Is there something higher than a bank card card welcome provide? You get permitted, a shiny, new card arrives within the mail after which, after a proscribed quantity of minimal spend, an untold factors fortune is yours. Why wouldn’t we wish to do it once more? And once more. And once more.
Effectively, banks understand how enjoyable all of that is as nicely, which is why they usually put “pace limits” on their playing cards. These guidelines, usually unwritten, govern how briskly we’re in a position to get new playing cards, what number of we will have and once we can get one other welcome provide on a card that we’ve had earlier than. It may be tough to know all the varied restrictions that every issuer has in place for brand new candidates, particularly since they alter consistently and may generally be inconsistently utilized.
This put up serves as a information to the final utility guidelines of American Categorical, Financial institution of America, Barclays, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Uncover, US Financial institution and Wells Fargo. We’ve additionally compiled cellphone numbers and hyperlinks to verify your utility standing and name for reconsideration if/when you’ve an utility denied. Hopefully, perusing this earlier than a potential utility might help you navigate the stormy waters between “permitted” and “denied.”
Normal Credit score Card Utility Ideas
Please take into account the following tips earlier than making use of for a bank card…
- Be ready to repay your invoice each month: The best way to “win” this sport is to pay your invoice in full every month so that you simply by no means have any charges (apart from necessary annual charges).
- Be sure you can meet the minimal spend requirement: Most playing cards have excessive spend necessities with the intention to earn the signup bonus. Are you able to realistically put that a lot spend on the cardboard? Click on right here for tips about growing spend.
- Maintain monitor of your whole playing cards (and purposes): We suggest utilizing a spreadsheet, or a free app like Journey Freely, to maintain monitor of each bank card you apply for. Greg created a pattern Google Docs Spreadsheet that you simply’re welcome to make use of. If you happen to’d like to make use of it, open the spreadsheet, then make your individual copy by clicking “File,” then “Make a Copy.”
Utility Guidelines by Financial institution
American Categorical
- Protected to Apply: Amex is normally the most secure financial institution for attempting your luck at incomes a brand new welcome provide. More often than not, they received’t challenge a tough pull when denying your utility or when approving you if you have already got not less than one Amex card. Plus, they’ll warn you through the utility course of when you’re not eligible for the bonus.
- As soon as in a Lifetime Rule: If you happen to’ve ever had a card earlier than, you might be most certainly prohibited from incomes a welcome provide for that very same card when you apply now. Luckily you may be warned through the utility course of if that is so. Amex is thought to “neglect” that you’ve got had a card after about 5-7 years. Observe that there are incessantly gives with no lifetime language (NLL) that are not sure by this restriction.
- “Household” Guidelines: Along with the “as soon as in a lifetime” rule, Amex now applies extra “household” guidelines to a number of teams of shopper playing cards. These guidelines do not apply to enterprise playing cards.
- 2 per 90 days: You may get at most two bank cards inside 90 days. This rule normally doesn’t apply to Pay Over Time (cost) playing cards.
- Marriott playing cards: Approval for any Marriott card is ruled by a labyrinthine set of unintuitive guidelines. You may see the total eligibility chart right here.
- Card Limits: Amex usually solely permits clients to have 5 bank cards and ten cost playing cards at one time. Each private and enterprise playing cards depend in direction of the respective 5 and ten card limits. There are some cases the place sure clients have been allowed to go above these limits.
- Utility Standing: Name (877) 239-3491 to verify your utility standing or use this hyperlink.
- Reconsideration: If denied, you’ll be able to name (800) 567-1083 and ask to your utility to be reconsidered.
Financial institution of America

- 3/12 or 7/12 Rule: Much like Chase’s 5/24 rule, you will not be permitted for a card in case you have opened 3 or extra accounts, with any financial institution, inside the previous 12 months. For these with Financial institution of America deposit accounts, the rule adjustments to 7 accounts previously 12 months.
- 24 Month Rule: With some BOA playing cards, you will have to attend 24 months after both opening or cancelling a card to be eligible for approval on that very same card. This language varies from card to card and generally, applicant to applicant. Some enterprise playing cards have language stating that you could be be declined for extra bank card accounts if what you are promoting at the moment has, or has had, one other enterprise card with BOA within the previous 24 months. Once more, enforcement appears to fluctuate.
- Velocity Limits: BOA will approve a most of two shopper playing cards per rolling 2 months, three per rolling 12 months, and 4 per rolling 24 months.
- Utility Standing: Name (866) 422-8089 to verify your utility standing or use this hyperlink.
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (800) 732-9194 for reconsideration.
Barclays
- 6/24 Rule: Much like Chase, Barclays has a rule that you simply could not be permitted for a brand new card in case you have opened 6 or extra playing cards (with any financial institution) inside the previous 24 months. Nonetheless, this rule is inconsistently utilized and there are knowledge factors of individuals being permitted regardless of being over 6/24.
- 24 Month Rule: Barclays additionally has a rule that you would be able to solely get a welcome provide on a card for a second time if it has been greater than 24 months because you final obtained a welcome provide on the identical card. Just like the 6/24 rule, this appears to be inconsistently utilized.
- No Duplicate Playing cards: Barclays will not let you’ve two of the identical card. As a way to reapply, you may have to cancel the cardboard first. It is typically thought that you should wait not less than six months after cancelling earlier than making an attempt to reapply.
- Card Limits: Barclays would not have a strict restrict on the quantity of playing cards that you would be able to have, however it does place limits on the full quantity of credit score that they’ll challenge you throughout all playing cards. It is also thought that the financial institution will use your spending on different Barclays playing cards as one in every of its approval issues.
- Utility Standing: Name (888) 232-0780 to verify your utility standing or use this hyperlink for private playing cards and this hyperlink for enterprise playing cards.
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (866) 408-4064 and ask to your utility to be reconsidered.
Capital One
- 48 Month Rule: Present or earlier cardholders aren’t eligible for a similar private card if they’ve obtained a brand new cardmember bonus for a similar product inside the final 48 months. This does not apply to enterprise playing cards.
- 2 card restrict? Standard knowledge and consumer expertise was that you would be able to have at most 2 Capital One shopper playing cards. Nonetheless, there at the moment are frequent knowledge factors of some folks having many extra. This restrict doesn’t apply to Capital One enterprise or co-branded playing cards.
- Exhausting inquiries normally get issued by means of all 3 credit score bureaus.
- Velocity Limits? It is was thought that Capital One will solely approve you for one card each six months. Whereas that is nonetheless many individuals’s expertise, we have now incessantly see knowledge factors of approvals for a second card inside that timeframe.
- Utility Standing: Name (800) 903-9177 to verify your utility standing.
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (800) 625-7866 for reconsideration.
Citi

- 48 Month Rule: With most Citi playing cards, you’ll be able to solely obtain a welcome provide each 48 months. This is applicable to the identical actual card, not households of playing cards.
- Velocity Limits: Citi permits a most of 1 private card per 8 days and a most of two private playing cards per 65 days. Enterprise playing cards are restricted to 1 per 90 days.
- Card Limits: Citi would not have a strict restrict on the quantity of playing cards that you would be able to have, however it does place limits on the full quantity of credit score that they’ll challenge you throughout all playing cards. Due to this, reconsideration can generally achieve success by shifting credit score from one present card to the brand new card that you really want.
- Utility Standing: Name (888) 338-2586 to verify your utility standing. For Costco playing cards, name (877) 343-4118.
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (800) 695-5171 for private playing cards or (866) 541-7657 for enterprise playing cards.
Chase
- 5/24 Rule: You probably is not going to get permitted for a brand new card in case you have opened 5 or extra playing cards (with any financial institution) inside the previous 24 months. Most enterprise playing cards don’t depend in direction of that 5 card complete.
- 24 Month Rule: If you happen to’ve beforehand had a card earlier than, you’ll be able to solely get a welcome provide on that card once more when you now not have the cardboard AND if it has been greater than 24 months because you final obtained a welcome provide for that card. This rule doesn’t apply to the Sapphire Most well-liked and Reserve playing cards (see beneath). There could be exceptions with some enterprise playing cards.
- 48 Month Rule: If you happen to’ve beforehand had both the Sapphire Most well-liked or Sapphire Reserve playing cards, you will get the welcome provide for an additional Sapphire card provided that you now not have both card AND if it has been greater than 48 months because you final obtained a welcome provide for the cardboard.
- “Household” Guidelines: Along with Sapphire playing cards’ 48-month rule, Chase applies extra “household” guidelines to the Southwest playing cards. You are not eligible for the welcome provide on a private Southwest card when you at the moment have one, or when you’ve obtained a welcome provide on any private Southwest card inside the final 24 months. This would not apply to enterprise playing cards.
- 2 per thirty days Rule: Most candidates are restricted to 2 new playing cards per thirty days.
- Marriott playing cards: Approval for any Marriott card is ruled by a labyrinthine set of unintuitive guidelines. You may see the total eligibility chart right here.
- Card Limits: Chase would not have a strict restrict on the quantity of playing cards that you would be able to have, however it does place limits on the full quantity of credit score that they’ll challenge you throughout all playing cards. Due to this, reconsideration can generally achieve success by shifting credit score from one present card to the brand new card that you really want.
- Utility Standing: Name (888) 338-2586 to verify your utility standing.
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (888) 270-2127 for private playing cards, or (800) 453-9719 for enterprise playing cards, and ask to your utility to be reconsidered.
Uncover
- 12 month rule: You will need to wait simply over 12 months after your first card was opened earlier than making use of for a second Uncover card.
- 2 card restrict: You may have a most of two Uncover playing cards.
- Utility Standing: Name (800) 347-2683 to verify your utility standing or use this hyperlink.
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (888) 676-3695 and ask to your utility to be reconsidered.
US Financial institution

- Welcome Provides: You may’t get a welcome provide on a card in case you have that actual card open on the time of utility.
- Velocity Limits: None that we all know of.
- Utility Standing: Name (800) 947-1444 and press “1.”
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (800) 947-1444 for reconsideration.
Wells Fargo
- Velocity Limits: Formally, Wells Fargo states that it could not approve you for a brand new bank card when you’ve opened one with the financial institution inside the final six months. In follow, this appears inconsistently utilized, particularly for these with a Wells Fargo checking account.
- Card Limits: Wells Fargo would not have a restrict on the quantity of playing cards that you would be able to have, however it does place limits on the full quantity of credit score that they’ll challenge you throughout all playing cards. Due to this, reconsideration can generally achieve success by shifting credit score from one present card to the brand new card that you really want.
- Utility Standing: Name (800) 967-9521 to verify your utility standing
- Reconsideration: If denied, name (800) 967-9521 and ask to your utility to be reconsidered.

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