Understanding the 5/24 credit card application rule (2024)

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Rule

Quick Summary

Your application will be declined if 5 new cards are reported on your personal credit report in the past 24 months

Understanding the 5/24 rule:

The most important rule to consider in collecting points is the “5/24 rule.” The rule is simple: If you get 5 personal credit cards in any 24-month period, you’re automatically prohibited from getting a 6th Chase or Capital One card. You cannot get another card until you’re under the “5-new-cards-in-24-months” threshold.

As an example, consider the following.

You get 5 personal cards in this time frame:

  • Card #1 in January 2018
  • Card #2 in March 2018
  • Card# 3 in December 2018
  • Card # 4 in April 2019
  • Card #5 in September 2019

Card #5 tripped the 5/24 rule. You won’t be eligible to get a new personal card from Chase until the oldest of these 5 cards is 24 months old. In this example, Card #1 (opened in January 2018) falls out of your 24-month window in January 2020. At that point, you can replace Card#1 with a new card.

You would again be at the 5/24 threshold — until March (2020) when Card #2 would fall out of your 24-month window. This means you’d be eligible to get another personal card from Chase after March.

Two important notes:

  1. Capital One business cards also count toward your 5/24 limit.
  2. Technically you become eligible on the first day of the month following the expiration of the 24 month timer on your 5th oldest card (we know, it's kind of 5/25)

In most cases, you’re trying to remain at either 4 or 5 personal cards in a rolling 24-month period. That’s the best strategy for maximizing your points.

In other words, you’re always looking at the 24-month anniversary date of your 5th oldest personal card — so that you can add another personal card.

All of this can be confusing and a pain to keep track of. That's why we designed the Point Navigator to keep track of all of it for you.

About Approval Rules

Collecting credit card points is largely driven by understanding and abiding by bank rules regarding approval (or disapproval) of cards. So here’s what you need to know:

  • Approval rules are rarely fully publicized by the banks
  • We use our own research and data points from other users in creating the rules listing
  • Our goal in sharing/using the rule listings is to provide you guidance to avoid getting declined
  • There can sometimes be exceptions to the rules, but we try to take a more cautious approach in advising you.

Cards Subject to This Rule

Understanding the 5/24 credit card application rule (1) JP Morgan Chase

Understanding the 5/24 credit card application rule (33) Capital One

Understanding the 5/24 credit card application rule (42) US Bank

Breaking Points

Understanding the 5/24 credit card application rule (2024)

FAQs

Understanding the 5/24 credit card application rule? ›

The 5/24 rule is an unofficial policy that dictates that Chase won't approve you for its cards if you've opened five or more personal credit card accounts from any issuer in the last 24 months. Put simply, the number of cards you've opened in the previous two years will affect your approval odds with Chase.

What is the 5 24 rule for credit cards? ›

What is the 5/24 rule? Many card issuers have criteria for who can qualify for new accounts, but Chase is perhaps the most strict. Chase's 5/24 rule means that you can't be approved for most Chase cards if you've opened five or more personal credit cards (from any card issuer) within the past 24 months.

How to get around the Chase 5/24 rule? ›

How to bypass the Chase 5/24 rule? If you've been approved for five cards in the past 24 months, you will not be approved for another Chase card thanks to the 5/24 rule. There have been reports of “Selected for you” and “Just for you” offers being exempt from the 5/24 rule.

What are the exceptions to the Chase 5 24 rule? ›

Credit accounts that are excluded from the Chase 5/24 rule include: Credit cards you were denied for. Small business credit cards (except the ones noted above) Auto loans.

Does being an authorized user count towards 5/24? ›

If you're an authorized user on another person's account, that will also qualify under the 5/24 rule, because it's listed on your credit report. Fortunately, this is one of the few times you may see some traction through reconsideration.

What is the golden rule when using a credit card? ›

Pay Off Your Balance

The golden rule of credit card usage is to do everything you can to pay off your entire balance each month.

Do Amex cards count towards Chase 5/24? ›

Thankfully, the best cards on the market are business cards that don't count against Chase 5/24. That includes cards from Chase themself, Amex, Citi, part of Capital One and Barclays. There is a lot of hay to be made right there. The offers from TD Bank and Discover etc.

How many inquiries are too many for Chase? ›

Hard pulls can affect your credit score and may also hurt your eligibility for new credit cards and/or loans — especially if the number of inquiries reaches six.

Does Capital One use the 5/24 rule? ›

The most important rule to consider in collecting points is the “5/24 rule.” The rule is simple: If you get 5 personal credit cards in any 24-month period, you're automatically prohibited from getting a 6th Chase or Capital One card.

How long to wait between opening credit cards? ›

It's generally best to wait six months between credit card applications. That will prevent hard inquiries from making a significant negative impact on your credit score.

Can you be approved for CSP over 5 24? ›

In short, this refers to the unofficial rule that Chase won't approve a credit card application for someone who has opened five or more new credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months.

Do closed accounts count for Chase 5 24? ›

To check your 5/24 status, you must count the number of credit cards you've been approved for over the past 24 months. If an account was opened within the past 24 months, even if it's currently closed, it will count against your 5/24 limit.

What is the Chase 2 90 rule? ›

We recommend only applying for one personal and one business card from Chase in a 90-day period. This will maximize your chance of having applications accepted and minimize your risk of scrutiny by the bank.

How to beat Chase 5/24 rule? ›

To avoid the Chase 5/24 rule, wait to apply for a new Chase card until some of your recently opened accounts fall outside the 24-month window. Prioritize applying for the Chase cards that offer the most value to you.

How fast will my credit score go up as an authorized user? ›

Authorized user accounts must show up on your credit report to affect your credit score. As for how long it takes for authorized user to show on credit report, you might see your score change as soon as the lender starts reporting that information to the credit bureaus, which can take as little as 30 days.

Can you get denied as an authorized user? ›

Can an authorized user be denied? Yes, authorized users can be denied. Typically, the reasons are more straightforward than with a typical credit card application.

What is the 2 3 4 rule for credit cards? ›

The 2/3/4 rule: According to this rule, applicants are limited to two new cards in a 30-day period, three new cards in a 12-month period and four new cards in a 24-month period. The six-month or one-year rule: Some issuers may only let borrowers open a new credit card account once every six months or once a year.

What is the 15 day 3 day credit card rule? ›

The 15/3 rule, a trending credit card repayment method, suggests paying your credit card bill in two payments—both 15 days and 3 days before your payment due date.

What is the 50 30 20 rule for credit card payments? ›

Budgeting with the 50-30-20 rule

All you need to do to make a monthly budget with the 50-30-20 rule is split your take-home pay (that is, after taxes and deductions) into three categories: 50% goes towards necessary expenses. 30% goes towards things you want. 20% goes towards savings or paying off debt.

What is the 3 12 rule for credit cards? ›

Bank of America 's 3/12 or 7/12 rule

If you do NOT have a deposit account with Bank of America , your credit card application will be denied if you have opened three new cards in the past 12 months, based on what's visible on your credit report.

References

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