Who looks at my credit report?

When you request a utility service or apply for credit, an insurance product, or a job, you give others permission to review your credit report. When people need to review your credit, they contact the credit reporting agencies and request (for a fee) a copy of your credit report. This request to review your credit report is called a “hard inquiry.”

People who Review Your Credit Reports
Type of person or entity	Need your written permission to review your credit?
Potential lenders (banks, credit unions, credit card companies, etc.)	No
Banks (for determining ATM limits and whether to offer you check overdraft protection)	Yes
Employers	Yes
Insurance Companies	No
Landlords	Yes
Companies who assist victims of identity theft	No
Utility companies	Yes
State or local child support enforcement agencies	No
Any government agency	No
Anyone you authorize to access your credit report	No