Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
Our Credit Cards Expert
Fact Checked Ashley Maready Writer and EditorAshley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.
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It's normal to feel a little nervous when you apply for a credit card. A credit card application may not be a life-or-death situation, but there's always the frustrating possibility it won't be approved. It can be especially nerve-wracking if you're applying for your first credit card or you've recently had an application denied.
Although you can't guarantee success, you can make it much more likely. Here's your step-by-step guide on how to get approved for a credit card.
Your credit score plays a significant role in the credit cards you can get. Every credit card is aimed at a certain range of credit scores. These ranges are usually referred to as bad credit, fair credit, good credit, and excellent credit.
To know which cards you qualify for, you need to check your credit. You can do this for free with an online credit score tool, such as Experian CreditWorks℠ Basic. These tools show you which range your credit score falls into and the factors contributing to your current score.
If your credit score is lower than expected, review your full credit report for any errors that could be affecting it. You're legally entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three consumer credit bureaus, which are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Picking the right credit card is the most important part of getting your application approved. If you don't have good credit yet or you don't have any credit history, then the best credit cards will be out of reach for now and it'd be a waste of time to apply for one.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
On Wells Fargo's Secure Website .
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Intro: Circle with letter I in it.
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Regular: 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
On Wells Fargo's Secure Website .
On Discover's Secure Website .
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Intro:
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
On Discover's Secure Website .
On Bank of America's Secure Website .
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars. 4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Intro: Circle with letter I in it.
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
On Bank of America's Secure Website .
So how can you figure out your credit card options? Here are a few tips:
Here are the top options for all the different credit score ranges:
If you're new to credit, it could be easier to get a credit card with your own bank. Since you have a history there, it may be more willing to issue you a card. Here are a couple other types of credit cards that are good when you're new to credit:
Several credit card companies have tools you can use to see if you prequalify for any of their cards. While a prequalification isn't a guaranteed approval, it does mean you have a good shot at getting that card.
Here's how to check this:
If you have debt, especially credit card debt, try to pay it down before applying for a credit card. While debt isn't a dealbreaker, a large amount can make credit card companies think twice about approving your application. There are two factors, in particular, they consider:
Once you're ready to apply for a credit card, the simplest option is to apply online. You'll see an "Apply Now" option on the credit card's webpage. Click on that to start the application.
Be prepared to provide the following information:
Your income is important, as card issuers use this to determine whether to approve your application and how much of a credit line to give you. Consumers who are 21 and older can list any income they have a reasonable expectation of being able to access.
At this point, you've done all the hard work. Double check everything on the credit card application, and once you're satisfied, submit it.
The application will process, and you'll get one of these responses:
It may surprise you, but it's possible to overturn a credit card denial. Call the card issuer and ask the representative if they can give your application another look. There's most likely a phone number listed either in your denial letter or email you can use. If not, the card issuer's standard customer service number also works.
Find out why your application was denied in the first place and explain to the representative why you'd be a good cardholder. For example, you could point out your strong payment history on other credit cards and loans.
You can even call the card issuer multiple times if necessary. I've had success this way when the first representative wouldn't help me. Remember, you only need one person to say yes and overturn that denial for you.
Choosing a credit cardDon't you wish you could take a peek inside a credit card expert's wallet sometimes? Just to see the cards they carry? Well, you can't look in anybody's wallet, but you can check out our experts' favorite credit cards. Get started here:
To choose a credit card, you need to figure out which cards you qualify for and which features you want. Your credit score has the biggest impact on the credit cards you can get. Good to excellent credit means you practically have your pick of the top-rated credit cards. If your credit score is lower or you haven't established a credit history yet, then you'll have fewer options. In that case, you should look at credit cards for bad or average credit, secured credit cards, and student credit cards if you're in college. After you've figured out your options, you can narrow them down based on their features. That could mean rewards or 0% intro APR offers if you're checking out the best credit cards, or no annual fee and free credit score tracking if you're looking at cards to build your credit.
If your credit card application is denied, call the card issuer and ask them to reconsider your application. Make sure to mention any points in your favor, such as always paying on time (if that's true). It can also help to address the denial reasons, which will be in the denial letter that the card issuer mailed you. Let's say you already have a credit card with this card issuer, and it doesn't want to offer you any more credit. You could suggest that it lowers the credit limit on your existing card with the issuer by a certain amount, and then use that amount as the new card's credit limit.
