How often can I apply for a credit card without hurting my credit?

Asked by: Prof. Annabell Hickle I  |  Last update: August 20, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (60 votes)

It's a good idea to wait at least six months between credit card applications to protect your credit score and avoid exceeding certain card issuers' restrictions. Several applications submitted within a short time frame could damage your credit score for a period of time.

How often can you open a credit card without hurting your credit?

You should avoid getting more than 1 every 90 days if you can help it, and it's idea to wait at least 6 months between applications. It's usually pretty safe to open a new card every 6 months.

How long should you wait after getting a credit card to get another?

It's generally recommended to wait at least 6 months after your first card before applying for another to minimize the impact on your score. Building Credit History: It's beneficial to establish a good credit history with your first card before applying for a second.

What is the 5/24 rule for capital one?

The 5/24 rule: For some issuers, applicants can't open more than five new credit card accounts in a 24-month period.

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

According to cardholder reports, Bank of America uses a 2/3/4 rule: You can only be approved for two new cards within a 30-day period, three cards within a 12-month period and four cards within a 24-month period. This rule applies only to Bank of America credit cards, though, and not all credit cards.

Does Opening a New Credit Card Hurt Your Credit Score?

29 related questions found

What is the 50 30 20 rule for credit cards?

50% goes towards necessary expenses. 30% goes towards things you want. 20% goes towards savings or paying off debt.

What is the 5/24 rule for credit cards?

The 5/24 rule, often referred to as the Chase 5/24 rule, is an unofficial Chase guideline that states you will not be approved for a new Chase card if you have opened five or more credit card accounts from any bank within the past 24 months.

How frequently can I apply for a credit card?

You can apply for a credit card as often as you want, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. There are a lot of factors to consider, and there will likely be some downside if you apply for multiple credit cards at once.

What is the Chase 2:30 rule?

What is the Chase 2/30 rule? In addition to the 5/24 rule, the 2/30 rule is a guideline for spacing out your applications. Your chances of being approved are slim to none if you've applied for 2 personal cards (or 1 business card) in the last 30 days.

What is the 6 month rule for Capital One?

Capital One also has a hard-and-fast rule when timing your applications. You're only able to get approved for one card every six months. This lumps personal and small-business cards together.

Is it bad to have a lot of credit cards with zero balance?

Keeping a low credit utilization ratio is good, but having too many credit cards with zero balance may negatively impact your credit score. If your credit cards have zero balance for several years due to inactivity, your credit card issuer might stop sending account updates to credit bureaus.

Which Chase credit card is best?

Best Chase credit cards
  • Best no-annual-fee card: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
  • Best travel card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
  • Best luxury card: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
  • Best cash-back card: Chase Freedom Flex®
  • Best no-annual-fee business card: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.

Is it bad to keep a credit card open but not use it?

In general, keep unused credit cards open so you benefit from longer average credit history and lower credit utilization. Consider putting one small regular purchase on the card and paying it off automatically to keep the card active. At Experian, one of our priorities is consumer credit and finance education.

How many points does a new credit card raise your score?

Answer: Opening another credit card could help the score a little (about 4 to 6 points). Scenario: You have less than 4 accounts, (1 credit card, 1 car loan and 1 utility account). Answer: Adding a 2nd credit card account will substantially improve your score (about 7 to 15 points).

How many hard inquiries are too many?

There's no such thing as “too many” hard credit inquiries, but multiple applications for new credit accounts within a short time frame may point to a risky borrower. Rate shopping for a particular loan, however, may be treated as a single inquiry and have minimal impact on your creditworthiness.

What is Chase 28% rule?

Using a percentage of your income can help determine how much house you can afford. For example, the 28/36 rule suggests your housing costs should be limited to 28 percent of your total monthly gross income and 36 percent of your total debt.

What is the Chase 542 rule?

The Chase 5/24 rule is an unwritten policy that prevents you from being approved for a new Chase credit card if you have opened five or more accounts with any bank in the last 24 months. Even with excellent credit, you'll likely be denied for certain Chase credit cards if you've opened too many credit cards recently.

Is there a way to bypass the Chase 5/24 rule?

If you're wondering how to bypass Chase's 5/24 rule, you don't have a lot of options. There is one instance in which you may be in luck: "Just for you" offers. "Specific for you" or “Just for you” offers are exactly what they sound like — special offers that you see once you log into your Chase account.

How long should I wait before applying for a credit card again?

It's a good idea to wait at least six months between credit card applications to protect your credit score and avoid exceeding certain card issuers' restrictions. Several applications submitted within a short time frame could damage your credit score for a period of time.

How many points is a hard inquiry?

A hard credit inquiry could lower your credit score by as much as 10 points, though in many cases, the damage probably won't be that significant. As FICO explains, “For most people, one additional credit inquiry will take less than five points off their FICO Scores.”

What is the 5 24 rule for Chase?

Chase 5/24 is an unwritten rule that in order to be approved for a Chase card, you can't have opened five or more personal credit cards—from any issuer—in the past 24 months.

What is the golden rule of credit cards?

The golden rule of Credit Cards is simple: pay your full balance on time, every time. This Credit Card payment rule helps you avoid interest charges, late fees, and potential damage to your credit score.

How bad is $5,000 in credit card debt?

$5,000 in credit card debt can be quite costly in the long run. That's especially the case if you only make minimum payments each month. However, you don't have to accept decades of credit card debt. There are a few things you can do to pay your debt off faster - potentially saving thousands of dollars in the process.

What is churning credit cards?

Credit card churning happens when a person applies for lots of credit cards to collect big sign-up and welcome bonuses (often in the form of cash back or miles). Once they get the sign-up rewards and bonuses, a credit card churner will usually stop using the cards or cancel them, only to repeat the process again.