Can My Spouse Check My Credit Report Without My Permission & Send the Results to His Work Email?

Not even your spouse can look at your credit report without either your permission or a legal reason. Federal law and many state laws spell out the justifications for gaining access to your credit report, and just being your spouse isn't on the list. There are some circumstances under which your spouse could access your report. Otherwise, he may be breaking the law, whether or not he sends it to his work email.

Fair Credit Reporting Act

Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, anyone requesting your credit report needs a valid reason. Employers can view your report when making job decisions such as hiring, firing or promoting, but only with your written consent. Landlords, insurers or mortgage lenders with whom you want to do business are entitled to check your report, and don't need written permission from you. Even government agencies are supposed to have a legitimate cause for accessing your report, such as reviewing your qualifications for a professional license or child-support investigations.

Spouses

Even though your credit may be entwined with your spouse's -- joint accounts, joint ownership of your house, community property -- that doesn't give her the right to see your report. If you have a business relationship as well -- if, for instance, she's also your insurance agent or your landlord -- accessing your report could be legal. Your spouse might also be able to get a copy of your report legally through a court order in a divorce.

State Law

Many states have stricter laws on credit reports, which make it even more difficult for your spouse to see your credit report legally. In Vermont, for example, all businesses, not just employers, need your consent to view the report. A few states have banned the use of credit reports in employment decisions. If you discover your spouse or anyone else has obtained your report illegally, you can sue him for damages. Under federal law, you can sue for up to $1,000 in some cases, even if you didn't lose that amount.

Checking

Under federal law, you can request a free copy of your credit report from each of the credit bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- once every 12 months through AnnualCreditReport.com. Some states allow you to check more often. The reports include a list of everyone who's requested a credit check in the past two years, which will tell you whether someone who doesn't meet the legal requirements has been searching for information. How you decide to deal with this is up to you.