How Old Do You Have to Be to Get a Credit Card?

You should get a credit card when you're 18 years old, which is when you can legally apply for one on your own. If you're younger, you should ask a parent to make you an authorized user on one of their credit cards so you can start to build credit. While some issuers have their own age requirements, there is no legal minimum age to become an authorized user. Credit cards are an effective tool for building...

You can get credit cards for kids by making them authorized users on your credit card account. A child legally cannot get their own independent credit card account until they turn 18 years old, but making your child an authorized user on your credit card can help them get a head start on building their credit history. Some credit card companies have minimum age limits for authorized users, but most credit card companies do not.

When a primary cardholder pays...

The only way to get a credit card when you're under 18 years old is to become an authorized user on an adult's credit card account. You cannot get your own credit card account until you turn 18 and you're able to demonstrate enough independent income to make monthly bill payments.

However, being an authorized user will help you build credit in the meantime, as long as the primary accountholder pay the bills by the due date.

You can get a credit card at 17 as an authorized user, but you have to be at least 18 years old to open a credit card account in your own name. When you turn 18 years old, you'll also need to show that you have your own independent income in order to qualify for your first credit card account. In the meantime, you can begin to build credit as an authorized user, and you can always...

A 16 year old can build credit by becoming an authorized user on an adult's credit card account. You cannot get your own credit card account until you turn 18 and you are able to demonstrate enough independent income to make monthly bill payments. But being an authorized user will help you build credit in the meantime, as long as the primary accountholder pay the bills by the due date.

How to Build Credit as an...

You can get a credit card at 15 as an authorized user, but you have to be at least 18 years old to open a credit card account in your own name. When you turn 18 years old, you'll also need to show that you have your own independent income in order to qualify for your first credit card account. In the meantime, you can begin to build credit as an authorized user, and you can always...