How to Raise Your Credit Score: 9 Steps That Actually Work (2026)

Updated October 2026. General information for US readers, not personalized financial, tax, insurance or legal advice.

Your credit score affects the interest rate you pay on credit cards, car loans and mortgages, and it can affect apartment applications too. The good news: the biggest parts of your score are things you control.

Most US lenders use FICO scores, which are built from five categories (myFICO):

Factor	Weight	What it means
Payment history	35%	Whether you pay on time
Amounts owed	30%	How much of your available credit you use
Length of credit history	15%	How long your accounts have been open
New credit	10%	Recent applications and new accounts
Credit mix	10%	Having different types of credit, like cards and loans

Payment history and amounts owed together make up 65% of the score, so the steps below start there.

Key takeaways

Never miss a payment. Set up autopay for at least the minimum.
Pay card balances down and keep your utilization low.
Check your credit reports for free every week and dispute errors.
Don’t close your oldest card or open lots of new accounts at once.

1. Pay Every Bill on Time

Payment history is the biggest factor at 35%. A payment that’s 30 or more days late can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. Set up autopay for at least the minimum payment on every card and loan, then pay extra by hand when you can.

If you’re already behind, get current as soon as possible. The longer an account stays past due, the more damage it does.

2. Lower Your Credit Utilization

Credit utilization is the share of your credit card limits you’re using. If you owe $3,000 across cards with a $10,000 total limit, your utilization is 30%. Lower is better, and people with the highest scores usually use only a small part of their limits.

Ways to bring it down:

Pay before your statement closing date, since that balance is usually the one reported to the credit bureaus.
Make two smaller payments each month instead of one.
Pay down the card that’s closest to its limit first.

3. Check Your Credit Reports for Errors

You can get free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion every week at AnnualCreditReport.com (NH Banking Department). Look for accounts you don’t recognize, late payments you actually made on time, and wrong balances or limits. Dispute errors directly with the bureau that shows them. Our guide to free weekly credit reports walks through it.

4. Ask for a Credit Limit Increase

A higher limit lowers your utilization if your balance stays the same. Many card issuers let you request an increase online. Ask first whether they’ll do a hard credit check; a soft check doesn’t affect your score.

5. Keep Old Accounts Open

Length of credit history is 15% of your score. Closing your oldest card can shorten your credit history over time and cuts your available credit, which raises your utilization. If an old card has no annual fee, keep it open and use it for a small purchase every few months.

6. Space Out New Applications

New credit is 10% of your score. Each application usually triggers a hard inquiry, and opening several accounts in a short time can lower your score. Apply only for credit you actually need. If you’re shopping for a mortgage or car loan, do your rate shopping within a short window, because FICO treats several inquiries for the same type of loan close together as one.

7. Become an Authorized User

If a family member with a long, on-time history adds you as an authorized user on their card, that account may show up on your credit report and help your score. Check that the issuer reports authorized users to the bureaus. Their mistakes can show up on your report too, so only do this with someone who pays on time and keeps a low balance.

8. Handle Collections Carefully

If you have a debt in collections, confirm it’s really yours and the amount is right before you pay. Ask the collector to validate the debt in writing, and get any payment agreement in writing too.

9. Be Patient and Track Your Progress

Lower card balances can show up in your score as soon as the issuer reports them, usually once a month. Recovering from late payments takes longer, because negative items fade gradually. Many banks and card issuers show a free credit score in their apps, so you can track progress without paying for monitoring.

What Doesn’t Raise Your Score

Checking your own score or report. That’s a soft inquiry and doesn’t hurt your score.
Paying a “credit repair” company that promises to remove accurate negative information. You can dispute real errors yourself for free.
Carrying a balance to “build credit.” Paying your statement in full each month works just as well and avoids interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast can I raise my credit score?

Paying down card balances can help within a month or two, once the lower balances are reported. Recovering from late payments or collections usually takes much longer.

What is a good credit score?

FICO scores range from 300 to 850. Each lender sets its own cutoffs, but higher scores get better interest rates and better odds of approval.

Does paying off a loan raise my score?

Not always right away. Closing an installment loan can slightly change your credit mix. It still saves you interest and lowers your debt, which matters most over time.