If you're holding off on applying for a car loan because you're worried it will hurt your credit, here's the direct answer: filling out Legacy's online application doesn't involve a credit check — a credit check happens later, once you're moving toward an approval (O.A.C.). This guide walks through soft checks versus hard checks, when a credit check actually enters the picture, and why “no credit check” ads usually mean a higher interest rate is covering the risk instead.