What does overlimit fee mean?

Your credit card company may allow you to exceed your credit limit without warning, but that does not mean that they might not assess you a fee for going over your credit limit.

For consumer and student credit cards, you must first tell your credit card company that you want it to allow transactions that will take you over your credit limit. Otherwise, if a transaction would take you over your limit, it may be turned down. If you do not opt-in to over-the-limit transactions and your credit card company allows one to go through, it cannot charge you an over-the-limit fee.

For small business credit cards, if you spend over your credit limit, you will usually get an over-the-limit fee. You do not have the option to opt-in like you do with general consumer credit cards.

It is important to track your spending wisely so that you do not exceed your credit limit. If you do that and you have a general consumer or student credit card, we recommend that you do not opt-in to over-the-limit transactions.

If you have received an overlimit fee or you are concerned that you might receive one, you should call your credit card company and ask them if they can restrict your credit card from going over the limit. Most major credit card companies allow you to do that, which is a great way for minimizing the risk of getting an overlimit fee.