How to Request a Credit Report by Mail

Order a credit report through the mail.

A credit report is the key to understanding and improving your credit rating. It lists addresses of residences, car loans, mortgages, credit cards, late payments and bills not paid off. Each of these affects an individual's ability to successfully apply for loans, credit cards and even apartments. These reports offer a roadmap to improving credit scores. Federal law requires each of the three credit rating companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to provide one credit report annually without cost, upon request.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Go to the annual credit report website. This is the official website to request a free credit report from the three credit report companies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Similarly named websites offer the same service for a fee.

2. Click on the "request your report through the mail" tab. It will open a new page where you can download the form required to request a credit report. This form is in pdf format.

3. Fill out the form. Each company is required by law to provide one credit report free of charge per calendar year. You can choose to have one, two or all three reports sent to you. Checking the same company's report later in the same year will incur a fee, however.

4. Mail the form to:

   Annual Credit Report Request Service

   Box 105281

   Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

   The form will be processed and mailed within 15 days of arrival. It can take two to three weeks for delivery.

Tips & Warnings

• Order one report from a different bureau every four months. This keeps you informed of your credit situation throughout the entire year without having to pay for a copy of the report.

References

• Annual Credit Report
• Request Credit Report by Mail