_Last reviewed: July 2026 · 7 min read_

An applicant hands over a credit report or asks which service you use, and now you're wondering if the pull you're about to run will ding their score before they've even moved in. That worry is fair, and the answer is simpler than most screening sites make it sound.

Okoniq Property Hub logs which screening method you used for each applicant and when, so you have a clean record if a fair-housing question ever comes up.

What's the actual difference between a hard and soft credit pull?

A hard pull is recorded on the applicant's credit file and can lower their score by 5 to 10 points, staying visible to other lenders for up to two years. A soft pull retrieves the same underlying data (payment history, balances, public records) but leaves no trace on the applicant's report and doesn't affect their score at all.

The confusion comes from the fact that both pulls show the same information to you as the landlord. You're not losing any data quality by choosing soft. The difference is entirely on the applicant's side. Mortgage lenders and credit card issuers use hard pulls because they're extending new credit and want the full risk signal on record. Landlords aren't extending credit in the same regulatory sense, so a soft pull is enough for almost every rental decision.

Which one should landlords actually use?

Use a soft pull for standard tenant screening. Services like TransUnion SmartMove and RentPrep default to soft pulls specifically because repeat applicants (someone applying to five units in a week during a tight rental market) shouldn't take a credit hit just for apartment hunting. If you're building your own process instead of using a service, see how to screen a tenant without a screening service for a walkthrough that keeps you compliant without a hard pull.

The only time a hard pull makes sense is if you're personally co-signing something with the applicant, which is rare and usually a bad idea for a landlord-tenant relationship anyway. Stick to soft pulls and you avoid the awkward conversation where an applicant asks why their score dropped after applying to your listing.

How does this affect what you can ask on the application?

It doesn't change what questions are fair game, but it does interact with them. You can request income documentation, references, and consent for a credit check on the application itself, covered in what can landlords legally ask on a rental application. What you can't do is treat a low credit score as a stand-in for a protected characteristic, or apply different screening standards to different applicants based on anything covered under the Fair Housing Act.

Here's a quick comparison landlords ask about most:

| | Soft Pull | Hard Pull | |---|---|---| | Affects applicant's score | No | Yes, 5-10 points | | Visible to other lenders | No | Yes, up to 2 years | | Requires written consent | Yes | Yes | | Typical cost to landlord | $25-40 | $30-50 | | Used by major screening services | Yes (default) | Rare |

Cost is close enough that it shouldn't be the deciding factor. Applicant experience should be.

What should you do with the credit report once you have it?

Use the credit report alongside income verification and rental history, not as the only filter. A credit score in the 620-680 range with a stable two-year job history and no prior evictions is often a better bet than a 720 score with three late-payment marks in the last six months and a job that started last month. Pull income documentation the same way you'd verify anything else on the application, and keep your standard consistent across every applicant so you're not making case-by-case judgment calls that look inconsistent later.

Once you've approved someone, the next document that matters is the move-in paperwork. A tenant move-in checklist keeps the transition from screening to occupancy on the same paper trail, which matters if a dispute comes up months later.

Do you need written consent before running either kind of pull?

Yes, both hard and soft pulls require the applicant's written authorization under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, no exceptions. Most rental applications include a consent clause the applicant signs alongside the rest of the form, and you should keep that signed copy on file for as long as you keep the application itself, typically the length of the tenancy plus a few years in case of a dispute.

FAQ

Does a soft credit pull show late payments and collections?

Yes. A soft pull shows the same payment history, balances, and public records as a hard pull. The only difference is that a soft pull doesn't affect the applicant's score or appear as an inquiry on their report.

Can I run a hard pull without telling the applicant?

No. Both hard and soft pulls require signed written consent under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Running either without consent exposes you to legal liability regardless of which type you choose.

Will using a hard pull make my screening more accurate?

No. Both pull types return the same underlying credit data. A hard pull gives you no additional information over a soft pull; it only costs the applicant score points.

What credit score should I require for approval?

There's no universal number, but many landlords set a minimum around 600-650 combined with income at least 2.5 to 3 times the monthly rent. Adjust based on your local market and document the standard so it's applied the same way to every applicant.

Does the type of pull matter for Section 8 applicants?

No, the credit check process is the same regardless of voucher status. See Section 8 tenants: pros, cons, and rules for how voucher income factors into your overall screening decision.

This is educational information, not legal advice. Consult your attorney or a tenant screening compliance service before finalizing your screening policy.