AnnualCreditReport.com: how to get your free credit reports (2026)

How do I get my free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com?

Go to AnnualCreditReport.com, pick which bureaus' reports you want, and verify your identity. Online reports are usually ready to view right away.

1. Go to the site directly Type AnnualCreditReport.com yourself instead of clicking a link in an email or ad. The FTC says it's the only site authorized to fill orders for the free reports you're entitled to by law ^[3].
2. Enter your details You'll need your full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth and current address, plus your previous address if you've lived at the current one less than two years ^[1].
3. Choose your bureaus Pick one, two or all three. You don't have to order them together; you can spread them out over the year ^[1].
4. Answer each bureau's questions Each bureau checks your identity separately with questions only you should know the answers to, because each gets its information from different sources ^[3].
5. View, download or print Once you're verified, your reports are usually available right away ^[1].

How often can I get a free credit report?

Once a week from each bureau, online. Separately, federal law gives you one free report from each bureau every 12 months on request.

The FTC says all three bureaus have permanently extended the program that lets you check each report once a week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com ^[3]. AnnualCreditReport.com's own FAQ and the CFPB say the same ^[1][4], as does NerdWallet ^[9].

Federal law also gives you a free report in these situations ^[3][4]:

• You got an adverse action notice, such as a denial for credit, insurance, a job or housing based on your report. Ask within 60 days of the notice.
• You're unemployed and plan to apply for a job within 60 days.
• You receive public assistance.
• Your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft.
• You have a fraud alert on your file.

Outside these rules, the CFPB says a bureau can charge no more than $16 for a report, a cap that may change over time ^[4].

Can I order my free credit reports by phone or mail?

Yes. Call (877) 322-8228, or mail the request form to P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Either way, reports are mailed within 15 days.

By phone, you go through identity verification on the call ^[1]. By mail, download the Annual Credit Report Request Form from the site, fill it in and send it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281 ^[1][3]. The FTC says mailed requests are processed and sent within 15 days of receipt, and can take longer if a bureau needs more information to verify you ^[3].

Reports come in Braille, large print or audio if you call (877) 322-8228 and certify that you're visually impaired; they take about three weeks ^[1][3]. Deaf and hard of hearing consumers can call 7-1-1 and give the relay operator 1-800-821-7232 ^[1]. You can also ask whether your report is available in your preferred language ^[4].

Does my free credit report include my credit score?

No. The free reports don't come with a score. You can often get one free from your card issuer, a lender or a nonprofit counselor.

The CFPB says the free reports from the nationwide bureaus don't include free scores ^[5]. Many card companies and lenders show a score on your statement or in your online account, and nonprofit credit counselors and HUD-trained housing counselors can often give you a free report and score ^[6].

Watch out for "free score" offers that make you sign up for something. The CFPB says these are generally not really free, since you may have to cancel within a trial period to avoid a fee ^[5][6]. NerdWallet notes the bureaus also use AnnualCreditReport.com to sell scores and promote paid services such as monitoring ^[9]. You don't need a credit card or subscription to get the reports themselves ^[1]. How scores are built is covered in how credit scores work.

How do I spot a fake AnnualCreditReport.com site?

Look-alike sites misspell the address or put "free report" in their names. The real site and the bureaus won't email you asking for your Social Security number.

The FTC says imposter sites pretend to be tied to AnnualCreditReport.com or claim to offer free reports, scores or monitoring, and some use addresses that purposely misspell the real one ^[3]. Click through one and you may land on sites that sell services, or that collect your personal information and misuse it ^[3].

• Type the address yourself: AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Don't pay. The CFPB warns that some sites give a free report only if you buy something, or bill you for services you have to cancel ^[4]. The real site never asks for a credit card ^[1].
• Ignore emails, pop-ups and calls claiming to be from AnnualCreditReport.com or a bureau. The FTC says they won't email you for your Social Security number or account information, and a message like that is probably a scam ^[3].
• Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov ^[3].

What should I look for on my credit report?

Check that every item is yours and correct: personal details, accounts, payment status, balances and limits. Errors can also be a sign of identity theft.

The CFPB's list of common errors ^[7]:

• Wrong name, phone number or address.
• Accounts that belong to someone with a similar name, or that a thief opened.
• Closed accounts shown as open, or you listed as an owner when you're only an authorized user.
• Payments wrongly shown as late, and wrong dates opened, last paid or first delinquent.
• The same debt listed more than once.
• Wrong balances or credit limits.

Do this before you apply for credit, a loan, insurance, housing or a job, the FTC says ^[3]. If you find an error, dispute it with the bureau and the company that reported it; see how to dispute a credit report error. Accounts you don't recognize can mean identity theft, which you report at IdentityTheft.gov ^[1][3]. Accurate negative items stay for set periods, covered in how long negative items stay.