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What is the Minimum and the Maximum Age to Get a Credit Card?
As a complicated bank product, credit cards impose certain limitations on the customers who are allowed to use them. Let’s have a look at the current state of the market and legislation matters in regards to the age restrictions for a credit card customer.
Let’s start with the most commons cases.
You are over 21
You are grown up now, and can do whatever you want. Apply for a credit card for instance. Do not forget that as a grown up you need to have a credit history and a regular income to be approved for a card. That’s how it works.
If you are a student, live is a lot easier for you, because most banks have special student card offers. If you do not have a regular income, you can bring a co-signer (a parent usually) that will guarantee your card payments with his own credit.
Have a look at top student credit cards picks.
| regular APR | |
- get 1500 bonus points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months
- earn 2x points on dining out and entertainment
no credit required
no annual fee
no credit needed for students
up to 2x points and 15000 bonus
| regular APR | |
- get 1% cash back on al purchases
fair credit / no credit required
no annual fee
student card
up to 1.25% cash back
| regular APR | |
- earn 5% cashback on rotating quarterly categories
- 1% cashback on all purchases
- double cashback for first year
- $20 cashback annual bonus if your GPA is 3.0 or greater
no credit required
no annual fee
no credit needed
5% cashback on changing categories
double first year cashback
You are 18-21
You can apply for a credit card only if you have a co-signer or can show a substantial and regular income source.
Even with a secured card, the same rules apply – you need to either earn enough to cover your card payments in the future, or bring a co-signer.
Prepaid cards are the only ones that you can get at this age without your parents being responsible, but know that they are not real credit cards and will neither build your credit nor give you a credit line of any sort; prepaid cards’ only goal is to let you spend your money in a more convenient manner.
We do not usually recommend prepaid credit cards, preferring a no fee checking account instead. Here's a very short list of prepaid cards we can recommend:
You are under 18
According to CARD Act of 2009, nobody can get a credit card under 18. However, that means only a real credit card; there are some other options, though.
First, your parent or legal guardian can authorize you as a user on their credit card account and issue you an additional credit card. It will have your name on it and look like a credit card, but all the payments will go through a primary cardholder account. You should be aware that you parents would definitely know how many books on quantum physics you bought last month.
Another option is a prepaid card – it will allow your parents or yourself to pre-load it with money and spend it with a swipe of a card wherever credit cards are accepted.
If you are a senior person
There is no upper limit on credit card applications. According to U.S. legislation, banks can not treat elder citizens differently, so if you need to, you are free to apply for a credit card. You are free to choose any of top offers if your credit score allows you.
| regular APR | |
- earn 5% back on two categories that you can choose by yourself
- earn 2% on restaurants
- 1% on all other purchases
- plus you get $25 bonus each time you redeem $100 and more cashback in a single transaction
excellent required
no annual fee
5% on 2 categories you choose quarterly
2% on 1 category you choose quarterly
| regular APR | |
- get 2% on all purchases
- need to have Fidelity account - free, no minimum, no maintenance fee
excellent required
no annual fee
2% flat rate cash back
need to open Fidelity account (free)
| regular APR | |
- earn 5% on quarterly changing category up to $1,500 quarterly maximum in purchases
- 1% on all other purchases
good credit / fair credit required
no annual fee
5% cash back on selected quarterly category
high limits
See also:
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