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How to Get Two Free Credit Reports a Year
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Short answer: Live in Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey or Vermont.
Long answer: In the seven states listed above, there are state laws that that require the credit bureaus to provide your credit reports absolutely free. These laws are in addition to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (technically, it’s the 2003 Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act which amended the FCRA) that requires the bureaus to provide your credit reports once twelve months, which you can access through AnnualCreditReport.com.
For example, in my home state of Maryland, you had the right to request your report every twelve months but you had to submit your request to the credit bureau directly. The new law created a central clearinghouse through which you could make your request, AnnualCreditReport.com, and this gave Marylanders a second look at their report, though you still have to make that request directly.
The easiest way to request it directly, which is a rule shared by all seven states, is to do it online:
- Equifax: Click this link and click “Free state credit file.”
- Experian: Click this link
- TransUnion: Click this link
This means that if you stagger your requests, you can review your report once ever two months. I don’t do this but if you really want to be on top of it, it doesn’t get any better than this. Couple it with TransUnion credit score monitoring through Credit Karma and you will be the second to know if your identity is ever compromised (sadly, the first to know is the thief him or herself).
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That is awesome. Since I do live in Maryland, I will be taking advantage of this. Thanks Jim.
Great tip.
FYI: TransUnion link is busted.
Thanks man, double http’d that
Great, great post! I set up calendar reminders in Outlook to make sure I get my reports. And I’m a Jersey resident, so I’m in bonus territory. I’m usually comfortable with one every 4 months, so I haven’t been doubling up on each, but I may have to kick it up a notch. It can’t hurt I guess, right?
Thanks Nick! Now why didn’t I ever think to put reminders on my calendar? It’s on there now!
Great to hear! I know – isn’t it funny how we need reminders to set reminders?
I’ve considered moving to 3 of those states. If I decide to get any more obsessive about credit I will keep this in mind.
Thanks! That is useful now that I’m in Georgia.
What about people in kentucky?
Join Digital Credit Union and your Fico score free every month. $10 to join and $5 in the savings account.
I also stagger getting my wife’s report into the rotation, since her credit report is almost identical to mine. That way I get 6 free reports per year even though I live in Washington state.
Are you serious? I get three free a year. Every 3 to 4 months I request a free report from ONE of the credit agencies. Not all three at once. By the time I get the last report and read it completely its time to request from the first agency again. They all share the same info and only rarely have any difference. You can do this from ANY state!
speedracerx9–
Credit reports from the 3 agencies are not the same as your FICO score.
Credit reports show all open and closed credit accounts and should be gotten every 4 months to make sure no one is using your credit information. A FICO score will give you a number that most credit agencies use for your credit worthiness.
@speedracer. I believe the point is that you can get six free per year in those states as well – not just the 3 from annualcreditreport.com. One directly from each reporting agency as well.
Don’t need FICO. You either take care of your credit or you don’t. Sometimes circumstances dont allow you to manage it well but when you can you should. It takes months or years to efectively change it and knowing your low is probably no suprise to those who are. Its an over hyped number. And do you really need 6 reports. How paranoid can you be.
Well, we paid our first house off in 6 years and bought 58 acres and built a house and paid that off in 7 years and have had no payments of any kind for over 30 years. We do open and close savings, checking and credit cards to earn extra money. $3800 last year and most is tax free. So not being in debt and opening and closing accounts can affect your FICO score which can have an effect on your car and house insurance premiums. So we are not paranoid, just prudent on watching expenses by not paying more when we don’t have to.
This is somewhat fraudulent but you can enter in your address saying you live in another state and still get the report for free.
Worked for me at least. 
Hurray for living in Massachusetts!
I knew it had to pay off eventually.
too bad I live in FL, but I did just order my 4mo cycle this morning and it looked ok.
http://www.sadtrombone.com for ny-ers. oh well. we already live in the best state in the country so what more couldi want i guess