Is an 800 Credit Score Considered Perfect?

Having a credit rating above 800 is not just good, it is exceptional. According to FICO's credit rating system, a score of 800 is a perfect credit score. This is because improving your score is unlikely to save you money on loans, lines of credit, car insurance, etc. Membership in the 800+ credit score club is quite exclusive, with fewer than 1 in 6 people scoring this high, according to data from WalletHub.

And because so few people score this high, lenders don't divide the multitude of 800+ credit scores into smaller groups that receive separate offers. You are still well above the average consumer if you have a credit rating of 800. The average credit score is 704 points. If you have a credit score of 800, it means you've spent a lot of time building your score and managing your payments well. Most lenders consider a score of 800 to be in the “exceptional range”.

It's an indication that you pay your bills on time, that you have a good mix of loans and credit cards, and that you don't have too high a balance on your various cards. Individuals with exceptional credit scores may be the main targets of identity theft, one of the fastest growing criminal activities. If your credit card issuer participates, you can check your score when you log in to your online account or it will be included in your monthly statement (or both). In general, you'll automatically be offered better terms for a mortgage or car loan if you have an exceptional credit score (assuming everything else is in order). And if there is a credit card offer that appeals to you, for example, one with a generous sign-up bonus, you should not deprive yourself of that offer because you are worried that it will ruin your chances of getting perfect credit. Allowing utilization to increase will lower your score, and approaching 100% can seriously lower your credit score.

Most lenders consider a credit score of 750 to be in the “very good range” which is one step below exceptional. That said, it's not a bad idea to check your credit report and see why your score is 800 instead of a higher number. If you stagger your requests, you can get a credit report once every four months, so you can keep an eye on your credit report throughout the year. Another way to demonstrate your experience using credit is by showing lenders that you can juggle different types of credit. Along with your rating, you'll receive a report that uses specific information in your credit report that indicates why your score isn't even higher.

If you keep your utilization rates at or below 30% on all accounts in total and in each individual account, most experts agree that you will avoid lowering your credit ratings. Once your credit rating reaches a certain level, usually the top 700, it almost doesn't matter what it is exactly.

Jeffery Sheinbein
Jeffery Sheinbein

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