In common credit scoring models, 300 is typically the lowest possible score. However, scores that low are extremely rare. There are two major credit scoring models: FICO and VantageScore.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 300 to 579, considered Very Poor. A 300 FICO® Score is significantly below the average credit score.
No one has a credit score of zero, no matter how badly they have mishandled credit in the past. The most widely used credit scores, FICO and VantageScore, are on a range from 300 to 850. As of April 2021, only 3% of consumers had a FICO 8 score below 500.
Takeaway: The lowest possible credit score you can have is 300. Standard credit scores range from 300 to 850. It's impossible to have a credit score outside that range. The national average credit score in 2021 was 716 for FICO and 694 for VantageScore.
It is 176 points away from being a “good” credit score, which many people use as a benchmark, and 116 points from being “fair.” A 524 credit score won't knock any lenders' socks off, but it shouldn't completely prevent you from being approved for a credit card or loan, either.
Age well for best results
While six months is the minimum age before you're fully scorable, that's the bottom of the range -- way at the bottom. Most lenders (and scoring models) consider anything less than two years of credit history to be little more than a decent start.
It will take about six months of credit activity to establish enough history for a FICO credit score, which is used in 90% of lending decisions. 1 FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850, and a score of over 700 is considered a good credit score. Scores over 800 are considered excellent.
If you haven't started using credit yet, you won't have a credit score. You begin to build your credit score after you open your first line of credit, such as a credit card or a student loan. At that point, your credit score is determined by the way you use that initial credit account.
Consumers with very poor credit scores between 400 and 450 often have their credit applications rejected, according to FICO, a credit scoring agency. But it doesn't have to be that way. Loans and credit cards for 400 to 450 credit scores are still available.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 300 to 579, considered Very Poor. A 500 FICO® Score is significantly below the average credit score. Many lenders choose not to do business with borrowers whose scores fall in the Very Poor range, on grounds they have unfavorable credit.
The truth is that we all start out with no credit score at all. Credit scores are based on the information in our major credit reports, and such reports aren't even created until we've had credit (e.g., a credit card or loan) in our names for at least six months.
MoneyGeek's Takeaways. The base credit scores of the most popular credit-reporting models start at 300. Starting with a score of around 300 is possible only if you've managed your finances poorly. You may start to build a credit history or improve your score without using any type of credit.
The Takeaway. It usually takes a minimum of six months to generate your first credit score. Establishing good or excellent credit takes longer.
The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those bureaus. This means a couple of things: The scores we provide are actual credit scores pulled from two of the major consumer credit bureaus, not just estimates of your credit rating.
The short answer is no. Your date of birth doesn't necessarily impact your personal credit score—but the age of your credit profile does.
The following common actions can hurt your credit score: Missing payments. Payment history is one of the most important aspects of your FICO® Score, and even one 30-day late payment or missed payment can have a negative impact. Using too much available credit.
Yes, it is possible to have a credit score of at least 700 with a collections remark on your credit report, however it is not a common situation. It depends on several contributing factors such as: differences in the scoring models being used.
Pay on time.
One of the best things you can do to improve your credit score is to pay your debts on time and in full whenever possible. Payment history makes up a significant chunk of your credit score, so it's important to avoid late payments.
There's no such thing as a zero score. Having “no score” simply means you don't have any number tied to your credit profile. You can be absent from the scoring model if you've never had a credit card or loan, or if you haven't used credit in a long time.