For most people, waiting about 90 days between credit card applications, and six months if you want to be conservative, keeps inquiries from piling up and keeps approval odds high. Beyond that, each bank has its own limits: Chase’s 5/24 rule, Amex’s one card every five days and two credit cards every 90, Citi’s one every eight days and two every 65, and Capital One’s roughly one card every six months.
How do applications affect your credit score? #
Hard inquiries #
Each application usually causes a hard inquiry. One inquiry typically costs a few points. Inquiries stay on your report for two years, but FICO scores only count those from the past 12 months, per FICO. Several in a few weeks add up, and they can make lenders nervous.
Average age of accounts #
Length of credit history is about 15% of a FICO score. Each new card starts at zero months, which pulls your average down. Spacing cards out gives older accounts time to offset new ones.
Velocity #
Lenders also look at how fast you’re opening accounts. Even with an excellent score, three new cards in four months can get you declined.
What are each bank’s application limits? #
| Issuer | Rule | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Chase | 5/24 | Usually declines you if you’ve opened 5 or more personal cards from any bank in 24 months |
| American Express | 1 in 5, 2 in 90 | About one card per 5 days, and no more than two credit cards in 90 days |
| American Express | Card limits | About five Amex credit cards at once; charge cards like the Platinum and Gold are counted separately |
| Citi | 8 and 65 days | One application every 8 days, no more than two in 65 days |
| Capital One | About 1 in 6 months | Generally one approval every six months |
These are mostly unpublished rules drawn from years of applicant reports, so they bend. Treat them as limits to stay inside, not guarantees.
Chase 5/24 #
5/24 counts personal cards from every bank, including authorized user cards that appear on your report, but not most business cards. Because it’s the strictest rule, many people apply for the Chase cards they want first. See does authorized user status count toward Chase 5/24.
American Express #
The 2-in-90 limit applies to Amex credit cards, including co-brands like Delta and Hilton cards. Charge-style cards such as the Platinum and Gold don’t count toward it. Amex also shows whether you’ll get the welcome offer before it pulls your credit.
Citi and Capital One #
Citi counts both personal and business applications toward its 8-day and 65-day limits. Capital One is known for approving about one card every six months and for pulling credit from all three bureaus.
How should you time applications around sign-up bonuses? #
Work on one bonus at a time #
Two new cards with $4,000 and $3,000 minimums a month apart means $7,000 of spending on a tight clock. If that’s more than your normal spending, you’re likely to miss one, or buy things you don’t need. Space applications so each bonus fits your regular budget.
Line up applications with big expenses #
The easiest minimum spend is an expense you’d have anyway: a home repair, insurance premiums, tuition, a big trip. Apply two or three weeks before so the card arrives in time.
Credit Card Central shows a progress bar and the daily pace for every open bonus, reminds you 30, 7 and 1 day before each deadline, and keeps a live 5/24 counter from each card’s opened date, so you can check your number before the next application. It includes business cards you add, so leave out ones that don’t report to your personal credit. It works without bank logins.
What should you do between applications? #
- Use the right card for each purchase. Your current cards’ categories are where the ongoing value is.
- Check your credit reports for errors before your next hard pull. Free reports are available at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Request credit limit increases. Many issuers do this with a soft pull. Higher limits lower your utilization.
- Review annual fees. If a renewal is coming, decide whether to keep, downgrade or ask for a retention offer.
For how many cards to hold in total, see how many credit cards is too many. For repeat bonuses on cards you’ve had before, see can you get a sign-up bonus on the same card twice.
Frequently asked questions #
Is it bad to apply for two credit cards on the same day? #
It’s risky. Same-day applications at different banks usually show as separate inquiries, and some issuers’ systems view several at once as high risk. Applying for two cards at the same bank on one day is often declined outright.
How many credit cards can I apply for in a year? #
For most people, two to four, spaced at least three months apart. Experienced rewards collectors apply for more, but they track every issuer’s rules closely.
How long does a hard inquiry affect my credit score? #
It stays on your report for 24 months, but FICO scores only count it for the first 12, and the effect shrinks well before then.
Does a denial hurt my credit score? #
The denial itself isn’t reported. The hard inquiry from the application is reported either way.
Does a prequalification count as an application? #
No. Prequalification uses a soft pull that doesn’t affect your score. The hard pull comes when you submit the real application. See pre-approved vs. pre-qualified credit cards.