How to Get a Perfect Credit Score

Yes. An Experian study found that as of 2023, 1.54% of all credit-holding Americans had a FICO score of 850.² A perfect score may require exemplary financial behavior, like making on-time payments, keeping a low credit utilization ratio, and maintaining a long history of credit accounts. A wide credit mix and only a few hard credit checks may also play a role.

But a perfect credit score may be as hard to maintain as it is to get. For example, if you pay off a loan in full – an admirable financial move that can free up your finances for savings and other purchases – you may impact your credit mix, something that may negatively impact your score.³ And even if you maintain a wide credit mix for an extended period of time, it’s important to remember that your credit score is a snapshot of your credit history at any given moment and so is bound to fluctuate every so often.

The distinguishing factor of perfect credit score holders is how they manage their debt. Specifically, perfect scorers had an average of 5.8 credit cards but only about $3,028 in credit card debt, compared to the national averages of 3.9 credit cards and roughly $6,501 in debt, according to the same Experian study mentioned above.²

The bottom line? Those with perfect credit scores tend to display their ability to keep debt down while having many credit accounts, among other positive factors that affect your credit score.

Though a perfect 850 credit score is a commendable goal, good-to-excellent credit is likely high enough to ensure your chances of getting approved for credit cards, loans, and mortgages with better interest rates and loan terms.

Still, the higher your credit score, the better your chances may be of locking in lower interest rates for certain types of loans – with one caveat. Lenders don’t distinguish between a score of 800 and 850.⁴ Some experts go as far as to suggest there may not be additional benefits for FICO scores beyond 760, indicating a score in the high 700s may, in many cases, be as good as perfect.

Still, if you’d like to take steps to improve your credit, you may want to consider these healthy credit tips:

• Pay your credit card bills on time. People with scores of 800 and above tend to pay their bills on time while those with lower credit scores have one or two late payments.⁵
• Keep a solid payment history. Always pay on time and never miss a payment. Your payment history makes up 35% of your FICO score.⁶
• Consider your credit mix. Credit score companies like to see a variety of credit sources, like multiple loans and credit cards. But it doesn’t make sense, of course, to take on new loans if you can’t pay them back. And it’s not wise to avoid paying down debt just to keep the variety.⁷
• Increase your credit limit. The higher your credit limit, the easier it can be to maintain a lower credit utilization ratio, which may have a better impact on your credit score. To increase your credit limit, you can apply for a new credit card or ask for an increase. But make sure your finances can handle the increased limit – it’s important to spend responsibly.
• Don’t close old accounts. If you can help it, keep old accounts open. Closing a card may hurt the length of your credit history and your credit mix, both important components of a credit score.⁸
• Regularly monitor your credit report. Check your credit report often, keeping an eye out for any errors that could be decreasing your score. Unauthorized hard inquiries, for instance, may cause score dips.
• Only open a new credit card when you really need it. Every time you open a new credit account, the credit issuer will make a hard inquiry. Since hard inquiries may drop your score a few points, keep this in mind when considering a new account.¹