What is the minimum credit score for a store credit card?

Some of the best instant approval department store cards include those from big-name retailers like TJX Store Card, Kohl's Credit Card and Amazon.com Store Card. Aside from potentially offering instant approval, they also offer rewards at the retailers they're affiliated with.

Most store cards, including the ones affiliated with department stores, can offer instant approval. When you apply online, there’s always a chance you will be instantly approved (or denied). Many stores also allow customers to apply in-store and receive a decision right away. Sometimes, the retailer will even let the new cardholder use the card immediately to pay for that day’s purchase. The cashier at your favorite retailer should be able to give you more information.... read full answer

Best instant approval department store credit cards:

Most department store cards require fair credit or better (a credit score of 640+) for good odds of approval. In case you don’t know where you stand, you can check your credit score or free, right here on WalletHub.

There are loads more department store credit cards to check out. But while it’s common to receive an instant decision for a store card, it’s not guaranteed. Your application might take longer to process if you’re right on the edge of meeting the card’s requirements, or if you make a mistake and accidentally give incorrect information on the application.

The most common way to get pre-approved store cards is to receive an offer by mail or while shopping with a retailer online. One of the best pre-approved store card is the Kohl's Credit Card because you can easily check for pre-approval online. The Kohl's Credit Card has a $0 annual fee, gives a 35% discount on your first purchase, and earns you 7.5% in Rewards on every qualifying purchase made at Kohl as long as you ... read full answerenroll. Cardmembers also get special promotional events from time to time and account anniversary offers. Kohl's Credit Card usually requires at least fair credit for approval, which is standard for a store credit card. But the fact that you can initiate a pre-approval check on the Kohl's website is rare, as most store cards require you to shop and wait for a pop-up about pre-approval.

Some of the biggest issuers of store cards, like Synchrony, Comenity and TD Bank, don't let you check for pre-approval without shopping. But other major issuers, such as American Express and Capital One, do offer online pre-approval check tools, the results of which may include store cards. When you are unable to check for pre-approval directly, the best way to find pre-approved store cards is to shop on stores' websites. Signing up for a retailer's loyalty rewards program may also increase your chances of receiving a pre-approval offer while shopping online.

Most store cards require fair credit or better, so if you qualify, you shouldn't worry about pre-approval. You can simply apply for the store credit card of your choice as you'll have good odds of approval. Just know that applications trigger hard pulls of your credit which can temporarily lower your credit score, so make sure you know where you stand before applying. You can check your credit score for free, right here on WalletHub.