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Should You Request a Credit Line Increase? contents
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Should You Request a Credit Line Increase?

Last Updated: November 13, 2024
5 min read
Getting a credit card

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Key Points:

  1. Your credit line is set by a few factors, including your credit score, income, and payment history.

  2. Credit card issuers will consider a credit increase if you practice good habits, including paying on time and keeping your credit utilization ratio low.

  3. You may not be approved for a credit line increase if you've recently lost your job or have a low credit score.

When you first get a credit card, your credit line (also called a credit limit) may not be as high as you'd like. After you've had the new credit card for a while, you may be able to request a credit limit increase.

What is a credit line?

Your credit line is the maximum amount you can charge on your credit card. The amount of your credit card limit will be listed on your credit card statement. If the credit line on your credit card is not as high as you'd like, you may want to submit a credit increase request.

But there's more to credit limits. Understanding the factors that go into your credit line can help you know when it's time to ask for an increase.

A low credit limit is not the same as a low credit score. A credit score is a three-digit number that a credit bureau creates that factors in things like your payment history, the amounts you owe, the new credit you’re received, how long you’ve had a credit history, and your credit mix (what kinds of credit you have like credit cards, home loan, auto loans, or personal loans).

A lack of credit history can lead to a lower limit. This is because the credit card issuer doesn't have enough information about how you manage your payments to justify giving you access to a higher limit.

Opening a credit card is like starting a new relationship: You must build trust. Your initial credit line reflects your issuer extending you a small amount of trust. If you establish a good credit history, your credit card company may be more comfortable increasing your credit card limit in the future.

What factors can lead to a credit line increase?

Lenders look at a variety of factors to assess your financial stability and determine the amount of risk involved with lending money when they decide on your credit limit. These may include:

  • Your payment history
  • Your credit utilization rate
  • Your monthly income/expenses
  • The length of your credit history
  • Your employment history
  • Any recent credit inquiries

Why should you ask for a credit line increase?

A bigger credit line is helpful when you have emergencies, larger purchases, or an increase in expenses.

Getting a higher credit limit improves your credit utilization ratio (the percentage of available credit in use) if you keep your spending the same. Generally speaking, keeping a credit balance that’s a low percentage of your total available credit is considered responsible credit use, and may help your credit score.

Your credit score is important for a variety of reasons. If you want to buy a house or a car, the better your credit score, the more likely you are to land that loan. You may also have a lower interest rate, because the higher your credit score, the less you seem like a risk to the bank.

Employers may also conduct a background check before bringing you on board. An employer may want to understand how you handle credit, especially if your new job will entail handling money or finances.

When should you request a credit line increase?

People have many reasons for requesting a credit line increase. If you travel frequently, you can put flight and hotel purchases on your card to accrue extra miles or cash back rewards. If you have a lot of work expenses for which you're reimbursed, using a credit card will free up your available cash until you’re repaid.

Building a good credit history is partially about showing the credit issuer you can repay your credit card balance on time, every month. If your credit score has increased since you first got a credit card, you may be in a good position to request a credit limit increase.

Credit card companies look for a long history of good repayment behavior. If you have been using your card responsibly and repaying it consistently, you may be in a good position to ask for a higher credit limit.

Each credit card issuer will have a unique set of criteria to review whether to offer a credit line increase. There’s no one action that will guarantee you’ll receive the requested credit line increase (like when applying for a new credit card).

See if you’re pre-approved

Fortunately, if you apply for a credit line increase and don’t receive it, you’ll get a letter from the issuer describing the reason why.

Do you have a student credit card that you’ve been using for at least a year? If you demonstrate an on-time monthly payment history and show that you have extra income (or assets), then you may be able to ask for a credit limit increase. That doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed, but it never hurts to check with your credit card issuer to understand your options.

With a student credit card, once you earn your diploma you can ask your credit card company to graduate your student status to a traditional card, which might help you get an increase on your limit. This allows you to maintain your credit history and makes you eligible for potential limit increases.

If you’re a cardmember with a traditional credit card account, there are other reasons you might easily qualify for a credit increase. Examples include a raise in pay or a new higher-paying job. Having more income signals to the credit card issuer that you’ll be able to maintain your good repayment behavior, even if your spending increases.

Did you know?

Your credit card issuer may have to pull your credit report when they consider a credit increase request. This may result in a hard credit inquiry on your credit report. Hard inquiries can impact your credit score.

How do you ask for a Discover credit line increase?

To reach a customer service rep who can help you request a credit line increase on your Discover Card, call 1-800-DISCOVER. You can always find our number on the back of your card.

If you prefer to manage your credit limit request online, you can select "Card Services" and then "Credit Line Increase" in the online Discover Account Center or "Services" and "Credit Line Increase" in the Discover Mobile App.

When should you avoid asking for a credit line increase?

Reduced income since you got your credit card

If your income has gone down since you got your credit card, it might lower your chances of having a credit limit increase. Your credit card issuer might see a lower income as an indication that you can’t afford as much spending than when you first opened your account.

Your credit score has decreased since you applied for your card

If you missed a credit card payment or were late with a loan, you may have a lower credit score than you did when you first applied for your credit card. It's best to work on improving your score before requesting a credit line increase.

How often can you request a credit line increase?

There's usually no set time to wait after requesting a credit line increase, and every issuer will have its own criteria for how frequently they’ll approve credit line increase requests for those in good standing. If you have a high limit and your credit score has continued to improve, you may get additional credit (but potentially not for months after your last request). After a denial, you'll want to wait longer before submitting an additional credit line increase request and instead focus on good credit habits that can help improve your credit score (such as paying off balances and making all payments on time).

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  • Legal Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.