When will the Discover it Secured Credit Card graduate to unsecured?

It usually takes 12 to 18 months for a secured card to become an unsecured card, if used responsibly. Exactly how long it takes for a secured card to become unsecured depends on the card issuer, how the account is managed, and whether or not the card even has the capability of graduating in the first place.... read full answer

Credit card graduation is when a secured card’s security deposit is returned to the cardholder and the card, in turn, becomes unsecured. Graduation to an unsecured card could occur in as little as 6 months, but it could also take several years. In addition, some secured credit cards won’t graduate no matter how long you have them or how good your account history is. You can always call the card issuer’s customer service line to see if your secured card is eligible for graduation, though.

Secured card issuers may also review your account once or twice a year to evaluate it for automatic graduation. To maximize your chances of automatic secured card graduation, pay on time each month and keep your credit utilization low. But remember: Graduation is never a guarantee.

​There are two ways to get a Discover secured card credit increase: 1) add money to your security deposit or 2) graduate to an unsecured card after consistent on-time payments. But depositing more money is certainly the easier and more immediate way to get a Discover it Secured Credit Card limit increase. You’re unlikely to graduate to an unsecured card (i.e. get your deposit back) for at least 7 months.... read full answer

You can find more info on both options below, starting with the more accessible of the two.

Here’s how to get a Discover it Secured Credit Card credit limit increase:

1. Add to Your Deposit – Discover it Secured Credit Card’s deposit can be as little as $200 or as much as $2,500. And your spending limit will equal whatever you put down. So if you deposited less than $2,500 at the start, adding to you security deposit will result in a credit limit increase. Specifically, your limit will increase by the amount you add.

To deposit additional funds, you’ll need to log in to your Discover account or call Discover customer service at 1-800-347-2683. Bear in mind it’s possible that Discover could deny your deposit if you haven’t been paying on time.

2. Pay On Time for 7+ Months – Starting 7 months into your account, Discover will take a basic look at your credit and payment history. If they like that they see, Discover may choose to graduate you to an unsecured card. If that happens, they’ll return your security deposit and you’ll have an equal or higher unsecured credit limit.

Exactly how high that credit limit will be depends on Discover’s evaluation of your credit. And if a year has gone by and you’ve been consistently paying on time but haven’t been contacted by Discover, there’s no harm in calling them up and inquiring about graduation.

Finally, you can always apply for another card from a different issuer. Your credit line will be separate, but you’ll have a higher amount of total credit.

You cannot ask for a Capital One secured to unsecured graduation, but graduation is definitely possible. The first option when it comes to graduating is the Capital One Platinum, which is a reasonable no-annual fee credit card.

So hang in there, and keep making those payments!