What law defines what is a hard or soft pull on your credit report?

SaraGirlNY: What law defines what is a hard or soft pull on your credit report?
As everyone knows there are hard and soft pulls on your credit report. Exactly what law defines what constitutes a pull as hard or soft? Is it a law, or just common practice for credit bureaus to determine what classifies each one?

Answers and Views:

Answer by SPIFIMAN1
The only time someone can do a hard pull is when you have actually applied for credit or asked for a increase in a existing credit card limit.

Everything else is a soft pull.

Answer by Judy
There is no law on that, it’s a matter of policy.