Credit cards
What Is Chase's 5/24 Rule? A Beginner's Guide
THE QUICK ANSWER
Chase's 5/24 rule means Chase will usually decline your application for a new Chase card if you've opened 5 or more personal credit cards from any bank in the last 24 months. Most business cards don't count toward it, but authorized user cards usually do. That's why many beginners open their Chase cards first.
If you only learn one credit card rule before you start with points, make it this one. It's the reason the order you open cards matters so much.
What 5/24 means
Chase looks at your credit report and counts how many new personal credit cards you've opened in the past 24 months, from any bank, not just Chase. If that number is 5 or more, Chase will usually say no to a new card, no matter how good your credit is.
Chase doesn't publish this rule. It's what thousands of applicants have reported for years, so treat it as a strong guideline rather than a written policy.
What counts toward 5/24
- New personal credit cards from any bank. Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, store cards, all of them.
- Authorized user cards. If someone added you to their card, it usually shows on your credit report and counts.
- Closed cards. If you opened it in the last 24 months, it still counts, even if you've closed it.
What usually doesn't count
- Most business cards. Business cards from Chase, Amex, Citi and many others don't show on your personal credit report. The exceptions are cards from banks that do report business cards, like Discover, TD Bank and some Capital One business cards.
- Cards opened more than 24 months ago.
- A product change. Switching a card to another card from the same bank isn't a new account.
When a card drops off your count
Each card counts for 24 months from the date you opened it. Once it passes that mark, your count goes down by one. Many people wait until the start of the following month just to be safe.
Why the order you open cards matters
Because every new personal card from any bank uses up one of your five slots, many people get their Chase cards first, while they're still under 5/24, then move on to other banks. And yes, Chase business cards still need you to be under 5/24 to get approved, even though they don't add to your count once you have them.
How to keep track of your 5/24 count
You'd be surprised how fast you lose count, especially when you add a partner's cards to the mix. Write down every card you open, the date, and whether it's personal or business, and don't delete cards when you close them.
That's exactly why I built 5/24 tracking into my tracker. It counts your personal cards for you and a partner, and shows the date you're back under 5/24.
Keep it all in one place
The Beginner Points and Miles Tracker: your cards, points, perks, 5/24 count and trip goals in one plain-English spreadsheet. Excel and Google Sheets.
Frequently asked questions
Do business cards count toward Chase 5/24?
Most don't, because they don't appear on your personal credit report. Business cards from banks that report them, like Discover, TD Bank and some Capital One business cards, do count.
Do authorized user cards count toward 5/24?
Usually yes, because they appear on your credit report. Some people have had Chase ignore them after calling, but don't count on it.
When does a card drop off my 5/24 count?
24 months after the date you opened it. Many people wait until the start of the next month to be safe.
Does 5/24 apply to Chase business cards?
Yes. You generally need to be under 5/24 to be approved for a Chase business card, even though the card won't add to your count.
Is the 5/24 rule official?
Chase doesn't publish it, but it has been consistently reported by applicants for years. Treat it as a reliable guideline, and remember bank rules can change.
Liane Jamason is a St. Petersburg, Florida real estate broker who has flown business class to Italy, France and the UK on credit card points. She founded Points & Provisions to make points simple for beginners. Read her story or follow along on Instagram.
