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2026 Guide to the Chase 5/24 Rule: What It Is + What Counts

Given Chase's credit card rewards program, you might want to apply for multiple options. Understanding the 5/24 rule, including what counts toward the unofficial limit and what doesn't, can help increase your chances of being approved for the products you want.

Chase building
Lauren Graves
Steve Miller
By Lauren Graves , Edited by Steve Miller
Updated April 22, 2026
Fact check checkmark icon Fact checked

If you've hung around the credit card rewards space for a while, you likely know that Chase Ultimate Rewards is top-notch. And maybe you've heard of the, dare we say infamous, Chase 5/24 rule.

The rule applies to all new card accounts opened in the past 24 months, not just Chase cards, and could influence whether or not you're approved for a new Chase credit card. Learn how the 5/24 rule works, what it applies to, and how to check your "5/24 number."

What is the Chase 5/24 rule?

The Chase 5/24 rule states that if you've signed up for five new accounts in the past 24 months, your chances of being approved for a Chase credit card now could be slim to none. Basically, it prevents you from opening too many new cards.

The Chase 5/24 rule is not an official rule you can find on Chase's website, but its existence has been well-established by card applicants and credit card experts. Over the years, this rule has proven as real as the applicants denied because of it.

Although you can try to find ways around the 5/24 rule, like applying for a Chase card in your local bank branch where you've been pre-approved, it definitely becomes harder to get another Chase card once you've met the five-card limit.

The 5/24 rule matters because if you apply for a new Chase card without knowing where you stand, you could be denied for exceeding your 5/24 limit. You can check your Chase 5/24 number by pulling your credit report from one of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion) and counting the accounts you've opened within the past 24 months.

Editor's note
Of course, factors other than the 5/24 rule determine whether your application is approved, including your credit score, income, and credit utilization ratio.

Credit cards subject to the Chase 5/24 rule

According to crowdsourced data from the travel rewards community, nearly all Chase credit cards are subject to the 5/24 rule.

Cards that can count against you under this rule include:

Chase counts all new accounts on your report, not just Chase accounts. It's also probably why a lot of the advice you'll come across encourages you to prioritize signing up for Chase credit cards first, if you're interested in them.

As an example, say you've been approved for two Bank of America credit cards, one Discover credit card, and two American Express cards within 24 months. Based on how Chase defines a new account, you would likely be denied if you applied for a Chase card (affected by this rule) because you would be over 5/24.

Editor's note
New accounts are reported to all three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax), so it doesn't matter where Chase pulls your credit report from.

Personal Chase credit cards that count

All information about Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card has been collected independently by FinanceBuzz.

Chase business credit cards that count

Cards not subject to the Chase 5/24 rule

If you're over 5/24 and looking for a way to get around this rule to open up a new Chase credit card, you're in luck. Here are a few widely accepted exemptions.

  • Denied credit card applications: Only applications that are accepted count toward your total of five in 24 months.
  • Authorized users: If you're an authorized user, you could be able to score an exception by calling Chase directly.
  • Certain business cards: Capital One and Discover business cards are reported on your personal credit report. Others typically don't count toward your 5/24 limit.
  • "Selected For You" offers: If you receive special offers by mail or email, you may be able to bypass the 5/24 rule. But crowdsourced data suggests this doesn't always work.
  • In-branch offers: You may be able to get approval for a new card that would put you over the 5/24 limit if you're visiting a physical Chase branch or submit a paper credit card application.
  • In-branch BRM paper offers: If you work with a Business Relationship Manager to submit an application for a business credit card, you may be able to get approved despite the 5/24 rule.

Warning
There are no guarantees that any of these exemptions will work, but it could be worth a try.

How to check your 5/24 number

Just because the 5/24 rule is unofficial doesn't mean it has to be a mystery. You can find your 5/24 number for free in just a few minutes using a credit monitoring service — like Credit Karma, the Experian app, or Chase Credit Journey.

  • Step 1: Log in to your preferred credit monitoring platform (or create a free account if you don't have one).
  • Step 2: Navigate to your full credit report and locate your accounts list.
  • Step 3: Starting with open accounts, click into each credit card account to find its open date. Count every account opened in the last two years.
  • Step 4: Repeat Step 3 for any closed accounts. Closed accounts opened in the last two years count toward your 5/24 number, too.
  • Step 5: Add your open and closed account totals together. This is your Chase 5/24 number.

Credit reports - Chase

Accounts - Chase

Do business cards count toward the Chase 5/24 rule?

If your business credit card doesn't show up on your personal credit report, it won't count toward Chase's 5/24 rule.

Most business cards are not listed on your personal credit report, with a few exceptions, such as cards from Capital One and Discover. That means when Chase checks your credit, it won't see any business cards not listed on your report. And, if they don't see them, Chase can't count them against you when checking to see how many cards you've applied for over the past two years.

Chase also doesn't count its own business credit cards against the 5/24 rule. So you could apply for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card or Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, for instance, without impacting your magic number.

But there's a weird quirk to be aware of. Although Chase business credit cards don't count in determining whether you've opened five cards in the past 24 months, the 5/24 rule still restricts you if you want to apply for them. So, for example, if you wanted to open an Ink Business Cash Credit Card, you'd likely be denied for it if your personal credit history shows you've opened five cards over the past two years.

Example of how the Chase 5/24 works

Still confused about how the 5/24 rule could affect you? Let's consider how it works in practice.

Say you've applied for five credit cards in the past two years: Citi Double Cash® Card, Discover it® Cash Back, Chase Freedom Card, Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, and Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards credit card. That's 5/24.

But one of those cards, the Bank of America card, is a business card that typically doesn't report to personal credit, so it won't count against you. So really, you have one slot available, and you're 4/24. So here's what could happen next:

  • If you apply for a personal card from Chase and for a business card from another issuer that doesn't report on your personal credit, it doesn't matter which of these two cards you apply for first. The business card won't show up on your credit history, so you could qualify for the Chase personal card.
  • If you want to apply for a Chase business card and a Chase personal card, you'd need to apply for the business card first. It wouldn't count against you in 5/24, so you could then go ahead and sign up for the personal card.
  • If you plan to apply for a Chase personal card and apply for a business credit card that reports on your personal credit history, such as a Capital One card, you should apply for the card from Chase first. Otherwise, your business card would be your fifth card, and the 5/24 rule would prevent you from getting approved for either a Chase personal or business card.

When was the Chase 5/24 rule created?

Curious how we got here?

Back in 2015, reports began surfacing that Chase credit card applications were being automatically denied if applicants had five or more new credit card accounts opened over a 24-month period. It seemed to affect only cards that participated in the Ultimate Rewards Program. And while some reported success despite being over the rumored "magic" number, most applicants over 5/24 were denied.

Again, it was unofficial, but rumors were swirling.

In May 2016, new requirements made it pretty clear that the rule had expanded to include some, but not all, co-branded Chase cards and business credit cards.

Then, in November 2018, new stories began to surface of applicants being denied for most, if not all, co-branded Chase cards that were previously regarded as exempt. While a denial doesn't necessarily mean you have too many credit cards, it seems that Chase frowns on too many new credit applications within a certain time frame (24 months).

FAQs

How do I know if I'm under 5/24?

The best way to know for sure is to review your credit report.

Otherwise, do some simple math. You might not remember precisely when you last opened a new credit card account, but you can check. Count back 24 months from today, then look at the date you opened each of your credit card accounts (even closed ones).

Will closing an account help if I'm over Chase 5/24?

No, closing an account won't bring your number down. The Chase 5/24 rule refers to new credit accounts opened in the past 24 months, and it counts both active and closed.

What is the contact information for the Chase reconsideration line?

For personal cards: 1-888-270-2127

For business cards: 1-800-453-9719

For business cards in particular, it's best to wait until after you receive a letter of explanation from Chase before calling the reconsideration line for business cards.

What is the Chase 1/30 rule?

The 1/30 rule is short for "1 card every 30 days," meaning your chances of being approved for a Chase business card are slim to none if you've applied for any card in the last 30 days. It's smart to avoid applying for new credit cards too frequently anyway, though, and twice in a month isn't recommended.

What is the Chase 2/30 rule?

The Chase 2/30 rule is a guideline for spacing out your applications. Your chances of being approved are slim to none if you've applied for two personal cards (or one business card) in the last 30 days.

Does Chase count store cards toward the 5/24 rule?

>It depends. If a store credit card can be used outside that specific store, Chase will count it toward 5/24 limits (since it uses a payment network like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express). Otherwise, it probably won't be counted.

Does Chase count charge cards toward the 5/24 rule?

Yes, Chase counts charge cards affiliated with banks toward the 5/24 rule.

If I'm over 5/24 and none of these exemptions are applicable to me, what can I do?

1) Wait until your accounts have been opened for longer than 24 months, or 2) apply for a card that isn't affected by 5/24 (see list above).

Bottom line

If you plan to open a new Chase credit card, and you should consider it, as the issuer has a lot of great cards on offer, you need to limit yourself. If you frequently open new credit cards, you may be forced to wait.

Remember that if you've opened five or more new credit accounts in the past 24 months, Chase is pretty strict about denying new applications. Waiting until you're under the Chase 5/24 rule could increase your chances of being approved for a new card. Plus, it's a good idea to go easy on new credit card applications, anyway, for the sake of your credit and budget.

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