Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions [2024] (2024)

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Alongsidekeeping track of rewards card applications and managing your credit score, it’s essential to understand the credit card application rules for each issuing bank. How many cards can you hold? Are there restrictions on how many cards you can apply for in a certain period of time? Can you hold more than one of the same card? These rules and restrictions vary by issuer.

The internet is rife with incomplete information about what you can and cannot do. Some financial institutions and card issuers have publicly available rules. Often, however, nothing “official” is published. In this guide, we combine what is available regarding credit card application rules and restrictions with the experiences and data points of the award travel community — all in one place.

What Effect Do Credit Card Application Rules Have?

These rules have an enormous impact on how you approach your credit card application strategy. In many cases, it may make sense to apply for certain cards before others — especially if you are new to credit card rewards. Thoroughly understanding application rules will help you plan a long-term, sustainable approach to earning points and miles for excellent travel experiences.

Credit card application rules can affect:

• Whether you'll be approved for a new card.
• How many credit cards you can hold at any one time from the same issuer.
• If you can receive a bonus more than once on the same card (or how long you must wait to receive it again).
• How much credit you can access across all cards you hold with that provider.

We’ll update this post as rules change or new information comes to light. If you have a data point to add to one of the listed providers, please reach out in the comments at the bottom of the post.

Credit Card Application Rules by Bank or Credit Provider

Before we dig in, it’s important to note that not all the restrictions here are hard and fast “rules.” To be abundantly clear, financial institutions don't publish many official rules. Rather, we must consider anecdotal evidence supported by data from the points and miles community, including readers like you.

There are clearly communicated restrictions — such as Amex's “one bonus per card per lifetime.” Others, like the Chase 5/24 rule, are derived from a combination of data points supplied by the points and miles community, guidelines described by the provider, and policies printed in error and then retracted.

American Express Application Rules

Credit cards vs. “Pay Over Time” cards

Before we jump into the rules, we need to clarify the two types of American Express cards. Some American Express cards function like traditional credit cards. For example, each cardholder has a credit limit and the option to finance charges that aren’t paid in full if you carry a balance to the next month.

Other Amex cards only allow you to carry a balance for certain charges with a feature called “Pay Over Time.” Amex used to call this second group of cards “charge cards”—a term which we are not allowed to use on the blog anymore. Instead, we'll refer to them as “cards with the option to Pay Over Time”.

If you don't enable this feature, you must pay your balance in full each month. Any Pay Over Time balance that you carry month to month will incur interest charges. However, unlike a credit card, these cards have no preset spending limit. No Preset Spending Limit means your spending limit is flexible. Unlike a traditional card with a set limit, the amount you can spend adapts based on factors such as your purchase, payment, and credit history.

An example of an Amex card with the Pay Over Time feature is the American Express® Gold Card.

Note: Eligible charges can be included in a Pay Over Time balance, up to the Pay Over Time Limit. All charges not added to a Pay Over Time balance or monthly payment plan or Cash Advance balance must be paid in full each month by the payment due date. Pay Over Time only applies to eligible charges meeting minimum transaction amounts for certain cards.

Credit: American Express

Maximum number of cards

The Amex rules about how many cards you can hold are a bit complicated. With respect to the number of Amex cards you can hold, here's what we understand:

• Each individual can hold five traditional credit cards.
• You can hold up to 10 cards with no preset spending limit (i.e., cards with the Pay Over Time feature).

Both limits apply to the total number of American Express cards held by a single person, including both small business and consumer cards. It should be noted that there are reports of some people being allowed to hold more than five credit cards, but that number has consistently been the limit.

Application frequency

There are no published rules for application frequency. Based on anecdotal reports, you can safely apply for two Amex cards in a single day. However, one will likely be held up for review as a fraud prevention measure.

Amex restricts credit card applications to two every 90 days. However, we've seen exceptions when applying for a combination of credit cards and no-preset-spending-limit cards.

Welcome offer restrictions

Amex has some of the most restrictive rules for who can earn a new cardmember bonus. Here's the typical language that you'll see on welcome offer restrictions, pulled from the The Platinum Card® from American Express as an example:

“You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card, the Platinum Card^® from American Express Exclusively for Charles Schwab, the Platinum Card^® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.”

You'll see that Amex has language restricting the new cardmember bonus, making it not available to applicants who “have or have had this Card.” This is often referred to as the “once per lifetime” restriction.

However, a “lifetime” isn't what you might think it is. Amex periodically purges old cardholder data, unlocking the ability to earn another welcome offer on the same card. The downside is that it may be several years (generally five to seven) after closing an account before this happens. There's no way of knowing exactly how long you need to wait.

Amex also added “family” restrictions to Delta co-branded cards in 2023. These were complicated enough to merit their own post for which cards affect which others. We've also seen family restrictions on the Amex Green Card, on the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, and the American Express® Gold Card.

Eligibility tool information

But there is a bit of good news: You don't have to second-guess whether or not you're eligible for a given offer. Amex added an eligibility tool to help applicants determine if they qualify for a new cardmember welcome offer. Rather than have to track your card timelines and guess whether you qualify for an offer, Amex tells you outright. This is where Amex may consider “other factors” into the decision. If Amex determines you are ineligible for a welcome offer, a warning will pop up during the application process to let you know.

Although the welcome offer rule is restrictive, Amex has a wide variety of cards available. And, unlike some other banks, applying for one Amex card generally doesn't disqualify you from cards that earn the same type of points. For example, if you've received the welcome offer on the American Express® Gold Card, you still can receive the bonus on the American Express® Green Card — assuming you meet all of the other rules we're discussing.

There are exceptions, though. One is the Marriott co-branded cards. The Marriott credit card application rules are confusing, to say the least. Thankfully, we have a dedicated post breaking down the eligibility requirements for each card. The other exceptions include the family of Delta co-branded cards and the other family restrictions mentioned above.

Bank of America Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

Bank of America used to be the most generous credit provider for opening and holding multiple cards. However, this is no longer the case.

The data for a maximum number of cards is inconsistent. Bank of America doesn't have an official limit. However, the issuer appears to restrict many account holders to a maximum of four cards. If you have any data points for holding additional, please let us know in the comments.

You're more likely to run into a cap on the credit limit Bank of America is willing to extend to you. If this happens, reducing your credit limit on existing cards may help you be approved for a new one.

Credit: Bank of America

Application frequency

Bank of America's 2/3/4 rule restrictions your applications as follows:

• Two new cards per two-month period
• Three new cards per rolling 12-month period
• Four new cards per rolling 24-month period

These numbers are specific to Bank of America cards. Other bank-issued cards aren't counted when calculating the 2/3/4 rule.

Bank of America used to accept multiple applications in a single day — sometimes even for the same card. However, with reports of applications denied — and sometimes accounts closed and points forfeited — we recommend holding off on applying for multiple cards at the same time. Be mindful of your long-term card strategy.

Another application rule concerns the number of accounts you have opened recently at any bank — not just Bank of America. As with so many of these rules, this is not written and is not always enforced. This rule varies by whether or not you have banking accounts with Bank of America:

• If you have a deposit account with Bank of America: Your credit card application will be denied if you have opened seven new cards in the past 12 months, based on what they see on your credit report.
• If you do NOT have a deposit account with Bank of America: Your credit card application will be denied if you have three new cards in the past 12 months.

Business cards may not play into this calculation. But keep these general limits in mind. It may be worth opening a deposit account with Bank of America to be eligible for a higher limit.

Related: Bank of American Credit Card Application Rules

Sign-up bonus restrictions

Most cards are subject to a 24-month waiting period. Thus, you cannot get a card if you currently have (or had in the previous 24 months) that card.

Barclays Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

There is no set limit, as officially stated by Barclays. But Barclays is pretty stringent on how many total credit cards you can hold. Barclays appears to factor in how often you use current cards, in addition to standard considerations when deciding on new card applications. If you have lots of new inquiries or high balances, you're less likely to be approved.

Additionally, Barclays won’t allow you to hold more than one of the same card.

Credit: Barclays

Application frequency

Barclays has an inconsistent “6/24 rule” that may apply to new applications. This is analogous to the Chase 5/24 rule, considering all new accounts opened within the past 24 months. If you have more than six new accounts, don't count on being approved. However, do know that data points indicate this is far less “hard and fast” than Chase's 5/24 rule.

Barclays considers existing cards, spending on those cards, and their credit limit(s) during the application decision. You can apply for multiple Barclays cards in a short period — even more than one in a day — but we don't recommend it. A best practice is to stick to one card every six months and only one card at a time.

Sign-up bonus restrictions

The language on some cards is ambiguous as to whether you can earn a second bonus, but you generally can. If you're approved for a card, you're typically eligible to earn the bonus. Unlike other issuers, Barclays is unlikely to approve your application and then say you can't have the welcome bonus.

If you already hold a card, you must cancel it and wait a minimum of 24 months to get the same card again. Barclays will not let you downgrade to a card within the same family to get the sign-up bonus on a card you currently hold.

Capital One Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

The conventional wisdom is that you can carry a maximum of five personal Capital One branded cards at any one time. There are also reports of being limited to two starter cards (e.g. Platinum, Quicksilver).

This is generally backed up by reports from our Award Travel 101 Facebook group. Members have been able to be approved for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card while already having the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.

A Capital One banker confirmed the maximum of five Capital One cards to another group member. This had more specificity, including a breakdown of permitting two Venture-branded cards, one Quicksilver card, one Savor-branded card, and one charge card.

Regardless of the actual policy, the Capital One limit doesn't apply to business credit cards. Thus, you could hold a Spark-branded card in addition to your personal portfolio. And that's great news, as Capital One Spark cards offer some incredible bonuses. However, data points suggest you can't hold both of Capital One's premium small business charge cards at the same time — the Capital One Spark Cash Plus and Capital One Venture X Business.

Entrance to the Capital One Lounge at Washington-Dulles. Credit: Ajay Jain/AwardWallet

Application frequency

Capital One’s application rules are simple: one card every six months. There is no distinction between personal and business cards. By all reports, Capital One doesn’t even perform a hard pull on your credit report if you try to apply for more cards. Instead, it flags additional applications that follow the first one as “duplicates.” While not official, this is considered a hard and fast limit.

You can apply for the same card after six months, keeping the total card limit in mind. When applying for Capital One credit cards, remember that the issuer pulls from all three credit bureaus. Additionally, Capital One business credit cards are reported on your personal credit report and will count toward your Chase 5/24 count. Business charge cards won't report to your personal credit report, though, so long as your account is in good standing.

It's worth noting that Capital One is one of the most stringent banks when it comes to the number of new card approvals. Recent inquiries on your credit report are a major factor. Even people with otherwise stellar credit have been denied for a Capital One card because of the number of new accounts. We recommend holding off on applying for other cards for a few months before applying for a Capital One card.

Bonus restrictions

The general rule for Capital One cards is that you'll receive the bonus if you’re approved for the card. Capital One's small business cards have this vague terminology: “The bonus may not be available for existing or previous account holders.”

However, personal credit cards have this more defined 48-month rule:

“Card offers with a cash or miles rewards bonus are available by clicking the “Apply Now” button on this page, and may not be available if you navigate away from or close this page. Existing or previous cardmembers are not eligible for this product if they have received a new cardmember bonus for this product in the past 48 months.”

It doesn't seem to apply across families of cards or prevent you from ever receiving the same card's bonus for a second time in the future, but you are limited by the 48-month period.

Chase Application Rules

Chase applies its 5/24 policy across its full range of credit cards. It applies to both Ultimate Rewards-earning and co-branded travel credit cards. Check out our dedicated post on everything Chase 5/24. We also cover how to check your Chase 5/24 status. Even though the rule is unwritten, it's one of the most well-known credit card application rules.

Maximum number of cards

Chase has no formal policy on the number of cards you can hold. Plenty of cardholders possess multiple co-branded travel cards in addition to a full stable of Chase products. There also aren't any restrictions on having multiple cards within the same family (e.g. you can hold both the United℠ Explorer Card and United Quest℠ Card simultaneously). The exception to this is the Sapphire card family: You can't hold two cards in this family at the same time.

However, Chase restricts the total line of credit available to you across all Chase personal cards. For example, if you have six cards totaling $80,000 in credit limits, Chase may consider this the ceiling for your current income and liabilities. To open another card, you'd likely need to chat with a Chase representative to reallocate your credit from existing lines of credit to a new line. I've done this more than once to open a new Chase card.

Application frequency

Again, Chase doesn't have a formal rule in writing. However, Chase's credit card application rules can be quite restrictive.

The chief policy affecting Chase applicants is the 5/24 rule. If you've opened five or more credit cards in the previous 24 months from any card issuer, it is extremely unlikely you will be approved when applying for a new Chase card. This counts any cards that show on your credit report, meaning it doesn't apply to most business credit cards.

The restriction applies to virtually all Chase cards — including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and families of cards, such as Southwest, Marriott, and Hyatt. You'll know this is the reason you are denied if the letter you receive states “too many credit cards opened within the past 2 years.”

It’s important to distinguish between cards subject to 5/24 and those that count towards your 5/24 status. You'll need to be under 5/24 to apply for Chase cards, though Chase's business cards won't add to your total number.

Alongside 5/24, Chase also restricts the number of cards you can apply for in 30- and 90-day periods. You can get no more than two personal cards every 30 days. The 30-day limit for business cards is one.

Applying for too many Chase cards in a short period is a red flag for the bank. You can find reports of people having their Chase accounts closed due to this sort of behavior. We recommend only applying for one personal and one business card from Chase in a 90-day period. This will maximize your chance of having applications accepted and minimize your risk of scrutiny by the bank.

Sign-up bonus restrictions

The majority of Chase products state you can earn the bonus again 24 months after you last received it, as long as you're not a current cardholder of that product:

“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.”

The exception to this rule is the Sapphire cards. See our detailed post on Sapphire card restrictions. If you already have a Sapphire card or have received a Sapphire card sign-up bonus anytime in the previous 48 months, you can no longer apply for a second Sapphire product:

“This product is available to you if you do not have any Sapphire card and have not received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card in the past 48 months.”

Other card families also have their own restrictions. For instance, you can't get another personal Southwest card if you've earned a sign-up bonus on another Southwest card within 24 months:

“The product is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards^®Credit Card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of any Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card who received a new Cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. This does not apply to Cardmembers of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Card and Employee Credit Card products.”

The application restrictions on Marriott co-brand cards are a different beast altogether, confounding even the most experienced points and miles fans. We've put together a post detailing the rules, plus a guidedetailing the best application strategy for Marriott cards. These rules are complicated due to the fact both Chase and American Express issue Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.

Citi Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

Much like Chase, Citi doesn’t have a hard and fast rule on the number of cards you can have. Instead, it restricts the combined total credit limit extended across all of your Citi cards. If you get the “Application Pending” notice, Citi typically provides an application reference number and a phone number to call for an immediate review of the application.

It is possible to hold more than one of the same card, at least for most cards. Some cards — such as the Citi Custom Cash® Card — explicitly state that Citi will not approve you for more than one of this same card. There are reports of being able to product change a different Citi card to a Citi Custom Cash while already holding one, but your experience may vary.

Credit: Joshua Lawrence/Unsplash

Application frequency

Citi has tight restrictions on application frequency, and they're easy to understand — even if a little frustrating. You can only apply for one personal card per eight-day period and only two cards in a 65-day period. Business accounts are even harder to get, with Citi accepting just one business card application every 90–95 days.

Sign-up bonus restrictions

Citi has a 48-month restriction for the majority of its cards. This includes Citi-branded cards, such as the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, and the AAdvantage® family of cards. You must wait at least 48 months before being eligible for a new cardmember bonus. For example, these are terms and conditions from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®:

“American Airlines AAdvantage^® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® account in the past 48 months.”

Citi dropped the restriction for applying for other cards within card families. So, you could get a bonus on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® even if ineligible for the AA Platinum Select. Or you could get a Citi Strata Premier and still be eligible for the offer on the Citi Custom Cash.

Likewise, the previous rules that factored in the timing of both account opening and closure no longer apply.

Discover Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

The known rules for Discover are straightforward: You can have no more than two Discover cards at any given time. They can, however, be two of the same card. This may be useful if you like 5% cash back on rotating categories.

Credit: Camilo Rico/Pexels

Application frequency

You can only get one new Discover card every 12 months. If you want a second card, you'll have to wait a full year to apply for it.

Sign-up bonus restrictions

Discover doesn't appear to have any restrictions on receiving the sign-up bonus for a given card more than once. However, given the issuer's limits on the total number of cards and application frequency, this is limiting enough.

Navy Federal Credit Union Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

Navy Federal Credit Union confirmed to AwardWallet that members can hold no more than three NFCU cards simultaneously.

Application frequency

You must wait at least 90 days between applying for Navy Federal Credit Union cards.

Sign-up bonus restrictions

When we inquired, Navy Federal Credit Union said that it doesn't have any other sign-up bonus restrictions that potential cardholders should be aware of.

U.S. Bank Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

Like Chase and Citi, U.S. Bank doesn't provide a formal limit on the number of cards you can hold. Instead, the bank limits the total line of credit for each customer.

Credit: U.S. Bank

Application frequency

You can't find any written rules on application frequency. That being said, unwritten rules and consumer experiences show that U.S. Bank is sensitive to how many credit inquiries and new accounts are visible on your credit report. U.S. Bank is likely to deny your application if you are applying for and opening numerous accounts — even if these are with other banks.

Anecdotal evidence also indicates U.S. Bank factors your overall banking relationship into its decision to approve you for a new card. Having a deposit account with U.S. Bank may not be a bad idea.

Sign-up bonus restrictions

U.S. Bank doesn't have rules about earning bonuses within the same “card family.” However, you will see this restriction on some cards:

“The bonus is not available to Cardmembers who currently have, or had…”

That means you may not qualify for a second sign-up bonus on a card that you had in the past. Additionally, some cards do not let you earn another bonus until your account has been closed for at least 12 months. The Korean SKYPASS cards have the following restrictions:

“Previous accounts closed within the last 12 months will be reopened and no enrollment miles will be awarded.”

Make sure you read the fine print of U.S. Bank cards, as the terms vary a bit.

Wells Fargo Application Rules

Maximum number of cards

Wells Fargo doesn't provide a formal limit on the number of cards you can hold. However, the bank is known to limit the total line of credit extended to each customer. In the terms for some cards, the issuer even states it will automatically adjust your credit limits if needed.

“If you are applying for an additional card, then you agree that we can distribute your credit limits between each card if: You already have a Wells Fargo Credit Card account that has no current balance, and You have not used the Wells Fargo Credit Card account for any reason within the past six months.”

Given the inflexible application restrictions, applying for too many Wells Fargo cards is not likely to present much of an issue for most folks. You simply won't be approved for multiple cards or sign-up bonuses each year.

Credit: Erol Ahmed/Unsplash

Application frequency

Wells Fargo restricts applicants to one credit card every six months. Although the language is a little vague, the application restrictions are strictly enforced from all reports. You'll see something along the lines of:

“You may not qualify for an additional Wells Fargo-branded credit card if you have opened a Wells Fargo-branded credit card in the last 6 months.”

There are reports that Wells Fargo considers your total banking relationship into new card approvals. This is similar to both U.S. Bank and Bank of America.

Sign-up Bonus Restrictions

Again, the Wells Fargo language is a little vague, but you'll only receive one introductory offer on a Wells Fargo credit card product every 48 months, and that includes introductory APR offers. If you're looking to bank Wells Fargo sign-up bonuses, you'll need to stagger your applications significantly. Here are the terms from the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card as an example:

“You may not be eligible for introductory annual percentage rates, fees and/or rewards bonus offers if you have a Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa^® or opened one within the last 48 months from the date of this application – even if that account is closed and has a $0 balance.”

Wells Fargo increased this restriction from 15 months to 48 months relatively recently.However, the Choice Privileges cards are still subject to this 15-month restriction:

“If you opened a Choice Privileges Mastercard Credit Card or a Choice Privileges Select Mastercard Credit Card within the last 15 months, you may not be eligible for an introductory bonus rewards offer.”

Final Thoughts

Understanding each provider's credit card application rules and restrictions will help you develop a successful long-term rewards travel strategy. In addition, by using this knowledge, you'll be less likely to waste “hard pulls” (credit inquiries) on cards you aren’t likely to get approved for. Remember, many of these restrictions aren't written rules. Instead, they are pulled from community data. If you receive conflicting information from providers, we’d love to hear about it.

Again, if you have questions about the information we’ve provided in this post, please get in touch in the comments below. We will do our best to find you an answer and update this guide.