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Every bank’s application rules

Banks limit how many cards you can open, and how fast. Most never publish these limits, so here’s what people who applied have reported, bank by bank.

Updated Oct 15, 2026

Each rule below is a pattern people have seen in their own approvals and denials. They’re labeled by how consistently they hold up:

  • Firm rule holds almost every time.
  • Soft rule usually holds, with exceptions.
  • Less reliable is a tendency, not a cutoff.

“2/90” means 2 cards in 90 days, “1/8” means 1 application in 8 days, and so on. Unless a rule says otherwise, it only counts cards from that bank.

American Express

2/90 Firm rule

No more than two new Amex credit cards in a 90-day span. Charge cards such as Platinum, Gold and Green are left out of the count. A third credit card application within 90 days is usually turned down.

5 credit cards Firm rule

You can usually have up to 5 Amex credit cards open at the same time. Charge cards are separate. With 5 open, new Amex credit cards get declined. Closing or downgrading one frees a spot.

1/5 Soft rule

One new Amex credit card every 5 days at most. A second application within 5 days usually sits in pending until the 5 days are up.

Chase

5/24 Firm rule

Chase usually declines you if you’ve opened 5 or more personal cards from any bank in the last 24 months. This applies to almost every Chase card, personal and business. How 5/24 works

2/30 Soft rule

Usually no more than 2 new personal Chase cards in 30 days. A third application within 30 days is usually declined, and you still take the hard pull.

business 1/30 Soft rule

Usually just one new Chase business card in 30 days. A second business application within 30 days is usually declined.

Citi

1/8 Firm rule

Only one Citi application every 8 days, counting personal and business cards together. Applying again within 8 days gets declined. Citi counts declined applications too, and this app can’t see those.

2/65 Firm rule

At most two Citi applications in any 65-day stretch. A third application within 65 days gets declined, and declined applications count.

business 1/95 Soft rule

Roughly one Citi business card application every 90 to 95 days. Another business application inside that window gets declined.

Capital One

1/6 mo Soft rule

Capital One tends to approve one new Capital One card, personal or business, every 6 months. Capital One has no published 2/24 rule; this is the closest consistent pattern. Applying sooner often ends in a denial for too many recent Capital One accounts. Recent cards at other banks can also hurt your odds.

2 personal cards Less reliable

Capital One used to cap people at 2 of its own personal cards. Many people now have more. A third personal Capital One card may be declined.

Bank of America

2/2 Firm rule

The first part of Bank of America’s 2/3/4 rule: no more than 2 new BofA personal cards in 2 months. A third BofA personal card within 2 months gets declined.

3/12 Firm rule

The second part of 2/3/4: no more than 3 new BofA personal cards in 12 months. A fourth within 12 months gets declined.

4/24 Firm rule

The third part of 2/3/4: no more than 4 new BofA personal cards in 24 months. A fifth within 24 months gets declined.

3/12 any bank Less reliable

If you don’t bank with BofA, 3 or more new cards from any bank in 12 months can get you declined (about 7 if you do). A BofA personal card may be declined.

Barclays

6/24 Less reliable

Barclays may turn you down if you’ve opened about 6 or more cards at any bank in the last 24 months. Too many recent accounts can lead to a denial, though it isn’t a hard cutoff.

1/6 mo Less reliable

Barclays usually approves about one new personal card every 6 months. Your odds of a denial go up inside that window.

Cardless

1/60 Soft rule

Cardless, which issues Bilt, Qatar, Avianca and other co-brand cards, wants 60 days between approvals. Applying within 60 days gets declined.

Discover

2 cards Soft rule

Two Discover cards at most. A third Discover card gets declined.

1/12 mo Soft rule

Your first Discover card needs to be 12 months old before Discover approves a second one. A second Discover card within 12 months gets declined.

U.S. Bank

5/12 Less reliable

U.S. Bank may decline you with roughly 5 or more new cards from any bank in the past 12 months. A U.S. Bank personal card may be declined.

Wells Fargo

1/4 mo Soft rule

Wells Fargo may turn down a new personal card if you opened one with them in the past 4 months. A new Wells Fargo personal card may be declined.

Check your limits before you apply. Premium IC (free) counts all of these from the cards and approval dates you add, and flags any bank you’re at the limit with.

Banks don’t publish most of these rules and can change them at any time. A bank can also decline for reasons that have nothing to do with them, like income or credit history.