What Is My Credit Score if I Have No Credit History?
What Is My Credit Score if I Have No Credit History?
No credit history means no score at all, not a bad one. Here's how to check your file and get your first score.
Written by
Brian Acton
Brian Acton is a seasoned personal finance journalist at BestMoney.com who specializes in loans and debt consolidation. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, TIME, USA Today, MarketWatch, Inc. Magazine, HuffPost, and other notable outlets.
If you're asking, "What is my credit score if I have no credit history?" you don't have one yet. Here's how scoring works, how to check your file and how to get your first score. About 7 million U.S. adults had no credit record as of December 2020, per theCFPB's June 2025 update. Roughly 25 million more, about 9.8% of adults, had records too thin or stale to score.
That's roughly 1 in 37 adults with no credit record at all, which leaves lenders, landlords and some employers with nothing to review when they check your credit. Having no credit history isn't the same as having bad credit, but it creates many of the same obstacles.
Without a credit history, it can be tough to get approved for credit cards, personal loans or a debt consolidation loan. That matters if you'recomparing debt consolidation options. But everyone starts somewhere, and there are practical ways to build credit from scratch.
Key Insights
No credit history means no score at all. It isn't a score of zero, and it isn't the same as bad credit.
About 7 million U.S. adults had no credit record as of December 2020, per a June 2025 CFPB update.
A FICO Score needs an account open at least six months. VantageScore can score you after about one month.
One account that reports to the bureaus, paid on time, is enough to start building your first score.
Since September 2026, all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac approved lenders may use VantageScore 4.0, which counts rent history.
What Is Your Credit Score if You Have No Credit History?
You don't have one, because there isn't enough history to generate a FICO Score or VantageScore. You can't have a zero score either. FICO and VantageScore scores range from 300 to 850, according toExperian's guide to no credit vs. bad credit.
The CFPB update above uses two terms for this. You're "credit invisible" if the credit bureaus have no file on you at all. You're "unscored" if a file exists but it's too thin, meaning too few accounts, or too stale, meaning no recent activity.
Here's what each scoring model needs before it can give you a score.
Model
Minimum History
Source
FICO
At least one account open six months or more, plus at least one account reported to a bureau in the past six months
No, there's no standard starting credit score, and you don't necessarily start at the bottom, according toTransUnion. So if you're wondering what credit score you start with, it depends on what your first accounts report.Experian says your first score probably won't be 300 or 850, the two ends of the scale.
What Does It Mean to Have No Credit Score or Credit History?
When you have no credit history, it simply means there is no information about you to create a credit report. That's a summary of your credit history that's used to generate your credit score. People with no credit history also have no credit score and are considered "credit invisible."
This can happen for one of two reasons:
You haven't established credit yet, such as by taking out a loan or opening a credit card.
You haven't used credit in years, and FICO needs an account reported in the past six months to score you.
Old accounts don't vanish right away. Closed accounts that aren't past due generally stay on your report up to 10 years, according toExperian's guide to closed accounts.
No credit history is common if you're a young adult, a recent immigrant or someone who pays with cash, debit or prepaid cards. Experian notes that credit you got outside the U.S. doesn't appear on U.S. credit reports. Debit, cash and prepaid payments aren't borrowing, so they typically aren't reported, according to theCFPB's guide to starting a credit history.
What Financial Challenges Does Having No Credit Score Create?
Being credit invisible creates obstacles that go beyond loan applications, affecting credit, housing, jobs and debt payoff. Understanding them helps you prioritize how quickly to start building.
Credit approval hurdles: Lenders rely on credit history to assess risk, so it can be harder to qualify for credit cards, personal loans or mortgages.
Renting challenges: Rental background checks commonly include credit information, per theCFPB, so landlords may favor applicants with established credit.
Limited job options: Some employers run credit checks during hiring, but they need your written permission first, according to theFTC.
Harder debt consolidation: Lenders use credit history to approve and price consolidation loans, so a blank file can makegetting a debt consolidation loan harder.
Is No Credit Better Than Bad Credit?
No credit is usually easier to fix than bad credit, because you don't have negative marks to wait out. Experian says a missing FICO Score can typically be addressed in as little as six months. Still, both can block approvals.
Attribute
No Credit
Bad Credit
What it means
Not enough history to generate a score
Negative information on your report that leads to a very low score
Your score
None
A low score; FICO classifies 579 or below as poor
What lenders see
An unknown
A known risk
First step to fix it
Open one account that reports to the bureaus
Pay on time and lower your balances
Source: Experian. To see where a low score falls, read our guide tocredit score ranges.
How Do You Check Whether You Have a Credit History?
Check your credit reports with all three major bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, to confirm whether any credit history exists under your name. This is free and doesn't affect your credit.
By phone: Call 1-877-322-8228 to request your reports, per the FTC guide above.
By mail: Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it in to receive paper copies, per the FTC guide.
If all three bureaus have no file on you, you're credit invisible. Checking your own report is a soft inquiry, a type of credit check that doesn't affect your FICO Scores, according tomyFICO.
How Do You Start Building Credit When You Have None?
To build credit from scratch, open one credit-building product, use it responsibly and let the reporting cycle work for you. Several financial products are designed for people with no credit history.
The right method depends on your budget, your support network and how you pay your bills today.
Method
How It Works
Best For
What to Confirm First
Secured credit card
Your deposit typically sets your credit limit, and you use it like a regular card
People starting from scratch who can set aside a deposit
Whether the issuer reports to all three bureaus, plus any fees
Credit builder loan
Loan funds sit in savings while you repay, and you get them after payoff
People who prefer fixed monthly payments
Fees, term length and whether the lender reports to the bureaus
Authorized user
You're added to someone else's card, and its history can appear on your report
People with a trusted family member or friend
The primary cardholder's habits and whether the issuer reports authorized users
Rent and utility reporting
A service or landlord reports your on-time bills to one or more bureaus
Renters who already pay on time
Which bureau receives the data
Student credit card
A card designed for students that you use and pay like a regular card
College students with their own income
Proof of enrollment, income requirements and bureau reporting
Reporting practices vary by issuer and service, so confirm before you sign up.
How Does a Secured Credit Card Help You Build Credit?
A secured credit card builds credit by reporting your payments, just like a regular card. It's a common first step amongways to rebuild credit or start fresh.
You open the card with a security deposit, which typically sets your credit limit, according to the CFPB. Before you apply, confirm the issuer reports to all three bureaus.
Keep your utilization low. That's the share of your credit limit you're using, andExperian says under 30% is a common rule of thumb, though there's no magic threshold and lower tends to be better. Pay the full statement balance each month.
Secured cards generally carry higher APRs than unsecured cards, though not in every case, according to theFTC. Carrying a balance can cost more than it helps. The FTC adds that you usually get your deposit back when you pay off the balance and close the account, and a secured card may help you qualify for an unsecured card later. Terms vary by issuer, so check the card's details.
What Is a Credit Builder Loan and How Does It Work?
A credit builder loan is an installment loan designed to help you build credit, and it's aimed at borrowers with limited or damaged credit histories, according toExperian's credit builder loan guide.
With a credit builder loan, you borrow a small amount, which can range from $300 to $1,000, according toCapital One. The lender holds the funds in a CD or savings account rather than giving them to you directly. You repay in small payments, usually over six to 24 months, per the CFPB.
Once the loan is paid off, you receive the funds. If the lender reports to the credit bureaus, each on-time payment builds your payment history throughout the loan term.
How Does Becoming an Authorized User Help Build Credit?
Becoming an authorized user on a trusted person's credit card lets their account history be reported under your name. If a trusted friend or family member responsibly manages their credit card, ask them to add you as an authorized user.
The primary cardholder's activity, including payments, balance levels and account age, gets reported under your name as well as theirs. Both positive and negative information can affect your score, according tomyFICO, but you aren't legally responsible for the debt.
This works in your favor when the primary cardholder uses the card wisely. Before you're added, ask whether the issuer reports authorized users to the bureaus.
Can Rent and Utility Payments Help You Build Credit?
Yes, as long as the payments are reported and the scoring model counts them. Here's how that can work:
Experian Boost: It adds eligible utility, cable, internet, streaming, insurance and online rent payments to your Experian file, perExperian.
Landlord reporting: Positive rent payments can help build credit if they're reported, so ask your landlord about rent reporting, per theCFPB.
Mortgage scoring: As of Sept. 9, 2026,the FHFA lets Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lenders use VantageScore 4.0, which counts rent.
Boost data goes only to your Experian file, so lenders that check Equifax or TransUnion may not see it. Mortgage lenders may also still use Classic FICO, per the FHFA.
What Are Your Options as a College Student or Young Adult?
If you're a student building credit for the first time, your options include a secured card, a student credit card or becoming an authorized user, according toTransUnion's secured card guide. If you're under 21, card issuers must base approval on your own income or assets. Otherwise, you'll need a cosigner who's 21 or older, according to theCFPB's card eligibility guidance.
Compare fees and reporting practices rather than rewards when you pick your first card.
How Long Does It Take to Build Credit From Scratch?
You can get a first FICO Score in about six months and a VantageScore in about one month, once an account reports. Those timelines come from the myFICO and Experian requirements in the scoring table above.
FICO requires at least one account open six months and one account reported within the past six months. VantageScore uses a more flexible model, so you may have a VantageScore before you have a FICO Score.
Think of your credit history like a résumé. Lenders want to see a track record before they trust you with more, and each on-time payment adds a line.
Payment history makes up 35% of your FICO Score, more than any other factor, according tomyFICO's breakdown of score factors. Paying every bill on time matters whichever credit-building method you choose.
Can You Get a Debt Consolidation Loan With No Credit History?
It's possible, but it's harder, because lenders use your credit history to judge risk and set your rate. With no file, they have little to go on.
You can apply with a creditworthy cosigner, ask a credit union you bank with or build a few months of on-time history first. Our guide tocosigner debt consolidation loans explains how a shared application works. When you're ready, compare rates and terms inour best debt consolidation loans.
Who Is This Guide For?
This guide is for you if you want to know your credit score if you have no credit history or a thin file.
If you're a teen or college student, start with the student options and the scoring rules above.
If you've paid for everything with cash or debit, you may have no credit file yet.
If you're new to the U.S., your credit from another country won't appear on U.S. reports.
If you had credit years ago but no recent activity, your file may be too stale to score.
If you already have a low score, focus on rebuilding with on-time payments and lower balances.
What Should You Do Next?
Your next move is to open one credit-building product and use it responsibly. Building credit from scratch takes time, but the path is straightforward. Consistency matters, because on-time payments and low balances do the heavy lifting.
Many 18-year-olds have no score until an account reports, unless they've been added as an authorized user on a parent's card. If you're under 21, the CFPB income-or-cosigner rule above also applies.
Can you have a credit score of 0?
No. FICO and VantageScore scores start at 300, so no history means no score rather than a zero.
What is considered a good credit score?
On FICO's scale, a score from 670 to 739 is considered good, according to myFICO.
How quickly can I build credit if I start today?
You can get a VantageScore about one month after your first account reports and a FICO Score after about six months.
Does checking my own credit report hurt my score?
No, it's a soft inquiry. FICO considers hard inquiries, which happen when you apply for credit, from the past 12 months, permyFICO's guide to new credit.
Why Trust BestMoney?
You can rely on this guide because a loans specialist wrote it and every figure traces back to a named source.
Brian Acton is a seasoned personal finance journalist at BestMoney.com who specializes in loans and debt consolidation. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, TIME, USA Today, MarketWatch, Inc. Magazine, HuffPost and other notable outlets.
For this update, we checked each claim against the CFPB, the FTC, the FHFA, myFICO, Experian, TransUnion and Capital One's credit builder loan explainer.
How We Researched This
This article relies on secondary sources, which we reviewed in October 2026. We didn't use a BestMoney survey, because we don't have first-party survey data on credit history.
We replaced the outdated CFPB credit-invisible estimate with the CFPB's June 2025 update and its December 2020 data. We also removed figures we couldn't source, including secured card APR ranges, deposit amounts and month-by-month score timelines.
Brian Acton is a seasoned personal finance journalist at BestMoney.com who specializes in loans and debt consolidation. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, TIME, USA Today, MarketWatch, Inc. Magazine, HuffPost, and other notable outlets.
