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For points and miles enthusiasts, the Chase 5/24 rule is perhaps the most notorious restriction on applying for a new rewards card. If the 5/24 rule hasn’t been properly explained to you, it can be confusing and frustrating—especially since it’s so common to find references on the web to “524 status” or being “over 5/24′” without any additional context.
Most credit card issuers follow a set of internal guidelines to determine who can be approved for a new credit card account. Often, these application rules haven’t been published or confirmed by the bank. But the points and miles community thrives on sharing information and strategy. So over time, these unofficial rules have been dragged into the light with crowdsourced information from application experiences.
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Chase 5/24 rule.
Page Contents
The Chase 5/24 Rule, Explained
Chase generally will not approve your application for a new card if you have opened five or more credit card accounts in the previous 24 months. When you apply for a new card, Chase will obtain a copy of your credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Transunion.
If your personal credit history shows at least five credit card accounts with an “opened date” in the last 24 months, you won’t be approved for your new Chase card.
What Counts Toward My 5/24 Status?
The basic rule is quite straightforward: If it’s a credit card account and you see it on your credit report, it counts towards 5/24. But since we’re not all experts on credit reporting, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Which cards count towards 5/24
- Chase counts the credit cards from all issuers that appear on your report—not just the cards issued by Chase.
- Closing a credit card does not remove it from your credit report. The card will still count toward your 5/24 status if the open date is within the past 24 months.
- If you are an authorized user on someone else’s credit card account, the bank may report that account to your credit report. If so, it counts. (But you may be able to remove it from your report. More on that below.)
Which cards don't count towards 5/24
- Unsuccessful credit card applications do not count towards your 5/24 status. Only new accounts that you successfully open.
- Many business cards do not appear on your personal credit report. See below for more information on the business cards that do.
- Other types of accounts on your credit report—like mortgages, student loans, and car loans—do not factor into your 5/24 status.
Which Cards Applications Are Subject to Chase's 5/24 Rule?
In general, it's best to assume that all personal and business cards issued by Chase are subject to the 5/24 rule. When this restriction was first introduced, it only applied to a few specific cards. However, in 2018, Chase expanded the restriction to virtually all Chase cards, including no annual fee cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠.
Are there ever exceptions? Quite possibly. Over the years, we have seen many reports of approvals that should have been denied based on 5/24 status. But it’s awfully hard to verify these claims—and even harder to turn those individual reports into reliable advice.
Some have speculated that the rule isn’t always enforced for certain co-brand cards. Or perhaps Chase bends rules for customers that meet certain additional criteria. Without more transparency from Chase, it's tough to draw conclusions.
The best approach is to plan your card applications accordingly. If you're under 5/24, prioritize the Chase cards you want and pursue other cards later.
How Can I Check My 5/24 Status?
Chase relies on your credit report to determine your 5/24 status. So, the best way to figure out if you pass the test is to get a copy of your credit report.
You can sign-up for a free Experian account to get an accurate overview of your 5/24 standing. The process can be a little time-consuming, as you will need to click on each individual record and record the date the card was opened. However, this is a no-cost method of getting your 5/24 score.
Just note that Experian goes out of its way to convince you to sign up for a paid account. But, it isn't necessary to get your 5/24 score. All you need to do is click on the individual records and Experian will display the date each account was opened.
What If I'm Already Over 5/24?
If you are already over 5/24, you have a tough decision to make. It could be worth avoiding opening new personal cards while you wait for some of your existing accounts to age out of the 24-month timeframe. If it's only going to be a few months before you're under 5/24, holding off on applying for any more cards could be worth becoming eligible to open a new Chase card.
However, if it's going to be a while before you're under 5/24 again, consider the opportunity cost of waiting. It might make more sense to continue pursuing sign-up bonuses with other banks rather than change your strategy to get in Chase's good graces.
Do Business Cards Factor Into My 5/24 Status?
If you want to apply for a Chase business card, you are still subject to the 5/24 rule. That is to say, Chase will not approve your application for a new business card if you're over the 5/24 limit.
However, you may have also read that business cards don’t count towards 5/24. That's true for ‘most’ business cards but is a source of confusion for many. The reason we say ‘most’ business cards is that select card issuers do report opened accounts to your personal credit report.
Just to recap:
- All personal credit cards from every issuer are recorded on your credit report, and count towards your 5/24 score.
- Business credit cards from Capital One, Discover, and TD Bank are recorded on your personal credit report. Thus, these business cards count towards your 5/24 score.
- Business credit cards from American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Chase, and Citi are not recorded on your personal credit report. So, they do not count towards your 5/24 score.
How Authorized User Accounts Affect 5/24
If you are an authorized user on someone else's credit card account, this account will show up on your credit report and count towards your 5/24 score. But thankfully, you're not stuck with this mark on your 5/24 status. There are two ways that you can have authorized users removed from your 5/24 status.
Remove the Authorized User Account From Your Credit Report
The first step is to ask the primary account holder to remove you as an authorized user. Once they do, contact the credit reporting agencies to have the authorized user account removed from your report.
Remember to only do this for authorized user accounts opened in the last 24 months. You don't need to remove older authorized user accounts for the sake of 5/24 status.
Ask Chase to Remove the Authorized User Account During Reconsideration
The other option is to try to work with Chase's reconsideration desk after a denial. Chase card applicants have reported success in requesting that a Chase reconsideration agent removes authorized user accounts while reconsidering their card application.
For example, say that you've opened four cards in the last 24 months and are an authorized user on two other accounts opened in the past 24 months. Your 5/24 count will be considered 6/24 for the sake of automatic approvals. But, you can call and ask a Chase reconsideration agent to remove the two authorized user accounts from consideration.
Not everyone is going to like this method. After all, this requires applying for a Chase card with the knowledge that you'll likely be denied at first. Then, you'll need to call Chase's reconsideration desk—a process that some may find intimidating. Even after all of this, you may still not be successful. But, this process is worth it for those that don't want to go through the trouble of removing authorized user accounts from their credit report.
Final Thoughts
Chase issues some of the best rewards cards available in the U.S., including iconic travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Understanding the 5/24 rule is essential if you want to incorporate Chase cards into your rewards strategy.
Getting back under 5/24 can require some patience if you've opened too many accounts recently. But, it's well worth the effort. For anyone just starting out, planning your initial application strategy around the 5/24 rule will allow you to add Chase’s best rewards cards to your wallet before moving on to other card issuers.
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Thanks for explaining this.
You forgot to add the TD bank business credit card it also report to your personal credit just like capital one and discover business cards and for chase personal credit cards you have the Disney rewards Visa but you forgot the Disney rewards Premier Visa card under the 5/24 rule
Thanks for the heads up on the Disney cards. We are working on updating our backend systems with the name change.
I confirmed that TD Bank business cards indeed report to personal credit report. So, I added that to the list.
Wow, had no idea about this, good to know…
5/24, actually didn’t know about this.. 5 credit cards over the past 24 months. how about uber visa card?
All personal cards opened (not unsuccessful applications) will count towards the limit.
Very good information. I typically apply for 1 credit card a year to keep the credit score from declining too much but it’s good to know that I could apply for more if I see a good bonus and still be under this 5/24 rule.
may I know the following business cards are included in the calculation of 5/24?
1) American Express Gold BUSINESS card
2) American Express SPG Business card
3) Chase Southwest Business card
None of the business cards from Amex or Chase count towards your 5/24 count, but the Southwest Business Card is subject to 5/24.
I just noticed when I pulled my credit score on the Chase Mobile App (Android) that it showed the number of credit cards I’d opened in the last 2 years is 4. Do you know whether this is the number they’re using for the 5/24 rule? The reason I ask is that my count on my Equifax credit report comes up with 5, even excluding business cards.
I’d prefer not to go through the application if they’re counting the 5/24 differently than the count on their mobile app.
Thanks for your insight.
Hey Ken, I’d recommend having a look at your credit report with Equifax and Transunion via CreditKarma.com to double check. This post has more detail on how to double check your status. You can also check Experian with a free account. They will try to upsell you into a monthly subscription, but it isn’t necessary to see your 5/24 status on the accounts page.
If you have a Delta Am/Ex card and you upgrade to platinum card, higher fee plus bonus miles does that count as part of Chase’s 5/24 rule??
If you complete a product change it *should not* impact your 5/24 status. That said, YMMV depending on how the account conversion is done. Keep in mind, All Amex issued Delta co-branded cards are credit cards and the Platinum card is not, so you likely cannot convert/upgrade that card.
If you’re talking about upgrading a Delta Gold to a Delta Platinum, that likely will not have any impact on your 5/24 status — but again, YMMV.
Thanks Howie, what is YMMV???✈️
Your mileage may vary. Your experience may differ from others as there is no guarantee one way or the other for every scenario that is possible.
Howie,
Are you sure that Amex Platinum and Amex Gold, regular Amex branded cards do not count in 5/24? I was under the impression that all personal cards count in 5/24.
Hi John, I’m not sure how this works now. Before, Amex treated these as Charge cards. Amex did make some changes to cards that have a “pay over time” feature—and no longer calls them “charge cards”, and I don’t know how/if that impacted how they are reported to credit bureaus. If you can see the card listed on your personal credit report, Chase will likely count it against 5/24.
WOW! so much information here… i have no idea one could cancel a card after 2? years and then reapply quite soon after and get the bonuses again. I realize here you are talking about the chase cards but I shall have to check into some of my older cards that maybe are not quite as useful? but I have them anyways… hummm thanks!!
Thank you… as I feel like I’ve just finished “studying for Finals”. So now I just have to figure-out WHICH COMBINATION (of ‘Chase cards’) will allow us the greatest-number of “major-carrier/airline” options… the “Chase Freedom” and/or the “Chase Freedom Unlimited”. Likewise, we must also decide whether-or-not our CURRENT “United MP Select” and/or “United MP Explorer” cards fit-into this equation… though initially, I think I ‘lean towards’ keeping the “Explorer”, what with its ANNUAL “lounge-passes”, ‘priority-boarding’, & ‘checked-baggage’ allowance.
So should you have any ideas/suggestions… please let me know.
Howie,
I’ve just decided to apply for the “CSR”, & was told by a Chase-representative (for our United ‘MP’ Select & Explorer cards) that ‘notification’ (approval or otherwise) can take up to “30-days” (or can be “immediate”). And since we’re scheduled to leave on an extended international trip (to Asia) on ‘Nov 1st’, we’d sure like to receive this card beforehand… to use on this trip.
So what do you think the chances are (of receiving this card in time)… with a ‘798’ credit score, a rock-solid history of ‘monthly-payoffs’ (on my Chase United MP Select card balance), & ZERO “5/24” related issues???
Thank You.
Chris, just call them up. Get them to process the application over the phone.
Howie,
Chase has TWICE told me that they will NOT accept a “CSR” application over the phone… & that the “CSR” can ONLY be applied for ‘ONLINE’. Do you know something to the contrary… such as a “back-door” alternative to apply for this particular card???
Chris, I’ve never looked into it. Why not just apply online and then if you’re not instantly approved give them a call to see if they can process/expedite the application while you’re on the phone given your upcoming travels.
Morning Howie… & thanks for your reply.
FYI… I received “application-approval” in ‘less-than a minute’ following my ‘online-application’ submission. I had talked with a senior Chase-rep beforehand… & ran thru ‘our numbers’… & she confirmed that I had to apply ‘Online’. HOWEVER, she did say… based-on our existing Chase accts… to anticipate “immediate approval”.
Guess this just goes to show that the “age-old adage” does indeed work: “Ask… & you shall receive”.
As for Chase-feedback… there’s apparently ‘no tel#’ to contact a “CSR-specific” rep… UNLESS/UNTIL you’ve been approved (for same).
So thanks again… for all your help & advice.
Chris, congrats!
I am new to this and my husband just applied and got excepted for the Chase Preferred for 50k miles. I was wondering if it was better for me to become an AU on his account for the extra 5000 points or should I just open my own for 50k after his card comes. It seems obvious with more points for us, but do I assume that we can not share the points and would have to make travel plans separately? in which case it would not be best. Sorry if this is a silly question but I haven’t really seen it addressed in any blog I have been reading.
Kathleen, long story short, if you each get the card you’ll get double the bonus points — which is huge — and yes, with Chase Ultimate Rewards, you and your husband can combine points earned on separate cards (as long as you live at the same address!) Details heer: https://awardwallet.com/blog/rewards-programs-allow-combine-points-miles-free/
I’ve been holding off on CC applications to get myself past the 5/24 restriction. If cards were opened in 8/2015, am I now safe to consider them out of the time frame of approvals or do I need to wait until 09/2017. I thought I had read once you hit the month the card was approved you are safe to exclude it, but I don’t recall where I saw that and don’t want to apply now if waiting another couple weeks is all it’s going to take to make the difference.
I would personally hold off.
Silly question but where is the “Your Offers” tab, I don’t see it on my page but it has been over a year since I applied for a Chase card as I am trying to get under 5/24.
You should see it on the left side of your screen after you expand the menu from the top left corner. You may not see any of this if you have a business credit card in your Chase.com account.
I just looked at my Equifax credit report on Credit Karma. (thank you)
Looks like there were 5 “hard enquiries” on my credit report but my chase sapphire application was the 5th one. So will I need to wait until there are only 3 listed? (they disappear after 2 years) or do I just need to wait until 1 of them expires?
Also- it looks like one of them is a Bank when I opened a checking account. (not a credit card account) that one shouldn’t count should it?
For business credit cards- if I am a sole proprietor and using my SS number for the application, that will count too, right? I would think it wouldn’t count if I was using an EIN.
thanks
Jason
Jason, an important thing to note is that 5/24 does not have anything to do with the number of hard inquiries on your credit report. 5/24 is specifically related to new accounts opened that have been reported to your credit report. You want to look at all of the accounts listed on your credit report, sort them by date opened and look at the past 24 months. Any credit card accounts listed in that time range, whether open or closed at this point will count against your 5/24 count.
As for business cards, it will only count against 5/24 if the card shows up on your credit report. Many business credit cards do not report to your personal credit report (even when you supply an SSN on the application — that SSN is used to verify your identity and perform a credit check on your personal credit report), so they would not count against your 5/24 count.
Does the 5 credit cards include all banks? how about closing several chase cards for another one? This is really a bad news.
Yes, it includes all banks that report credit cards to your credit reports.
I was just rejected for a Chase Sapphire reserve. What is the best way to check my last 24 months? I guess a credit report? What is the best free service to do this? Thanks
Jason, I’d look at CreditKarma.com. The interface they have is clean and you can look on both your Equifax and TransUnion reports. You could also pull free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com (mandated free by the govt.)
I didn’t know about this. This is great info! Thanks for sharing!
This is awesome information, especially since I’m looking into another card to get soon! I just got rid of my American AIrlines card, since I have really been focusing on Disney points. It was horrible getting Citi to cancel my card! What are other ideas on best ways to cancel cards, too?
Cancelling a card really should be as simple as a phone call. What was so challenging?
I had called to cancel and was told it was all done. Then I get an overdue notice a couple of months later. I was confused since I hadn’t been charging on it. Then Citi told me that I was responsilble for all charges when i had canceled the magazine and they shouldn’t have been charging me either. However, it took me two weeks worth of calls and managers to finally cancel and reverse any charges. Even though agents were documenting, they somehow couldn’t get the account to close and then they wanted me to stay and well, not at that point :o(
Howie! I have a question and apparently I’m really bad at asking Chase this. So I thought that I will pick your brain cuz you seem to have access to so much info :o)
I just got the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, once I have UR points can I transfer them to my husbands United account? Do you get what I’m asking? Chase didn’t and now I’m wondering if my grasp of the English language has fled me. lol!
Yes, but he must be an authorized user on your card account per the terms: “You may only transfer points to yourself, or one additional household member who is listed as an authorized user on your card account.”
See?! See?! I should have asked you first. I’ve been asking and searching around for this answer for the last 3hrs! lol! Really ya’ll here at AwardWallet are just awesome and worth every penny and some dimes ;o) Thank you SO much!
Say I want to downgrade from a fee card to a no-fee card like the Chase Freedom. Would this conversion be prevented by the 5/24 rule?
No, it would not. Same would be true if you wanted to upgrade.
Thanks for bringing to our attention these rules, could catch many out.
luckily i got preapproval
Great list! Thanks for the info.
Great article. Just have to plan out your card cycling. Know your goals. Yes, chase has a majority of the good travel cards.
Considering Marriott Business card but heard Chase was pretty restrictive on business cards. My husband had to provide a tax return for the Southwest Business card. True for Marriot card?!
Yes, indeed. Chase is known for being thorough when evaluating business credit card applications.
Interesting. I imagine you can still ask for reconsideration on applications if you really want a particular card.
Indeed you can always ask to have your application reconsidered, but based on evidence from the community, there seems to be an almost solid answer of no if you exceed 5/24.
There are far too many examples of people with well over the 5/24 count that have applied for and received cards, such as the CSR, so the 5/24 Rule is really a moot point…IF you know how to work the system.
Cathy, I’d love to hear a recent example of this happening if you have one.
5 new credit cards in 24 months – wouldn’t that affect the credit score quite a bit?
It all depends on your credit file, but in general, no.
I have been turned down twice in the past year by Chase because of the 5/24 rule. I even appealed to the reconsideration line without success and I have a very good FICO score.
I opened a card in early 2015 and added spouse as an AU in early 2016. I cancelled card in late 2016. Would this still count as one of his 5/24?
Yes, it would. If you’ve closed the card account you might have your spouse ask to have it removed from their credit report as they were technically never liable for the card.
This is definitely the definitive exploration of all of the many, many facets of the Chase 5/24 rule. Thank you ever so much for bringing it together!
It’s unfortunate but we gotta know these rules.
FYI the “Your offers” tab will only show offers if it has been at least 6mos from the date you last opened a chase card
how long does it take to get the AU removed from your credit?
You can reasonably it to happen within 60 days, but it could take longer. You’ll need to confirm with the creditor when they’ve updated their records.
Do you need to give up your authorized user card or do you just need to say that you are not responsible for the charges?
You need to close the authorized user card and then request it be removed from the credit report.
If you have a spouse that you travel hack with, the 5/24 rule can be a *little* less restrictive, but this is definitely creating headaches. It’s almost like it locks you into Chase cards, which they can get away with because they’ve got the best ones generally. Great tip on the business cards, though.
So I have had the Hyatt card for a couple of years and I use the one free anniversary night regularly. But the terms and conditions say “This product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of this credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of this credit card who received a new cardmember bonus for this credit card within the last 24 months.”
So if I were to cancel my Hyatt card and then reapply would I get the two free night again because it has been more than 24 months since I got the sign-up bonus?
Has there been any people reporting success with this?
Yes, that is indeed the case, exactly how it is spelled out in these terms.
Wow, I’ve always overlooked the “Your Offers” tab on the UR page. Thx for the great tip!
I don’t see “Your Offers” on the Ultimate Rewards page – hints to where it is?
Excellent list, what about AADvantage through citi?
Ryan, I’m not sure I understand your question. Please clarify.
It’s a good idea to let some time lapse between cancellation & reapplication. Probably at least as long as it takes for the closed account to stop appearing on your Chase account page.
I really don’t understand why credit card companies need to be so cloak and dagger about everything. Thanks for putting some light on this.