How to Raise Your Credit Score Fast

Raising a credit score quickly is less about tricks and more about hitting the biggest levers that scoring models actually weigh. On the dominant FICO® 300–850 scale, the two heaviest components are payment history (~35%) and amounts owed/credit utilization (~30%), so preventing new late payments and lowering revolving balances is where speed really lives. The most effective short-term moves typically include (1) reducing credit card balances before the statement closes, (2) adding positive information that may be missing from your reports (such as on-time rent and eligible utilities), (3) correcting real reporting errors, and (4) using lender tools like rapid rescore when timing around a mortgage matters. In 2025, you also need to factor in two evolving areas: Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) loans that now appear on some credit files, and shifting rules around medical debt reporting. This playbook walks through practical steps, realistic timelines, and FAQs to help you move a FICO score upward quickly and keep it there, without gimmicks or risky shortcuts.

Step 1 — Lower What Gets Reported Before the Statement Cuts

Most major card issuers report your statement balance to the credit bureaus, not whatever your balance happens to be on the day you pay. That means a card can look “maxed out” on your reports even if you paid it down just after the statement closed. Moving money before the statement date is one of the fastest ways to show lower utilization and potentially boost scores within a single cycle.

Start by listing each card’s limit, current balance, and statement date. Focus first on accounts with the highest utilization percentage (balance ÷ limit) and the highest APRs. If you can, push those balances below key thresholds (for example, under about 30% of the limit overall and per card; lower is better when you are trying to jump a tier). When a large purchase temporarily spikes utilization, divide your payoff into several mid-cycle payments rather than waiting for one lump sum after the statement cuts. Check for pending charges that might post after you pay, and leave a little room so those transactions do not push utilization right back up.

If you are days away from a mortgage application and your new, lower balances have not yet appeared on reports, ask your loan officer whether a rapid rescore makes sense. With a rapid rescore, the lender sends verified documentation (such as statements or payoff letters) to the bureaus so updated balances or fixed errors can be reflected in your file within days instead of waiting for the next reporting cycle. Rapid rescoring does not delete accurate negative marks, but it can help recent paydowns count quickly when a better rate is on the line.

Step 2 — Protect Payment History and Stabilize Autopay

A single new 30-day late payment can undo a lot of progress, because payment history is the largest component of most FICO scores. The goal over the next 30–90 days is simple: stop new late marks from appearing and bring any past-due accounts current as soon as you realistically can.

Turn on autopay for at least the minimum on every open account, then schedule a second, separate payment for any extra principal you want to put toward debt. If due dates are scattered across the month, ask card issuers to move them so more of your payments cluster around your paydays; many lenders will adjust due dates on request. If an account is already late, catching it up quickly is more important than accelerating card paydowns, because the impact of a new delinquency on payment history can be severe and long-lasting.

When a late mark truly stems from a servicer error, dispute it with documentation (such as proof of timely payment or system issues). If the late was your mistake but clearly a one-time lapse in an otherwise clean history, you can ask the creditor for a goodwill adjustment in your own words. Results are never guaranteed, and legitimate late payments are not required to be removed, but some creditors will make an exception for long-standing customers with strong records. Be cautious about paying third parties to send form letters; they cannot force a creditor to change accurate data.

Finally, avoid skipping installment-loan payments (like car or personal loans) to free cash for credit cards. A missed loan payment damages payment history, while card utilization can often be improved in the next cycle with better timing and smaller, repeated payments.

Step 3 — Add Positive Data That Is Missing from Your File

Many people already have a track record of on-time payments that never shows up on their traditional credit reports. Adding more positive information is not as powerful as fixing utilization and payment history, but it can help if your file is thin or you are just shy of the next score tier.

Tools like Experian Boost® let you opt in to add eligible utilities and recurring bills (such as certain streaming services) to your Experian file, potentially improving scores that use that bureau’s data. For renters, a rent-reporting service can report on-time rent to one or more bureaus; carefully check fees, which bureaus are included, and whether your lender’s scoring model actually considers rental data before signing up. Over time, several years of on-time rent can strengthen your payment history profile, especially if you do not yet have a mortgage.

Another option is becoming an authorized user on a well-managed, older credit card account. This can help lengthen your apparent credit history and add more on-time payments, provided the issuer reports authorized-user data to the bureaus and the primary cardholder keeps balances low and pays on time. Avoid joining accounts with high utilization or any delinquencies, since negative behavior can also flow through. If an AU account stops being managed well, ask to be removed so new problems do not weigh on your score.

Step 4 — Fix Real Errors and Use Rapid Rescore When Timing Counts

Credit reports are allowed to contain accurate negative information, but they should not contain wrong negative information. Pull your reports from all three major bureaus and compare each tradeline: balances, credit limits, account status, and dates. Focus on errors that matter for scoring, such as limits that are too low (which inflate utilization), accounts showing as open when they are closed and paid, or late payments that were not actually late.

Dispute only information you genuinely believe is inaccurate, and include copies of supporting documents like billing statements, payment confirmations, or payoff letters. The bureau generally has 30 days to investigate and respond in most situations. If the furnisher confirms that data was wrong, the bureau is required to correct or delete it.

When you are in the middle of a mortgage process, waiting a full cycle for updates can be impractical. This is where a rapid rescore can be useful: your lender submits proof of updated balances or corrected information to the bureaus so the changes can be reflected in your file much more quickly. Rapid rescoring is initiated by the lender (not consumers directly), cannot remove accurate negative information, and may not be available at every lender, but it can make the difference when your debt-to-income or score tier is right on the edge.

As you shop for a mortgage or auto loan, try to keep applications within a single rate-shopping window. Most modern FICO models treat similar mortgage or auto inquiries made within a short period (often up to about 45 days, depending on the specific model) as a single inquiry for scoring purposes, so grouping applications helps minimize score impact while you search for the best terms.

Step 5 — Watch 2025 Changes: BNPL Visibility and Medical-Debt Rules

The information on your credit reports is evolving. In 2025, more Buy Now, Pay Later activity is visible on credit files, and rules around medical debt reporting are in flux.

On the BNPL side, Apple Pay Later loans now appear on Experian credit reports with a BNPL designation, and Affirm began reporting all pay-over-time loans issued on or after April 1, 2025 to Experian. Some current scoring models shield certain BNPL tradelines from score calculations for now, but missed BNPL payments that are sent to collections can damage your credit like any other collection account. Treat BNPL plans like any other debt: keep the number of active plans low, calendar every due date, and avoid using BNPL for everyday consumables or subscriptions where overspending is easy.

Medical-debt reporting is also changing. In early 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule intended to remove many medical bills from most credit reports and limit how creditors use medical information. Later that year, a federal appeals court vacated key portions of the rule, and further legal and regulatory responses are possible. The practical takeaway for now: if you see medical collections on your reports, check the most current guidance or ask your lender how they treat those accounts, verify that the debts are accurate and legitimately owed, and pursue written disputes or validation requests where appropriate. Even when major bureaus voluntarily limit how they use certain medical debts, unpaid collections can still affect lending decisions until the underlying bills are resolved.