Which Credit Cards Waive Annual Fees for the Military?

Credit cards often come with annual fees, particularly for premium cards offering extensive benefits. These fees contribute to issuer revenue and help cover rewards programs. However, many credit card companies offer policies to waive these annual fees for active-duty military members. This allows servicemembers to access valuable card benefits without the yearly cost.

Understanding Fee Waivers for Military Members

Credit card companies often waive annual fees for military members, aligning with federal protections designed to support servicemembers and their families. Two primary pieces of legislation, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and the Military Lending Act (MLA), underpin these financial protections. The SCRA primarily addresses financial obligations incurred before active duty, while the MLA extends protections to credit products obtained while on active duty.

The SCRA, a federal law, caps interest rates on pre-service debts, including credit cards, at 6%. It also offers safeguards like protection from default judgments and certain repossessions. While the SCRA does not explicitly mandate annual fee waivers, many issuers voluntarily extend such waivers to relieve financial burdens. The MLA, implemented by the Department of Defense, protects active-duty servicemembers and their dependents from predatory lending practices. It sets a maximum Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR) of 36% on certain credit products, including credit cards, opened while on active duty. This MAPR calculation often leads issuers to waive annual fees, as these fees are included in the MAPR.

Credit Cards with Noted Fee Waiver Policies

Several major credit card issuers waive annual fees for active-duty military personnel, often allowing access to premium cards. These policies generally cover a wide range of personal credit card products.

American Express is widely recognized for waiving annual fees on its personal credit cards, including options like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card. This policy extends to co-branded cards, such as the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, allowing military members to enjoy luxury travel and hotel benefits without the typical annual cost.

Chase also provides annual fee waivers for active-duty military members and their spouses on all personal credit cards. This includes popular cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, enabling access to valuable travel rewards and benefits. Many co-branded cards are also covered under this policy, allowing servicemembers to earn rewards with airline and hotel partners.

Citi waives annual fees on its personal credit cards for active-duty military personnel and their spouses, which can include cards like the Citi Premier Card and Citi Prestige Card. Capital One offers SCRA benefits, including no fees and reduced interest rates, but typically waives annual fees under SCRA only if the account was opened before active duty. Bank of America waives annual fees for military servicemembers, often under the Military Lending Act. U.S. Bank waives annual fees for active-duty military and spouses under both SCRA and MLA, covering cards such as the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve.

Qualifying for Fee Waivers

Eligibility for credit card annual fee waivers generally centers on a servicemember’s active-duty status, with protections extending to various components of the armed forces. Active-duty members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard typically qualify. This also includes National Guard and Reserve members when they are on active orders for 30 days or more.

Benefits also extend to spouses and dependents of eligible active-duty servicemembers, ensuring families can benefit from financial protections. The determination of “active duty” often aligns with federal definitions, such as Title 10 orders for regular forces or Title 32 orders for National Guard members when activated for federal service.

These waivers are primarily for active-duty personnel. Veterans or retired military members generally do not qualify, as the intent of the SCRA and MLA is to provide relief during active service. Eligibility is typically verified against Department of Defense databases, such as the MLA database, which lists covered borrowers.

Activating and Maintaining Fee Waivers

To activate an annual fee waiver, servicemembers typically inform their credit card issuer of their active-duty military status. The most common method involves contacting customer service directly, often through a dedicated military benefits line or secure online message. Some issuers offer online forms for submitting military status.

Issuers often require specific documentation to verify eligibility. This may include official active duty orders, a Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), or military identification. Having these documents readily available can expedite the verification process. For accounts opened while on active duty, many issuers automatically apply Military Lending Act benefits once status is verified through the Department of Defense database, often requiring no additional cardholder action.

Once activated, servicemembers should receive confirmation from the issuer, typically within a few weeks. It is advisable to review monthly statements to ensure the annual fee is not charged. Maintaining the waiver generally requires continued active-duty status. If military status changes, such as upon separation or retirement, the fee waiver may cease, and the annual fee could be reinstated. Some issuers may provide a grace period after active duty ends before fees are re-applied.