If you are looking for no credit check loans, this can be tricky, since most US lenders carry out credit checks in some shape or form to determine your eligibility for a loan.
A credit check is a quick electronic process which gives lender’s an insight into your credit history including any open credit cards, loans or ongoing payments (cell phones, car finance, utilities) and gives an indication on how well you have paid these in the past.
If the credit check shows a history of repayments on time, you may be able to get the loan you need. But if the credit check shows lots of missed payments and other loans outstanding, this may stop you from getting approved.
However, there are some other loans with no credit checks available, which includes credit unions, title loans (secured against your car), car loans and some other very specific loans such as bridging and invoice factoring.
Key Points
- Getting a no credit check loan is tricky because a lot of US loan companies run a quick check to determine your eligibility for a loan
- A credit check shows any previous or outstanding repayments for loans, credit cards and other expenses – and how well you have paid these
- Some people search for ‘no credit check loans’ because they have bad credit and want to avoid being checked if possible – but there are other loan options to consider
- If you want to find a loan without credit checks, consider using a title loan, credit union or bridging loan whereby eligibility is based more on collateral than your credit score
What is a Credit Check?
A credit check is a process carried out by most lenders offering short term loans and personal loans – which offers a fast overview of someone’s personal credit history including how well they have paid other loans, credit cards and other regular payments.
Lenders are able to access this information by paying a small fee to the companies who run a credit check, known as credit reference bureaus, and these firms hold all of this information on US citizens and update it in real-time. There are three bureaus in the US: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
Offering this information in real-time is key, since this means that any time you apply for a loan, that the information is updated and based on today’s financial situation and not from a week or month ago when your situation might have been different.
If the credit check meets the criteria of the lender, they may be happy to approve your loan. But if the credit check comes back and shows a history of missed payments and outstanding debt, this could be a sign that the borrower is high-risk and not the right person to lend to.
Why Would I Search for a No Credit Check Loan?
The search term ‘no credit check loans’ is very popular for the millions of Americans who are declined a loan every year because of their poor credit history. If you have missed payments for loans and other financial obligations in the past, this will reflect negatively on your credit score and eventually you could end up with a bad credit score (for more information see bad credit loans online with guaranteed approval).
So, many people search specifically for ‘no credit check loans’ or ‘no credit loans’ because they do not want to be turned down just because of their credit scores. Hopefully if they can find lenders or providers that do not take credit scores into account, they can access the loan they need, whether it is for $500, $1,000 or more.
What Loans Are Available with No Credit Checks?
However, if there are a number of loans that do not take credit scoring into consideration, either because of the nature of the product (credit union) or because you can use other forms of security or collateral. We explain some of the key ones below:
Credit Unions
Credit Unions are large institutions and there are almost 6,000 of them around the United States. Similar to banks, they are operated by members who pay an annual fee and this means that money is lent out at lower rates and members can earn an annual return on investment for being involved.
The entire business model is non-profit and to serve is members, so they do not always take credit scores into consideration when offering a loan and can be a lot more reasonable and flexible on the terms provided.
Title Loans
Title loans allow you to release money based on the value of your car. You can usually release around 25% of the car’s value, provided that it is in good condition and fully functioning.
To be eligible, you need to own the car outright (or most of it) and the idea is that you are signing over the deed of car to the lender whilst you have the loan open. You can also own the car on finance. Whilst the average loan amount is $1,000, if you cannot repay your loan, the lender can cease the car and sell it to recover their losses. See payday loans vs title loans to find out more.
Bridging
Bridging is another form of secured lending which allows you to borrow money against your home for a short period of time, usually 3 t0 24 months.
This drawdown is usually used to buy something else, such as a move to another property, buying property from an auction or to make a large purchase. Like any collateral loans, the lender will own a percentage or stake in the property, so if you cannot repay, the lender could repossess your home in part or full.
Invoice Factoring
Invoice factoring, otherwise known as invoice loans or invoice discounting, is used for business purposes and allows you to borrow money against unpaid future invoices.
This is usually for companies who need working capital to make immediate purchases or sales, such as a caterer who needs to buy food supplies before a big event or a construction company who needs to hire builders to help put together a large development. Since invoices can be paid half upfront and half on completion, you can get an invoice on future payments, showing your contract with the vendor or invoice as proof – and no credit checks are therefore involved.
What Else Can I Do?
Credit checks are nothing to be scared about and there are a couple of simple ways to boost your score. For starters, you can look at getting a free credit report to show your existing score and how it has been impacted by various payments and obligations in the past.
You may also find some things that can improve your score, whether it is closing some cards that you don’t use or paying off some loans.
There are some other things you can do to better your score, whether it is stop sharing any bank accounts with someone with bank credit or even joining the electoral register to vote.