Chase 5/24 rule
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.
- Applies to
- Almost every Chase card, personal and business
- Where it comes from
- Reported by applicants
- The issuer has never stated this. It is a pattern many applicants have reported, consistent enough to plan around, but not a guarantee.
- Last verified
- September 26, 2026
How it works
- It counts personal cards from every issuer, not only Chase.
- Most business cards don't count toward the 5, because they don't appear on your personal credit report. A few issuers' business cards do report, and those count.
- Cards where you are an authorized user usually count, though applicants report Chase will sometimes set them aside on a call.
- It applies to Chase's business cards too: you need to be under 5/24 to be approved for one, even though it won't count once you have it.
- Chase has never published the rule. It is consistent enough across applicant reports to plan around.
Chase cards these apply to
More Chase rules
How fast you can apply
Two cards in 30 days
Chase usually approves no more than 2 personal cards in any 30 days, and no more than 1 business card in 30 days.
Reported by applicants
Welcome bonus eligibility
The 24-month bonus rule
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.
In the issuer's terms
Welcome bonus eligibility
Sapphire bonus, once per card
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.
In the issuer's termsChanged January 22, 2026
Welcome bonus eligibility
Ink business cards, once per lifetime
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.
In the issuer's terms
Card families
Southwest personal cards
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.
In the issuer's terms
Card families
IHG personal cards
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.
In the issuer's terms







