Your credit report is an important part of your financial life. It can determine whether you can get credit, how good or bad the terms for getting credit are, and how much it costs you to borrow money. Learn how to get your free credit report — and why it’s a good idea.

How do I order my free annual credit reports?

The three nationwide credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — have a centralized website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address so you can order your free annual reports in one place. Do not contact the three credit bureaus individually. These are the only ways to order your free annual credit reports:

• Visit AnnualCreditReport.com
• Call 1-877-322-8228, or
• complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to:
  Annual Credit Report Request Service
  P.O. Box 105281
  Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Only one website — AnnualCreditReport.com — is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit reports you are entitled to by law.

How often can I get a free report?

Federal law gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. In addition, the three bureaus have permanently extended a program that lets you check your credit report from each once a week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Also, everyone in the U.S. can get six free credit reports per year from Equifax through 2026 by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. That’s in addition to the one free Equifax report (plus your Experian and TransUnion reports) that you can get annually at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Where can I learn more about credit reports?

The FTC’s Credit Reports page provides additional information and resources related to credit reports, including the following (available only in English):

• About Credit Reports
• How To Get Your Free Annual Credit Reports
• What To Expect When You Order Your Credit Reports
• How To Monitor Your Credit Reports
• Who Can Get Copies of Your Credit Reports
• Avoid Other Sites Offering Free Credit Reports
• Report Scams