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What Do You Need to Apply for a Credit Card?

5 min read

Last Updated: May 17, 2024

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

Before filling out a credit card application, know the requirements and gather the personal information you’ll need.
Certain factors increase the chances of an approved credit card application.
If you don’t meet the requirements for approval, there are options that might help you build your credit history.

To apply for a credit card, you must submit personal and financial information to the credit card issuer. It’s easy to apply for a credit card—most lenders let you complete applications online. Whether you get approval depends on your past credit history, income, and other eligibility factors.

Applying for multiple cards could hurt your credit score, as credit card issuers typically use a hard credit check to determine your eligibility. Pre-qualification tools could show you whether you’re likely to qualify for a credit card offer—without a hard credit inquiry.

See If You're Pre-Approved

Requirements to get a credit card

In the United States, you can apply for your own credit card as soon as you turn eighteen. But if you’re under twenty-one, you must show the credit card issuer that you have your own source of income that doesn’t include the income or assets of anyone else.

There are a few exceptions to the income rule if you’re younger than twenty-one. For example, you may be able to include income regularly deposited into your account, including a joint account. Do you live in a community property state? If so, you may be able to include the income and assets of your spouse or domestic partner. The nine community property states include: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

If you already have good credit, you may have access to a wider variety of credit card options, such as unsecured cards. That’s because unsecured credit cards typically have credit score requirements. On the other hand, secured and student credit cards may be more accessible because they tend to have less stringent requirements.

For example, secured credit cards and student credit cards have terms and conditions to help cardmembers build a credit history with responsible use in a low-risk environment. This includes lower credit limits, intro APR promotions, balance transfer offers, and access to credit scores. Credit issuers for both types of cards will report your card activity to credit bureaus. That's why a secured card or a student credit card can help to build your credit history.

Information to submit on your credit card application

When applying for a credit card, you’ll need to fill out personal information that credit card companies use to check your creditworthiness, which may include:

Full name
Social Security number (though an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number sometimes works, too)
Birth date
Address (and how long you’ve lived there)
Annual income
Current employer (and how long you’ve worked there)

You may also want to include an email address, so your card issuer can contact you.

A credit card company may ask for information on other financial assets and instruments you have access to, like if you have a savings account.

Card issuers may also want to know whether you own or rent your home and the monthly mortgage or rent payment amount.

What makes your credit card application more likely to get approved?

You may boost your chances of approval if you have excellent credit or even a good credit score. Good credit also makes you more likely to qualify for a lower interest rate. Plus, you could be eligible for a rewards card or a credit account with other perks that you can use to earn rewards for eligible purchases.

How do you know if your score makes the cut?

What makes a positive impact on your credit score? Some factors include having a history of paying your bills on time, paying off your credit card balance in full, and carrying little or no credit card debt(keeping a low credit utilization ratio).

You’re more likely to get credit card approval if you have enough income. If you’re a current cardmember, keep in mind that a high debt-to-income ratio might suggest to lenders that you don’t earn enough to pay off your credit card balance.

If you don’t yet have a credit score, keep your eye out for options that don’t require a credit history, like the secured credit card or student credit card options mentioned above.

It's good to remember that if factors stand in the way of credit approval, you can correct issues before applying for a new card. For example, if you have a bad credit score due to an error on your credit report, you can submit a dispute in writing to the appropriate credit bureau.

Can you get a credit card if you don’t meet the requirements?

If you don’t meet all the requirements for a traditional, unsecured credit card, credit card issuers may offer you options with a higher interest rate and lower credit limit. Though, there’s also a chance you could still receive a denial. What are your options after that?

Consider becoming an authorized user on someone else’s account to build your credit history. This would give you access to the primary cardmember’s line of credit, and their account becomes a part of your credit history. As long as the primary cardmember makes on-time payments each month and the credit card is used responsibly, you will build your credit history.

There are also a few other routes toward building a credit history.

Student credit cards

If you’re in college, a student credit card could be the right credit card to begin with. A student card is great for building credit history since it's designed for students and their unique financial circumstances.

Did you know?

The Discover it^® Student Cash Back card lets you earn rewards on every purchase. And the Discover it^® Student Chrome card lets you earn 2% cash back on gas stations and restaurants on up to $1000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically.²

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Discover cards also let you sign up for reminders to pay on time and other helpful alerts to avoid missing payments and other common credit card mistakes.

Secured credit cards

Another credit card for building credit history is a secured credit card. This requires you to put down a security deposit at account opening, which then (usually) becomes the value of your monthly credit limit.

Remember that this is an actual credit card, so the account activity will be reported to any or all of the three credit bureaus and can impact your credit score.

Late or missed payments can hurt you as much as responsible use can help you. And if you don’t pay off your credit card balance when you close the account, your lender could keep some or all of your deposit.

Many secured cards provide few perks. The Discover it^® Secured Credit card has no annual fee, and you can get a dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.³ You can apply online for this card but aren't guaranteed approval.

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