The Chase 5/24 Rule — How to Work Around It Without Wasting Slots
Every card application decision for the next 2 years should be made with 5/24 in mind.
What 5/24 Actually Means
Chase will not approve most of its cards if you have opened 5 or more personal credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months. Business cards from most issuers don't count toward 5/24 (Chase business cards do count against your limit, but don't count toward it). Authorized user accounts typically do count.
Why Chase Cards Should Come First
Chase has the strictest rules but the best transferable points currency (Ultimate Rewards). Amex, Citi, and Capital One will approve you regardless of how many cards you have. Chase will not. Therefore: get all the Chase cards you want while under 5/24, then freely apply for cards from other issuers.
What Counts Toward 5/24
Personal cards from any bank, including store cards. Authorized user accounts on other people's cards. What does NOT count: business cards from Amex, Citi, Capital One, Chase (opening them doesn't add to your count, though Chase bizz cards do block approval if you're at 5/24).
How Long a Card Stays on Your 5/24 Count
Cards fall off your 5/24 count exactly 24 months after the opening date, not the closing date. Track opening dates precisely. A card opened July 15, 2024 leaves your count on August 1, 2026 (next statement cycle after the date).
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts toward Chase's 5/24 rule?
Personal credit cards opened from any bank in the past 24 months, including store cards, plus authorized user accounts on other people's cards. Business cards from Amex, Citi, and Capital One generally don't count toward your total.
Do Chase business cards count toward 5/24?
Chase business cards don't add to your 5/24 count, but Chase will still decline to approve them (or any Chase card) if you're already at or above 5/24 from other issuers' cards.
When does a card fall off your 5/24 count?
Exactly 24 months after the account's opening date, not the closing date — track opening dates precisely, since a card opened July 15, 2024 leaves your count on the next statement cycle after August 1, 2026.
In what order should I apply for cards if I'm under 5/24?
Prioritize the Chase cards you want first (personal cards like Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, then Ink Business Cash and Ink Business Preferred), since Chase is the strictest issuer. Apply for Amex, Citi, and Capital One cards afterward, since they don't enforce a similar limit.