What the 5/24 Rule Is
The Chase 5/24 rule is a long-standing Chase underwriting policy that automatically denies most Chase card applications once you have opened five or more new credit card accounts in the previous 24 months. It applies across the majority of Chase's consumer cards and is one of the most discussed barriers in the points community.
When you are under 5/24 and ready to pick a product, start with our full travel and airline rewards credit card ranking so the Optimizer Score context sits next to fee and transfer trade-offs.
Chase does not publish the exact rule, but it is widely observed and documented by multiple credit card resources. The policy exists to manage risk on new accounts and can be a surprise for applicants who have been active with other issuers.
What Counts Toward 5/24
Personal credit cards from any issuer count toward your 5/24 total. This includes cards from Chase itself as well as Amex, Capital One, Citi, and others when they appear on your personal credit report.
Most business cards do not report to personal credit bureaus and therefore usually do not count. Some issuers have specific exceptions, so it is worth confirming the reporting behavior for any card you are considering.
How to Check Your Status
To check your status, obtain your credit reports and review the accounts opened section for the past 24 months. Count every new personal credit card account that appears, regardless of issuer.
Free weekly reports are available at AnnualCreditReport.com. Some monitoring services also flag new accounts automatically, which can make ongoing tracking easier.
The Application Order That Works
A common strategy is to prioritize Chase cards while your count is still under five. Once you approach or exceed the limit, shift focus to issuers whose cards are not affected by the rule.
Spacing applications and monitoring your reports helps avoid accidental over-application. Many travelers build their Chase portfolio early in their credit card journey for this reason.
Cards Not Subject to 5/24
Several categories of cards fall outside the 5/24 restriction. Business cards from most major issuers are the most frequently cited examples, along with certain store cards and products from issuers that use different underwriting criteria.
Issuer policies can shift, so the safest approach is to verify current terms directly with the issuer or through recent reports from established credit card sites before applying.
What Actually Counts
Most of the confusion about 5/24 is not about the rule itself but about which cards feed the counter. The counter is built from your personal credit report, which is why the answer is not always intuitive:
| Account type | Counts toward 5/24? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Personal cards, any issuer | Yes | They report to your personal credit file |
| Chase business cards | No | Chase does not report its business cards to personal bureaus |
| Most other business cards | Usually no | Amex, Citi and Capital One generally keep business accounts off personal reports — but Capital One has historically been the exception, so verify rather than assume |
| Cards you were added to as an authorized user | Yes | They appear on your report even though they are not your account |
| Closed accounts | Yes | Closing a card does not remove it from the 24-month window |
| Store and retail cards | Yes | A store card opened at a checkout counter is still a personal card |
The two that catch people are authorized-user accounts and closed cards. Being added to a partner's card as an AU can put you over the line without you ever applying for anything, and closing a card to "clean up" does nothing for 5/24 — the clock runs from when the account was opened, and it keeps running regardless.
The Order You Apply In Matters More Than the Rule
If 5/24 binds you, the sequencing question answers itself: get the Chase cards first. Every other major issuer will still consider you at 6/24 or 8/24; Chase largely will not. Applications you can make later should come later.
A practical ordering for someone starting from zero:
- Chase personal cards first, while you are under the limit — this is the only window in which they are available to you at all.
- Chase business cards next. They do not add to your count, so they are close to free from a 5/24 perspective even though Chase still applies the rule when approving them.
- Everything else afterwards — Amex, Capital One, Citi — because those doors stay open once the Chase one has closed.
Work out where you actually stand before planning any of it. Pull your own credit report and count personal accounts opened in the last 24 months, including authorized-user lines and store cards. That number, not your recollection, is the one Chase is looking at.
And if you are near the limit, spend the slot deliberately rather than on whatever offer arrived in the post. Our welcome-bonus guide works through which bonuses survive their annual fee, and how to choose an airline card covers matching the card to how you actually fly. A slot used on a card you will cancel in a year is the expensive mistake here.
The Bottom Line
The Chase 5/24 rule is manageable once you understand what counts and plan your applications accordingly. Staying under the limit preserves access to Chase's strong lineup of transfer partners and cards.
Track your accounts proactively and apply strategically while you still have room. Many travelers find this single policy change unlocks better long-term results.