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- Some credit card issuers have rules about how many cards you can have and how often you can apply.
- Most of these restrictions are unofficial. Chase's 5/24 rule is one of the best-known regulations.
- Our guide lists application requirements by individual issuer as well as best practices for success.
Introduction to credit card applications
When applying for a new credit card, you want to do everything in your power to increase your odds of being approved. But sometimes, even having an excellent credit score isn't enough to get an approval.
Most banks and credit card issuers have specific policies that determine whether or not you're eligible for a new card, and it's wise to be aware of them. If not, you might find yourself not getting approved or, being approved but not eligible to get the sign-up bonus of points, miles, or cash back.
In this article, we'll walk through some of the application policies of some of the major credit card issuers.
Importance of knowing rules and restrictions
One important note: Only some of these are "official" policies mentioned in the terms and conditions for relevant credit cards. Other rules are not officially publicized by the issuer but have been well documented by applicant data. For example, even the Chase 5/24 rule, one of the most well-known application restrictions, is not actually documented anywhere on Chase's website.
Common credit card application rules
There are many reasons why you might not be approved for a credit card. Here are some basic criteria you'll have to meet, as well as some common-sense reasons you might be declined for a credit card.
Age and income requirements
Most credit card companies will not issue a credit card to an individual under the age of 18, although some issuers allow parents or legal guardians to add a child as a credit card authorized user.
You'll also have to meet certain income requirements for card approval, especially if you're applying for the best credit cards with hundreds of dollars' worth of benefits. While there are no hard and fast rules, issuers tend to favor applicants with higher salary ranges.
Credit score and history considerations
Understandably, issuers also favor applicants with good to excellent credit scores. If you have low or thin credit, applying for a secured credit card can help you boost your credit score and history so that you can eventually "graduate" to an unsecured card. Having a strong credit score and history can help you qualify for the best travel rewards credit cards and small business credit cards.
Issuer-specific restrictions
Each issuer has its own rules, restrictions, and regulations. Here's what you should know, based on cardholder insights across popular forums such as Reddit, as well as hearsay and information from financial sources.
Bank of America
Bank of America has a 2/3/4 rule, which states that you will only be approved for:
- Two new cards within any rolling 30-day period
- Three new cards within any rolling 12-month period
- Four new cards in any rolling 24-month period
So if you want multiple cards from Bank of America, you'll want to space out your applications accordingly.
Additionally, many of the best Bank of America credit cards have language similar to the following, from the terms and conditions of the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card : "This card may not be available to you if you currently have or have had the card in the preceding 24-month period."
Barclays
Barclays doesn't have any published criteria regarding applications. Many Barclays have language such as this snippet found in the terms and conditions of the JetBlue Plus Card :
"You may not be eligible for this offer if you currently have or previously had an account with us in this program."
Barclays is known to be fairly conservative when approving new applicants. The more other credit cards you have, with Barclays or with any bank, the harder it will generally be to get approval.
Chase 5/24 rule
Chase is well-known for its 5/24 rule, which states that you will not be approved for a Chase card if you have been approved for five or more cards from any bank over the past 24 months.
Chase also limits applicants to two new personal cards and one new business card within any 30-day rolling period. This issuer will also often limit the total amount of credit it is willing to extend to you. So, if you have many different Chase cards, you may be denied initially because of this policy. If you so desire, you can then call the Chase reconsideration line (1-888-270-2127 for personal cards) and ask to lower your credit limit on another card to free up enough of a limit for your new card application.
Chase also limits how often you can earn a welcome offer on its various cards, and it usually does so by card family. This welcome-offer limitation is 24 months for most Chase credit cards, and 48 months for the Sapphire family of cards. This date is measured by the time since you received the bonus for the card, not from the date of application.
Most cards will have this spelled out in the terms and conditions when you apply. Here's what it looks like for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:
"The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 48 months."
American Express once-per-lifetime rule
With American Express, the most important application policy to be aware of is that you will only get one welcome offer per card in your lifetime. This rule is plainly stated in the terms and conditions when you apply for many Amex cards: "Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this card".
Different varieties of cards are counted separately — so if you've gotten a welcome offer on The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can still receive a welcome offer on another variation of the American Express Platinum Card, such as The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
Another thing to remember is that American Express also has a limit on the total number of Amex cards you can have open at any time. That limit has historically been five cards, but there are reports that it may now be four cards.
You will also not be approved for more than one American Express card in a five-day period, and no more than two cards within a 90-day period.
Capital One
Capital One allows each consumer just two open personal credit cards, and applications for additional cards will be denied. The issuer also limits applicants to one application, personal or business, every six months.
Capital One pulls from all three credit bureaus when you apply for one of its cards. So keep that in mind when applying for a card with Capital One, especially if you're keeping a close eye on the number of hard pulls on your credit report to ensure your credit score doesn't dip too much in the short term.
Citi's application timeline restrictions
Citi has different rules on the timing of card applications, depending on whether you want a personal or a business credit card.
For personal Citi cards, you can apply for one card every eight days and two cards every 65 days. For business cards, you can apply for one card every 95 days.
Additionally, you won't be eligible for a new welcome bonus if you have received a bonus or closed a Citi-branded credit card such as the Citi Prestige® Card or Citi Strata Premier℠ Card within the past 24 months.
Here's the language from the landing page of the Citi Premier application page:"Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you received a new cardmember bonus for Citi Rewards+SM, Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige®, or if you have closed any of these accounts, in the past 24 months."
The restrictions for American Airlines co-branded credit cards issued by Citi are slightly different: You can receive a new bonus every 48 months for each type of card:
"American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® account in the past 48 months."
This information is usually prominently displayed on the application page, so you'll know what to expect.
Discover
You're limited to two Discover credit cards open at any time. Additionally, your first card has to be open for at least one year before you'll be approved for a second card. Other than that, Discover doesn't have any other limitations on being approved or receiving the welcome offer on cards.
U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank doesn't publish rules on new credit card applications for most of its cards. The only rule that applies to the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card states that you will need an established banking relationship with U.S. Bank to be approved for that card.
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo doesn't limit the total number of credit cards you can have. However, they limit how often you can be approved for new credit cards. Most Wells Fargo cards contain fine print along the lines of this condition from the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card :
"You may not qualify for an additional Wells Fargo credit card if you have opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the last six months."
Additionally, Wells Fargo limits how often you can earn a welcome offer on a new card. Once again referencing the terms and conditions of the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card:
"You may not be eligible for introductory annual percentage rates, fees, and/or bonus rewards offers if you opened a Wells Fargo credit card within the last 15 months from the date of this application and you received introductory APR(s), fees, and/or bonus rewards offers — even if that account is closed and has a $0 balance."
Smart strategies for credit card applications
If you want one of the many cards offered by the issuers above, there are a few best practices to keep in mind, beginning with boosting your credit score, history, and income as much as you can. Building a strong credit profile makes you an attractive candidate for any credit card, which can result in more generous credit limits, welcome bonus offers, and application opportunities.
There are many strategies for applying with various issuer restrictions in mind. Timing your applications also makes a big difference. Some issuers set restrictions based on your usage of their cards; others take a broader look at your credit card history and usage overall.
Many people plan ahead to acquire Chase credit cards first since the 5/24 rule tracks all products across the gamut of issuers. In most cases, Chase does not count business credit cards against your total 5/24 count, so some applicants target business cards ahead of consumer cards. However, your personal credit history will typically be evaluated as part of the approval process for a business card, so you'll need a strong profile no matter what.
Credit card application rules frequently asked questions
The Chase 5/24 rule is an unofficial guideline used by Chase, stating that if you've opened five or more personal credit card accounts across all banks in the past 24 months, you're likely to be automatically denied for most Chase credit cards.
Policies vary by issuer, but many have restrictions on how many cards you can apply for within a certain timeframe to prevent excessive credit inquiries, which could impact your credit score.
Credit card issuers require a minimum income level for approval to ensure applicants have the means to repay their credit card debt. This requirement varies by card and issuer.
If denied, consider reviewing the specific reasons for the denial, improving your credit profile, or choosing a card that aligns better with your financial situation and credit history.
Exceptions are rare and largely at the discretion of the credit card issuer. However, building a relationship with the bank, such as having a checking or savings account, might influence their decision.
