What Age Can You Get a Debit, Credit, or ID Card?
Navigate the age requirements for essential cards like debit, credit, and ID. Understand how age impacts your access to financial tools and identification.
Accessing financial tools and official identification documents often involves specific age requirements. Different types of cards serve distinct purposes, leading to varied age-related stipulations, particularly regarding legal agreements and identity verification.
Age for Debit and Prepaid Cards
Individuals need to be at least 18 years old to open a checking account independently and receive a debit card. This age aligns with the legal age of majority, allowing a person to enter into contracts with financial institutions. A debit card directly deducts funds from a linked checking account.
For those under 18, options exist to access debit cards with parental involvement. Many banks allow individuals as young as 13 to obtain a debit card if a parent or guardian opens a joint checking account on their behalf. Some financial technology companies even offer prepaid debit cards for children as young as six, where parents can load funds and monitor spending. These arrangements enable younger individuals to learn financial management skills under adult supervision, with the parent often retaining primary control over the account.
Prepaid cards have fewer age restrictions compared to traditional debit cards linked to bank accounts. These cards are loaded with funds beforehand and are not connected to a bank account, functioning similarly to a reloadable gift card. While purchasers of prepaid cards need to be at least 18, recipients of some prepaid Visa or Mastercard gift cards can be as young as 13. Some issuers may permit minors to obtain prepaid cards with parental consent, allowing parents to oversee financial activity and set spending limits.
Age for Credit Cards
Obtaining a credit card independently requires individuals to be at least 21 years old. This requirement stems from the Credit CARD Act of 2009, a federal consumer protection law designed to regulate credit card practices. The Act limits credit card issuers from granting new accounts to those under 21 unless specific conditions are met.
Individuals aged 18 to 20 can apply for a credit card if they can demonstrate independent income sufficient to make payments. This income can include pay from a job, assets, or even regular allowances, but it cannot include income from family members or others. Another pathway for those under 21 is to have a co-signer, who must be 21 or older and meet income requirements, though many major issuers no longer allow co-signers.
A common method for younger individuals to gain access to credit is by becoming an authorized user on another person’s credit card account, typically a parent’s. As an authorized user, an individual can use the card for purchases but is not legally responsible for the debt incurred. The minimum age for authorized users varies by issuer, with some allowing individuals as young as 13, while others have no specified minimum age.
This arrangement can help an authorized user begin building a credit history if the primary cardholder manages the account responsibly and the activity is reported to credit bureaus. Secured credit cards, which require a refundable security deposit equal to the credit limit, offer another option for individuals aged 18 and over to build credit, provided they meet income or co-signer requirements.
Age for Official Identification Cards
Official identification cards, such as state ID cards, serve as proof of identity and age, though they do not grant driving privileges. Many states have no minimum age requirement for obtaining a state ID card, meaning they can be issued even to infants. These cards are particularly useful for individuals who do not drive, providing a widely accepted form of photo identification for various purposes.
Driver’s licenses also function as a primary form of identification, in addition to permitting vehicle operation. The minimum age for obtaining a learner’s permit ranges from 14 to 16 years old, depending on the state, with varying requirements for supervised driving. Progression to an intermediate or restricted license occurs around age 16, followed by a full, unrestricted license by age 18. While not financial cards themselves, state IDs and driver’s licenses are required for identity verification when opening bank accounts or applying for financial products, making them an important prerequisite for engaging in many financial transactions.