Can you get a credit card with no job?

Credit card issuers will generally ask about your employment status and total gross annual income on a card application. While you do need a source of income, you can apply for a credit card even if you don’t have a job — and you can get approved regardless of employment status. 

Can you apply for a credit card while unemployed?

Whether you’re in between jobs, retired or a stay-at-home parent, you can apply for a credit card even if you’re not a full-time or part-time employee. 

The CARD Act of 2009 requires credit card issuers to consider whether someone can afford a credit card’s minimum payments before offering the person a new credit card or increasing their credit limit. To comply, the card issuer might ask about your annual income and monthly mortgage or rent payments. They can also review your credit report to calculate your current loan and credit card payments. 

If you don’t have any income, you might have trouble qualifying for a new card. But your income doesn’t have to come from a job. 

What qualifies as income and how to list it

You can include income from many sources when filling out your credit card application. Rather than listing each individually, you’ll add up all the amounts you want to use and calculate your annual gross income — how much you earn before paying taxes.

If you have income that isn’t subject to income taxes, such as certain insurance payments, you might be asked to list that separately. Or, if you include it with your annual gross income, the card issuer might ask you to increase the amount (e.g., add another 25%) before adding it to your gross income. 

When adding up your income, you can include money from a job and:

• Earnings from running your own business or working as a freelancer, contractor, or gig worker. 
• Regular income from your investments and savings, such as interest, dividends, and bond coupon payments. 
• Payments from retirement accounts, such as 401(k) distributions, Social Security or a pension. 
• Social Security disability income and other types of public assistance.
• Alimony, child support and separate maintenance payments.
• Financial aid that you receive directly, such as a scholarship or student loan disbursement that is sent to your bank account. 
• Royalties, foster-care income, proceeds from a trust, and other less-common sources of income may also qualify as income on credit card applications.  

Credit card issuers can also choose to let you include assets and income to which you have a reasonable expectation of access. This might be your spouse or partner’s earnings if you share finances. 

However, if you’re under 21 years old, you need to have an independent source of income to qualify for a credit card. This could still include a regular allowance from a family member, but you can’t include a spouse or partner’s income or assets unless the money is in a joint account that you also own.  

Other options if your income isn’t enough

You might have trouble qualifying for a credit card if you don’t have enough income, especially if you’re trying to get a premium card. Some premium cards have a high minimum credit limit, which means the account will also have a potentially high minimum payment and require a higher income. 

It might be easier to get a card that can have a low credit limit. Many of the cards meant for building your credit fit this description. Some of these cards require a refundable security deposit or charge an annual fee, but that’s not always the case.  

Another option might be to get a joint credit card with someone who has an income, or to become an authorized user on someone else’s credit cards. A joint card gives you full ownership of the account, but most card issuers don’t offer joint cards. Authorized users are more common, but the primary account holder retains full control of the account and liability for the entire balance. 

You could also try to qualify for a credit card based on your assets if you have a lot of savings or investments. However, you might want to contact the card issuer first to see if this is an option, as there often isn’t a place to share your assets on credit card applications. You may have a better chance of success if you’re applying for a card from the bank or credit union where you keep your savings. 

The importance of building credit

In addition to your income, credit card issuers will consider your credit history and credit score when reviewing your application. Having good credit can help you qualify for a new card, get a lower interest rate and receive a higher credit limit. 

Good credit can also be important when you’re applying for a loan and your credit history might impact your insurance premiums and options when renting an apartment. Some employers might even consider your credit history before offering you a job, particularly if you’re applying for a job in the legal or financial services industries.  

If you get a credit card, using it and making your payments on time can help you build credit. Only using a small portion of your card’s credit limit can also be an important part of maintaining a good credit score. But you don’t need to carry a balance — paying your bill in full can help you build credit without paying any interest on your purchases.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)