What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a Car? (2026) What Lenders Look For and How to Raise Your Score First
September 24, 2026
Short answer: there is no single credit score you need to buy a car. Every lender sets its own cutoff. As one published example, the lender network ReVroom partners with lists a credit score of 600 or higher among its minimums. Below that you can often still get a loan, just from fewer lenders and at a higher rate. The higher your score, the less the car costs you over the life of the loan.
Think of your credit score as the price tag on borrowing money. The car's price is the same for everyone. The price of the loan isn't, and your score is the biggest thing that sets it.
Key takeaways
- No universal minimum exists. Lenders set their own cutoffs.
- The myAutoloan network lists a 600+ credit score among its minimums, as published.
- On a $15,000, 60-month loan, going from 14% to 7% APR saves about $3,100 in interest (our math, not an offer).
- Rate-shopping inquiries within a short window usually count as one.
- A few months of on-time payments and lower card balances can move your score before you apply.
- Rebuilt title cars can be financed. Rates are often one to three points higher. ReVroom is not a lender.
What credit score do you need to buy a car?
Short answer: it depends on the lender. There is no legal minimum and no single industry cutoff.
Banks, credit unions, online lenders and dealer-arranged lenders each decide who they'll approve and at what rate. Your score is one input. Lenders also look at your income, how much debt you already carry, the size of your down payment, and the car itself.
Here is one real, published set of minimums. ReVroom partners with myAutoloan, a network that sends one application to several lenders and can return up to 4 offers. As published on ReVroom's financing page, its lender-network minimums are:
| Requirement | Minimum, as published |
|---|---|
| Credit score | 600 or higher |
| Loan amount | $8,000 or more ($5,000 for refinance) |
| Vehicle | 10 years old or newer, under 125,000 miles |
| Income | $21,600 a year or more ($18,000 for refinance) |
| Location and age | One of 48 states (not Alaska or Hawaii), 18 or older |
Other lenders will have different rules. Use this as a checklist, not a promise. ReVroom is not a lender, and myAutoloan pays ReVroom a referral fee.
How much does your credit score change your car payment?
Short answer: a lot. The same car can cost thousands more with a higher rate.
| APR on $15,000 over 60 months | Monthly payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|
| 7% | About $297 | About $2,821 |
| 10% | About $319 | About $4,122 |
| 14% | About $349 | About $5,941 |
These are our own amortization math to show the effect of the rate. They are illustrations, not offers or typical rates for any score. Your actual rate depends on the lender, your full credit picture and the car.
Can you buy a car with bad credit?
Short answer: often yes, but you pay for it in the rate. A few moves can make the offer better.
- Put more down. A bigger down payment lowers the loan and the lender's risk.
- Buy less car. A cheaper car means a smaller loan. A rebuilt title car is one way to get more car for the money, since rebuilt cars commonly sell for roughly 20% to 40% less than clean-title twins.
- Add a co-signer. A co-signer with stronger credit can help, as long as they understand they are on the hook too.
- Get pre-approved. Walking in with a pre-approval gives you a number to beat. Read how pre-approval works.
- Wait a few months. If you can, spend 60 to 90 days on the steps below and apply with a better score.
How do you raise your credit score before buying a car?
Short answer: pay on time, pay down card balances, don't open new accounts, and fix errors on your reports.
- Pay every bill on time. Payment history is the heaviest factor in most scores. Set up autopay for at least the minimum.
- Pay down credit card balances. Using less of your available credit tends to help your score, and it can move quickly.
- Hold off on new accounts. New applications add inquiries and lower the average age of your accounts right when you need your score at its best.
- Check your credit reports. Get your reports from each bureau through AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute anything that's wrong.
- Keep old accounts open. An old card with no balance still helps the length of your credit history.
Does shopping for a car loan hurt your credit?
Short answer: only a little, if you do it in a tight window.
Credit scoring models usually treat several auto-loan inquiries within a short window, often 14 to 45 days, as a single inquiry. So compare offers, but do it in one stretch rather than spread over months. One application through a lender network, like the one on ReVroom, can return up to 4 offers to compare side by side.
Does a rebuilt title change the credit score you need?
Short answer: not necessarily the score, but often the rate. Rebuilt titles are financeable, and rates are often one to three percentage points higher, because lenders value the car below its clean-title twin.
The math often still works in the buyer's favor, because the rebuilt car costs less to begin with. A smaller loan at a slightly higher rate can come out cheaper than a bigger loan at a lower one. Across 16,000+ rebuilt cars sold, ReVroom buyers saved a median of $4,607 (market snapshot). For the full picture, read how to finance a rebuilt title car and whether to pay cash or finance.
My take
When I bought my rebuilt car for 53% off, the biggest win wasn't the rate. It was borrowing a lot less money. If your score isn't where you want it, you have two levers: raise the score, and lower the amount you need to borrow. Pull both and the payment gets a lot friendlier.
Cameron
FAQ
What credit score do you need to buy a car?
There is no single minimum. Each lender sets its own cutoffs. As one published example, the myAutoloan lender network that ReVroom partners with lists a credit score of 600 or higher among its minimums. A higher score usually means a lower rate.
Can I buy a car with a credit score under 600?
Often, yes, but with fewer lenders and higher rates. A bigger down payment, a co-signer, a cheaper car or a few months spent raising your score can all improve the offer.
How much does my credit score change my car payment?
On a $15,000 loan over 60 months, 7% APR works out to about $297 a month and $2,821 in interest, 10% to about $319 a month and $4,122, and 14% to about $349 a month and $5,941. These are illustrations, not offers.
Does shopping for a car loan hurt my credit?
Credit scoring models usually treat several auto-loan inquiries within a short window, often 14 to 45 days, as one inquiry, so rate shopping in a tight window limits the effect.
Can you get a car loan on a rebuilt title car?
Yes. Many lenders finance rebuilt titles. Rates are often one to three percentage points higher than for a clean title, as ReVroom's financing page explains. ReVroom is not a lender.
How can I raise my credit score before buying a car?
Pay every bill on time, pay down credit card balances, avoid opening new accounts right before you apply, and check your credit reports for errors and dispute any you find.
