BLUEPRINT

Advertiser Disclosure

Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy.

Getting a new credit card and earning the associated welcome bonus is one of the quickest ways to rack up a pile of rewards, and Chase is one of the top issuers of rewards cards on the market today. However, banks implement rules restricting welcome bonuses to discourage people from churning cards and becoming unprofitable customers. One of the most widely-known policies is the unwritten Chase 5/24 rule. 

The 5/24 rule blocks applicants from opening a Chase credit card if they’ve opened five or more cards from any issuer in the past two-year period. Understanding this policy could be the difference between rejection or getting a lucrative new card. Learn how it works, which cards it affects and how to check your 5/24 status.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
BLUEPRINT RATING
Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.
Apply Now
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s secure website

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

60,000 bonus points

Annual fee

$550

Regular APR

22.49%-29.49% Variable

Credit score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

(700 – 749) Good, Excellent
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. Earn 1x points on all other purchases.

Editor’s take

Pros
  • Up to $300 annual travel credit and Priority Pass Select lounge access.
  • Redeem points for 50% more value to book travel through Chase Travel℠.
  • Transfer points 1:1 to partners such as United Airlines and World of Hyatt.
Cons
  • High annual fee.
  • Not ideal if you aren’t interested in transferring points.
  • May not qualify if you’ve applied for 5 or more credit cards in the last 24 months.

Card details

  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Member FDIC

How does the Chase 5/24 rule work?

When you apply for a new credit card, the card issuer has your permission to pull your credit report. Chase will review the new accounts you’ve opened in the last 24 months to see if you’ve opened five or more new credit cards in the last two years from any bank. This is where the term “5/24” comes from.

Chase’s 5/24 rule limits the number of new Chase credit card accounts that can be opened by the same applicant in a short period of time. This can weed out someone who plans to “churn” credit cards to earn multiple welcome bonuses as rapidly as possible, then close the account shortly thereafter, which is expensive for banks.

Unlike most other bank application rules, Chase’s 5/24 rule includes all credit cards you’ve opened with any issuer, not just with Chase. Applications for a new Chase card coming from anyone who is at or over 5/24 will generally be declined by the bank.  

What cards does the 5/24 rule affect?

When the Chase 5/24 rule was first implemented in 2016, certain credit cards were excluded. However, as time passed, Chase updated its guidelines to include all Chase credit cards. The 5/24 rule affects both personal and small business credit cards, including both Chase-branded cards and co-branded cards.

However, business credit cards from other issuers may not be counted. For example, if you applied for and were approved in the last 24 months for four consumer cards from any issuer (including Chase) and one small business credit card from another issuer, your status would likely be considered by Chase to be 4/24. That’s because business credit cards from most issuers don’t typically appear on your personal credit report.  

But note, Chase will count their own small business cards toward your 5/24 count. And, if you have a business card from another issuer that shows on your personal credit reports, expect that to count for 5/24 purposes too. For example, some Capital One business cards have been known to show on the cardholder’s personal credit.

In short, it’s smart to check your 5/24 status before applying for any Chase-issued credit card.

How to check your 5/24 status

If you’re unsure of your Chase 5/24 status, there are ways to check before applying for a new Chase card:

  • Review your credit report. Obtain a free copy of your credit report via AnnualCreditReport.com from each of the three major consumer credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and Transunion. Review your credit reports and add up the new accounts opened in the last 24 months.
  • Manually track credit applications. Many people track their credit applications with a notebook, Google Doc, Excel file or other methods. By tracking each account opening date, you’ll have a good idea of your Chase 5/24 status. But be aware this method is not exact because there may be a delay of when the bank reports your new accounts to the credit bureaus. Because of this delay, your manual tracking may not accurately match Chase’s count.
  • Use a digital tool. Apps and websites from Experian, Credit Karma and others allow consumers to quickly review their accounts to view their account opening dates. Although these tools are digital, you still need to manually add up your new accounts.

What contributes to your 5/24 status?

The Chase 5/24 rule can be confusing, so it helps to understand what types of accounts can contribute to your 5/24 count. Here’s a list:

  • Opening a new account. New accounts are the most straightforward example of an account contributing to your total. Retail and gas credit cards also count, but prepaid gift cards do not.
  • Authorized user cards. Becoming an authorized user on someone else’s credit card does add to your 5/24 count. Some card issuers do not require your Social Security number when issuing your authorized user card. However, they may require you to add it when activating the card, or they may use personally identifying information to link the card to your credit report.
  • Certain small business credit cards. Generally, small business credit cards do not count toward your Chase 5/24 status. While the credit inquiry will post to your report, the actual account will not. Capital One and Discover are the exceptions to this rule of thumb because in most cases, they report business credit cards to personal credit reports.
  • Closed accounts. All new credit cards applied for and approved within the last 24 months count toward the 5/24 rule, even if you’ve closed the account. The Chase 5/24 rule counts new accounts, not open accounts.

Most small business credit cards do not report to your personal credit report. However, if you have late or missed payments or if you’ve defaulted on your account, those negative marks will show up.

Getting a new loan, like a mortgage, auto loan or student loan will not affect your Chase 5/24 status. But, home equity lines of credit or a personal line of credit may. In general, your 5/24 status primarily counts personal revolving credit accounts.

Is there any way to bypass the 5/24 rule?

Previously, customers could potentially bypass the 5/24 rule through various methods, such as applying through a Chase Private Client banker if you met the minimum requirements to qualify to become a Chase Private Client customer.  Most such loopholes have closed, and you are no longer able to bypass 5/24 through these methods. That said, there are a few approaches that might present a chance of success.

  • Product change. If you have an existing Chase credit card, you can bypass 5/24 by requesting a product change from your existing card to another. For example, you can ask to upgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to a Chase Sapphire Reserve® or downgrade it to a Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
  • Exclude authorized user accounts. Customers who are over 5/24 due to authorized user accounts may be able to get around this rule. If you are otherwise under 5/24, you can call the Chase credit department and ask them to remove those authorized user accounts and reconsider your application.
  • In-branch preapprovals. Branch employees often have access to preapproved offers for customers based on their customer profiles. These preapproved offers often bypass the 5/24 rule, but you must apply with the bank employee through their link.
  • Business Relationship Manager paper applications. Business customers may be able to bypass the 5/24 rule by filling out a paper application for a Chase business card with a Business Relationship Manager.

Other credit card issuers with similar rules

Chase is not the only bank that uses application rules to limit the number of welcome bonuses cardholders can earn. Here are a few rules from major U.S. banks to be aware of before applying for a new credit card.

  • American Express “once per lifetime” rule. American Express rules limit customers to one welcome bonus per card type during their lifetime. However, reader feedback suggests that you may qualify for another welcome bonus after five to seven years. The Amex website has an eligibility tool that warns customers if they are not eligible before they complete their application.
  • Bank of America 2/3/4 rule. Customers can open two new Bank of America cards in a 30-day period, three within 12 months, and four every two years. This rule does not apply to cards opened at other banks.
  • Capital One. While Capital One does not have specific application rules, it does limit cardholders to two personal cards open at a time. Additionally, customers can only be approved for one new card every six months.
  • Citi 8/65 rule. Citi customers can get one new credit card every eight days and no more than two new cards within a 65-day timeframe. Business customers must space out their applications at least 90 days apart.
  • Wells Fargo six-month rule. This rule limits new cards to once every six months.

Sometimes these rules are unwritten — as is the case with the Chase 5/24 rule — and other times you’ll find the restrictions outlined in the terms provided by an issuer when you apply for a card, as with the Wells Fargo six-month rule.

Card issuers may also limit welcome bonuses to once per family of cards within a limited timeframe. Banks often have multiple versions of the same co-branded or rewards type card. The “once per family” rule limits applicants from hopping between cards that earn the same type of rewards.

For example, Chase has three different Southwest Airlines co-branded cards. Applicants are ineligible to receive a new card if they have a current Southwest personal card open or if they’ve received a welcome bonus from any Southwest personal card in the last 24 months. However, Southwest business credit cards are excluded from this limitation.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Yes, you can get credit cards from other banks, even if you are over 5/24. The 5/24 rule is specific to Chase-issued credit cards. Note, however, that many other banks have their own eligibility rules. You may wish to review the list of similar rules provided above to increase your chances of a successful application.

When you add authorized users to your Chase credit cards, it does not affect your 5/24 status. 

However, it will most likely count toward the authorized user’s 5/24 status, and if they apply for a new Chase card on their own could prevent them from getting approved.

No, Chase business cards do not count toward your 5/24 status. However, you must be under 5/24 in order to be approved for most Chase business credit cards.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Lee Huffman

BLUEPRINT

Lee Huffman spent 18 years in banking and investments and now uses that insider knowledge to write about credit cards, travel, and other personal finance topics. Lee enjoys showing people how to travel more, spend less, and live better through the power of travel rewards. You can connect with him at BaldThoughts.com.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.