Card application rules, issuer by issuer

The 5/24 ruleReported by applicants

Chase will usually decline you for a new card if you have opened 5 or more personal credit cards, with any bank, in the last 24 months.

Two cards in 30 daysReported by applicants

Chase usually approves no more than 2 personal cards in any 30 days, and no more than 1 business card in 30 days.

The 24-month bonus ruleIn the issuer's terms

On most Chase cards you can earn the welcome bonus only if you don't have that card now and haven't received its bonus in the last 24 months.

Sapphire bonus, once per cardIn the issuer's terms

You can earn the welcome bonus on each Sapphire card once, as long as you have never earned that card's bonus before. Holding the other Sapphire card no longer stops you.

Ink business cards, once per lifetimeIn the issuer's terms

The Ink Business Preferred bonus is once per lifetime, and the no-annual-fee Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Unlimited share one lifetime bonus between them.

Southwest personal cardsIn the issuer's terms

You can't earn the bonus on a personal Southwest card if you have any personal Southwest card now, or received a personal Southwest card bonus in the last 24 months.

IHG personal cardsIn the issuer's terms

You can't earn the bonus on a personal IHG card if you received a bonus on any personal IHG card in the last 24 months, and you can't hold two of the same IHG card.

Welcome offer once per lifetimeIn the issuer's terms

American Express generally pays a card's welcome offer once per lifetime: if you have had that card before, you most likely won't get its offer again.

Green, Gold and Platinum familyIn the issuer's terms

Having a more expensive Membership Rewards card blocks the welcome offer on a cheaper one: the Platinum blocks the Gold, and the Gold or Platinum blocks the Green. To earn all three, apply Green, then Gold, then Platinum.

Delta SkyMiles familyIn the issuer's terms

On the personal Delta SkyMiles cards, you can only earn a welcome offer on a card more expensive than any Delta card you have or have had.

One card every 5 daysReported by applicants

American Express usually approves no more than one credit card every 5 days.

Two cards in 90 daysReported by applicants

American Express usually approves no more than two credit cards in any 90 days.

Five credit cards at onceReported by applicants

American Express usually lets you hold up to 5 of its credit cards at one time. Charge cards sit outside that limit.

Marriott Bonvoy cards across Amex and ChaseIn the issuer's terms

Marriott Bonvoy cards are issued by both American Express and Chase, and each card's terms can block its bonus if you recently opened, or recently earned a bonus on, a Marriott card from either bank.

One card in 8 days, two in 65Reported by applicants

Citi usually approves no more than one card every 8 days, and no more than two in any 65 days.

48 months between bonusesIn the issuer's terms

On most Citi cards you can earn a card's welcome bonus again once 48 months have passed since you last received it.

Strata cards, once per lifetimeIn the issuer's terms

Citi's Strata cards now pay their welcome bonus once per lifetime: the bonus isn't available if you have or have ever had that Strata card.

Venture family, 48 monthsIn the issuer's terms

The Venture cards share a 48-month rule that only lets you move up: no Venture X bonus within 48 months of a Venture X bonus, no Venture bonus within 48 months of a Venture or Venture X bonus, and no VentureOne bonus within 48 months of any of the three.

48 months on the same cardIn the issuer's terms

On Capital One's personal cards you can't earn a card's welcome bonus if you received a bonus on that same card in the last 48 months.

One card every 6 monthsReported by applicants

Capital One usually won't approve a new personal card within about 6 months of approving your last one.

The 2/3/4 ruleReported by applicants

Bank of America usually approves at most 2 of its cards in 2 months, 3 in 12 months and 4 in 24 months.

The 7/12 and 3/12 rulesReported by applicants

Bank of America usually declines applicants who opened 7 or more cards with any bank in the last 12 months, or 3 or more if they don't bank with Bank of America.

24 months on the same cardReported by applicants

Bank of America usually won't pay a card's bonus again within 24 months of the last one on that card.

One card every 6 monthsIn the issuer's terms

Wells Fargo may decline a new card if you opened a Wells Fargo card in the last 6 months, and pays welcome bonuses at least 6 months apart across its cards.

48 months on the same cardIn the issuer's terms

You may not get a Wells Fargo card's bonus if you have that card or opened it in the last 48 months.

The 6/24 ruleReported by applicants

Barclays may decline you if you have opened 6 or more cards, with any bank, in the last 24 months, though it applies this unevenly.

24 months, and the card closedIn the issuer's terms

To earn a Barclays card's bonus a second time, it must be more than 24 months since the last bonus on that card, and the card must be closed.

Sensitive to new accountsReported by applicants

U.S. Bank is reported to decline applicants with many recent new accounts, around 5 or more in 12 months, and to favour people who already bank with it.

A year between cards, two at mostReported by applicants

Discover usually wants your first Discover card open for at least 12 months before approving a second, and holds most people to two cards.

One card per program, one every 60 daysReported by applicants

Cardless, which issues co-branded cards through First Electronic Bank, is reported to allow one card per rewards program at a time and about one new card every 60 days.