Is It Possible to Get a Perfect Credit Score?

Yes. An Experian study found that as of 2021, 1.3% of all credit-holding Americans had a FICO score of 850.² A perfect score generally requires years of 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 also play a role.

But a perfect credit score can 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’ll decrease your credit mix, something that may negatively impact your score. 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.

It might be surprising to know that people with perfect credit scores do in fact use credit, take out loans, and carry debt. The distinguishing factor is how they manage their debt. One study found that Americans with perfect FICO credit scores tend to have more credit products in their name but carry less debt than those with average – yet still good – FICO scores. Specifically, perfect scorers had an average of 5.9 credit cards but only about $2,558 in debt, compared to the national averages of 3.9 credit cards and roughly $5,221 in debt, according to the same Experian study mentioned above.

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 typically 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 of locking in lower interest rates for certain types of loans – with one caveat. Lenders typically don’t distinguish between a score of 800 and 850. 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. FICO’s Loan Savings Calculator, for example, shows a score of 760 might secure you as low an interest rate on a loan as a score of 850.³

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 often. Instead of paying your statement once a month, some “800 club members” make credit card payments weekly to avoid carrying a balance.⁴
• Keep a solid payment history. Always pay on time and never miss a payment. Your payment history makes up 35% of your FICO score.⁵
• Consider your credit mix. Credit score companies like to see a wide 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. Credit mix makes up only 10% of your FICO score and, in the run of a long life, good financial habits are typically more important than hitting 850.
• Increase your credit limit. The higher your credit limit, the easier it can be to maintain a lower credit utilization ratio, which can 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 more important to spend responsibly.
• Don’t close old accounts. If you can help it, keep old accounts open. One person with an One person with an 850 credit score noted his oldest account is over 30 years old, greatly increasing his length of credit history – which makes up 15% of your FICO credit score.⁶
• 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, can cause score dips and signify fraud.
• 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 will drop your score a few points, keep this in mind when considering a new account.