Credit Card Authorized User - Definition, What is Credit Card Authorized User, Advantages of Credit Card Authorized User, and Latest News - ClearTax (2024)

Introduction

Credit card authorised users are individuals that are permitted to use a credit card belonging to another person, but is not legally accountable for the repayment. For personal credit cards, family members, such as parents, spouse, and children, can be the credit card authorised users.

In some cases, friends are also authorised. Some credit card companies issue multiple cards attached to a single credit account, and the primary cardholder is responsible for making repayments. Other companies issue only one card which can be shared by the cardholders with their relatives or friends.

Understanding Credit Card Authorised User

Credit card authorised users are legally not accountable to make repayments to the credit card company. The cardholder and authorised credit card users may enter into a mutual understanding as to how the repayment of the credit card is made. The credit card issuer will not bother about who is going to make the payment as they always catch the cardholder responsible for repayments.

Hence, when a credit cardholder is willing to authorise another person to make payments through his or her credit card, he should always enter into an understanding with that individual as to how the repayment is being made.

What Credit Card Authorised Users Can't Do?

Despite having the right to make online and offline transactions through the credit card, an authorised credit card user cannot do certain things with the credit card. An authorised credit card user cannot make the repayments themselves. For this, they need to route the money through the primary cardholder as they are the authorised personnel to make credit card payments.

Also, an authorised credit card user cannot ask for the credit card statement, change the personal identification number (PIN) of the credit card, request for a raise in the credit limit, amend the address, and request for an additional card. For any of these requests to be honoured, it has to come through the primary credit cardholder.