The Chase 5/24 Rule – Which Cards Are Impacted? Are There Exceptions?

Before applying for any credit card, you should become familiar with the issuing bank’s application rules. Every bank has rules, some of which restrict who can open particular cards. Chase has one of the most stringent rules in the industry, known as the “Chase 5/24 rule,” which we’ll explain here.

The 5/24 rule is an internal rule that Chase doesn’t formally publish. It’s based on crowdsourced information from Chase credit card approvals and denials. Even though it’s unofficial, it has been in existence for years.

If you plan on getting more than 1 travel rewards card (and Chase has some of the best!) to start building up your miles & points balances, then you need to know the ins and outs of the Chase 5/24 rule.

The Chase 5/24 Rule

Put simply, Chase will not approve you for any of its cards if you have already opened 5 (or more) credit card accounts in the last 24 months (with a few exceptions).

This includes cards you open at Chase and cards you open at other banks that are reported to your personal credit report.

The good news? Most business credit cards DO NOT count against you under the 5/24 rule.

Which Credit Cards Are Impacted by Chase 5/24?

Disclaimer: This information is based on crowdsourced reports and is subject to change; Chase does not officially confirm this list.

The 5/24 rule currently impacts applications on all Chase cards, including:

How Does Chase Know What Accounts I Open?

When you submit a new Chase credit card application, you authorize Chase to access your personal credit report. Chase will pull this report from 1 of the 3 major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. The bureau used depends upon where you live and differs from state to state.

Chase reviews your credit report, which shows credit card accounts reported by other banks where you have accounts. And each reported account shows an opening date and payment history. Chase uses this information, along with factors like your credit score and income, as part of its decision to approve or deny your application.

Which of My Accounts Are Included in the 5/24 Count?

Chase counts all new accounts it sees on your personal credit card report toward your 5/24 total.

Accounts that may count in the Chase 5/24:

1. New personal credit cards that you open at any bank. Even if you later close these accounts, they still are counted.
2. Retail credit cards that you open. These are credit cards, too!
3. If you are added as an authorized user to someone else’s credit card account.
4. Business cards from Capital One (except the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card), Discover, and certain other banks. However, MOST business credit cards DO NOT count against you under the 5/24 Rule.

Also worth noting is that denied credit card applications won’t count against you. If you’ve applied for a card and are denied, that application won’t show up on your credit report. Therefore, the application won’t count against your 5/24 status.

How To Check Your Chase 5/24 Status

The best spot to look in order to determine your 5/24 count is your credit report. Your credit report will show the credit card accounts you’ve opened and when you opened them. From there it’s just about doing a bit of math.

Count 24 months back from the day you’re checking your report. Then count the number of accounts that were opened within that timeframe. For example, if you check your report on August 1, 2022, you’ll need to count the number of credit card accounts you opened between August 1, 2020, and August 1, 2022.

Removing an Authorized User

If you are added as an authorized user to someone else’s account, this will be reported to the credit bureaus. Chase doesn’t distinguish between an account in your name (where you are the primary user) and authorized user accounts.

The good news is that you can erase an authorized user account from your credit report with a bit of work. Here’s how:

1. Have the primary user contact their bank and remove you as an authorized user.
2. Contact the 3 credit bureaus to remove the authorized user account from your report (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). You need to contact all 3 bureaus because you can’t be sure which bureau Chase will use for your application.

Having the authorized user account removed from your credit report won’t happen overnight, though. It can sometimes take 60 to 90 days. So if you’ve already applied for a card, it’s worth calling Chase’s reconsideration line and asking for an exception if it’s an authorized user account that’s preventing you from being approved for a Chase card.

Signing up for Chase Credit Cards After 5/24

If you’ve hit 5/24 and are looking to sign up for a new Chase credit card, there are a few approaches to take:

1. In-branch Pre-approvals

As much as we all love the internet, did you know you can still sign up for a credit card in person? You will sometimes find that you are pre-approved for a Chase card if you visit a bank branch and speak with a banker.

2. Targeted Mailers

Sometimes you might receive a physical offer in the mail, which you can complete either by visiting a Chase branch or going online to finish your application.

3. Targeted “Just for You” Offers

On your Chase Ultimate Rewards account under Explore Products, you might find cards offer under Just for You. There are reports of some of these offers (if they’re showing a fixed APR) bypassing the 5/24 rule.

Final Thoughts

The Chase 5/24 Rule has shaken up how miles and points enthusiasts decide what credit cards to open. Many people new to earning credit card points have made earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points with Chase cards a priority ahead of applying for credit cards from other banks.

Hopefully, Chase rethinks this rule at some point. Until then, we’ll keep an eye out for any changes and let you know! It can be frustrating for those already beyond 5/24 to want some of these cards.