What Is the Chase 5/24 Credit Card Rule?
Understand Chase's internal 5/24 policy, an important factor that considers your recent card openings from all banks when reviewing your application.
The Chase 5/24 rule is an unwritten policy the bank uses to evaluate credit card applications. The core principle is that Chase will most likely deny an application for one of its credit cards if you have opened five or more new personal credit card accounts within the last 24 months. This rule applies regardless of the card issuer, meaning accounts from any bank can contribute to your total. The policy is believed to be a measure to manage risk and prevent the abuse of rewards programs.
Calculating Your 5/24 Status
To determine your 5/24 status, you must review your personal credit history. The calculation uses a rolling 24-month look-back period from your application date. For example, if you apply for a card on June 15, 2025, you must count all new credit card accounts opened since June 15, 2023.
The count includes any new personal credit card account on your credit report, including cards from issuers like American Express, Citi, and Capital One. Being added as an authorized user on another person’s card will also appear on your report and be included in the initial count. Store credit cards that can be used anywhere are also counted against your limit.
Conversely, several types of financing are excluded from the 5/24 calculation. Most installment loans, including mortgages, auto loans, and student loans, do not count toward the five-card limit. The most significant exclusion is that most business credit cards do not count because they do not report to an individual’s personal credit bureaus, though notable exceptions exist for cards from issuers like Discover and some from Capital One.
The most direct way to determine your status is to obtain a copy of your personal credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you have your report, manually count the number of new credit card accounts with an “open date” within the last 24 months. This manual tally is the most accurate way to know your standing before applying.
Chase Cards Subject to the Rule
The 5/24 rule has broad implications, affecting both personal and business credit cards. An applicant must be under the five-card limit to be approved, meaning having opened four or fewer cards in the past 24 months is the target. The policy is applied to nearly all of Chase’s proprietary and co-branded personal credit cards.
Among the personal cards subject to the rule are those in the Chase Sapphire and Chase Freedom families. This includes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Chase Freedom Flex, and Chase Freedom Unlimited. The rule extends to most of Chase’s co-branded airline and hotel cards as well.
A point of confusion involves business credit cards. While most business cards from other banks do not add to your 5/24 count, Chase applies the rule when you apply for its own business cards. You must be under the 5/24 limit to be approved for cards like the Ink Business Preferred or Ink Business Cash. However, once approved, the new Chase business card itself will not add to your 5/24 total because Chase does not report its business cards to personal credit bureaus.
Exceptions and Special Circumstances
While the 5/24 rule is applied consistently, it may be bypassed through a targeted offer. These are pre-selected offers sent by mail or found within the “Just for You” section of a Chase online account. These offers sometimes contain language indicating the recipient is already approved and can bypass the standard 5/24 check.
Another potential exception can be found by visiting a physical Chase branch. Bankers can check for in-branch pre-approval offers, which are different from online targeted offers. If a solid pre-approval is found in the branch’s system, it has been known to override the 5/24 rule upon application.
Historically, certain Chase co-branded credit cards have been reported as being exempt from the rule. Cards associated with partners like Amazon, Hyatt, and IHG have sometimes fallen into this category. However, these exceptions are not official and are subject to change at any time without notice, making them risky to rely on.
If an application is denied due to a perceived miscalculation of your 5/24 status, you can contact the Chase reconsideration line. This line is for correcting factual errors, not for appealing a correct decision. For instance, if an authorized user account was included, you can explain you are not the primary debtor, and an analyst may agree to exclude it from their calculation.