How Many Authorized Users Can I Add

When opening a new credit card, you'll oftentimes be asked if you want to add any authorized users to your account. Adding an authorized user can exist a way to earn additional rewards or help a trusted friend or family member ameliorate their credit, particularly if they've been denied credit before.

Yet, adding an authorized user comes with risks. Yous should be sure you trust anyone who y'all add together to your account equally an authorized user — yous are ultimately liable for whatever purchases they brand with their card.

What is an authorized user on a credit card?

An authorized user is someone that y'all add together to your account who is allowed to brand purchases on your account.

Existence a joint cardholder and a cosigner are other means that you can share account access with someone, merely they differ from calculation an authorized user in a few key areas:

When you add together an authorized user, yous, equally the main cardholder, are solely responsible for the debt, while both parties are responsible for the debt in the other cases.
On the plus side, you can remove an authorized user from an account at any fourth dimension, which you can't practise as a joint cardholder or a cosigner.
Also, while the other cases require a credit check, you lot can avert a credit bank check completely when you add an authorized user.

Authorized user vs. joint credit card vs. cosigner

	Authorized user	Joint cardholder	Cosigner
Who is responsible for the debt?	Main cardholder	Both cardholders	Both the principal borrower and the cosigner
Credit cheque required?	No	Yes, for both cardholders	Yep, for both the primary borrower and the cosigner
Tin can you remove the user?	Yes, at any time	Not without the lender'southward permission	Non without the lender's permission

Does beingness an authorized user build credit?

Being an authorized user can potentially build credit, especially for teenagers or young adults who may not have had many opportunities to show responsible credit usage.

Without any history to become off, many lenders volition non corroborate credit applications. An authorized user account gives lenders a credit history to go off of. This can open boosted opportunities for accessing credit and lower involvement rates.

Note, your credit carte issuer must report the business relationship to the credit bureaus, and lenders must apply a credit scoring system that incorporates authorized user accounts. At that place are a multitude of credit scores employed past different lenders, and some scores may not include authorized-user activity in determining your creditworthiness.

Furthermore, an authorized user volition almost benefit from an business relationship with a long history of timely payments. On the other hand, an business relationship with a lot of missed payments could actually negatively impact your score. If that happens, you can contact the credit bureaus. Some credit bureaus, like Experian, will remove delinquent authorized user accounts from your credit report, since y'all are non legally responsible for the debt. Experian also reports that they generally do not include negative payment history on an authorized user's business relationship, but other credit bureaus may include this data.

Which credit card companies report authorized users?

Most of the biggest credit card issuers in the The states report additional users to all three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

In most cases, you lot'll need to provide the authorized user's date of birth and Social Security number (SSN) for the credit bureaus to update their file. American Express, Banking concern of America and Discover, for example, crave this data in social club to add an authorized user. Chase, on the other manus, doesn't require an SSN to add an authorized user (though a date of birth is required).

How much can existence an authorized user help your credit?

Being an authorized user on the credit card of a responsible user tin can make a large bear on on your credit score. This is particularly true if you are a immature developed who doesn't have many other entries in your credit report.

Should you add your child to your credit card to build credit?

Well-nigh issuers will allow you to add a child so long equally they are at least thirteen years former. In fact, there is no restriction on who y'all can add together every bit a user — even if that person is below the age of 18. There are currently no regulations requiring that the authorized user be a family member, even if they are a pocket-size.

There are clear fiscal benefits to your child if you add them as an authorized user. As long as the bill of fare issuer reports these users to one of the three credit bureaus, then adding your child to your credit carte account volition make it announced on their credit file. Also, you should only add children to accounts with practiced payment histories — an account with a lot of tardily payments on record could negatively affect your child's score (for credit bureaus that include that information in their credit report).

Normally, immature adults need to use for student credit cards or credit cards for users with no credit. Past adding the child to your account, a score will be generated for them, helping them qualify for better cards likewise equally making their loan terms more favorable. For instance, having a high can authorize your child for a lower APR and higher rewards.

Adding an authorized user to a credit bill of fare

The process to add an authorized user to a credit card varies past bill of fare issuer. For most issuers, y'all will go to the account management department to add an authorized user. You'll enter in the user's data and a card will be sent out.

Here are step-by-step instructions for how to add together an authorized user to an The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express.

First, y'all go to the Business relationship Services menu afterward yous have logged into your online account. So choose Manage Other Users and Add together Someone to Your Business relationship.

From the Add Someone to Your Account screen, you will enter in your authorized users' information — you can add upwardly to four users for this bill of fare.

Enter in each authorized user'southward name and information. For American Express, a Social Security number is required and authorized users must be 13 years or older.

One time yous submit the class, the authorized user carte du jour(s) will be sent to the home address of the master business relationship holder.

How many authorized users can exist on a credit menu?

The number of authorized users that tin be added on a credit card varies by issuer and bill of fare. For case, American Express allows 4 authorized users to exist added to the American Limited Everyday Preferred card. Chase allows up to 99 authorized users on an account for its business organization cards.

If no Social Security number is linked to an authorized user, the bank may not send over payment data to the credit bureaus.

Tin can y'all add together an authorized user without a Social Security number?

Whether you can add an authorized user without a Social Security number (SSN) varies by issuer. American Express requires yous to enter in a user's SSN and appointment of nascence. You lot don't have to enter it when you set upwardly an authorized user account with American Express, but you need to provide it within 60 days or the authorized user account will be canceled. Chase only requires the authorized user's starting time and concluding proper noun, an email address and phone number.

Do authorized users get their ain carte?

Yes, authorized users do get their own credit menu. Sometimes information technology volition have the same credit carte number and expiration date every bit the primary account holder'due south, while other times each authorized user volition take a different number.

Keep in listen that depending on why you're adding authorized users to your account, you lot don't have to actually give the carte du jour to the authorized user. This is especially useful if you are adding one of your minor children as an authorized user.

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What can an authorized user do with your credit card?

An authorized user tin can brand purchases on your credit carte account. In some cases, they tin likewise redeem rewards associated with the account. Many issuers, like American Limited, allow you lot to configure what kind of access the authorized user has, or ready spending limits for particular users. Depending on your relationship with the authorized user, you lot might want to allow them to just view the account, make transactions, redeem rewards or even have full control of the business relationship.

Can an authorized user take over a credit carte du jour account?

Every bit the master account holder, y'all are in control of and legally responsible for your credit card account. Any admission that an authorized user has comes from permissions that yous as the primary account holder grant. And then while an authorized user may be able to make transactions and redeem rewards on the business relationship, they tin can never take over the account and remove you as the primary account holder.

Tin can an authorized user redeem rewards?

Some issuers allow authorized users to both earn and redeem credit card rewards. The specifics will differ from issuer to issuer. For example, American Express allows you to set up an authorized user every bit a Rewards Manager, which lets them redeem Membership Rewards points on the business relationship. This adds to the list of liabilities that come with adding a person to your account. You lot should be comfortable with your authorized user having access to it at all times.

Some carte issuers, such as American Express, let you lot to set specific permissions for your authorized user. If your issuer supports that, make sure those permissions are set up in a way that you are comfortable with.

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Pros and cons of authorized users

There are both risks and benefits to adding an authorized user to your credit card account. Adding a trusted friend or family unit to your account equally an authorized user can help them build credit, just it too may crusade conflict if clear expectations are not set. You can employ purchases made past an authorized user to assist you encounter an bonny welcome offer with a high spending threshold, just remember that you are responsible for any purchases made by your authorized users.

Pros

You tin can aid trusted friends and family build credit
It can help yous meet a spending threshold to receive an initial welcome offer
You tin go on a rarely used card active

Cons

You lot are legally responsible for purchases fabricated by an authorized user
Some cards charge an additional fee for adding an authorized user
It may cause conflict in the relationship if things go poorly

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Volition adding an authorized user hurt my credit?

The primary account holder is responsible for all the purchases made by the authorized user. If the person added to the credit card account racks up a ton of credit card debt, it could touch on the main account holder'southward credit score in two means:

Their total credit utilization will go up.
Any charges that are paid late or not paid at all go on the main business relationship holder's credit history — non that of the authorized user.

Aside from this, adding an authorized user volition not have other effects on your credit score. Your credit history won't even specifically note that an authorized user was present on your account. In fact, if you are merely trying to boost your authorized user'due south credit score, you should consider not giving them a card to minimize the risk to your credit score.

Authorized users and travel rewards cards

Another reason to consider adding an authorized user: Many travel rewards cards permit authorized users to take function in some of the perks and rewards of having the card.

The Platinum Carte^® from American Express charges $175 for up to three authorized user cards. With that fee, authorized users tin and then admission the post-obit benefits (among a plethora of others):

American Express Centurion lounges
Priority Pass™ Select membership ($429 value, enrollment required)
Marriott Gilded condition, which includes benefits like free upgrades and 2 p.m. checkout (enrollment required)
Hilton Gold condition, which includes benefits like complimentary upgrades and complimentary breakfast (enrollment required)
Upward to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit
Terms apply

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card^® from American Limited, please click here.

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With that fee, authorized users can so access the following benefits (among a plethora of others):\u003C\/p\u003E\n\northward\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ReactComponent--root\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"js-react-component-rendered js-react-component-AffiliateBanner\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateBanner\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv course=\"AffiliateBanner--root AffiliateBanner--marshal-default AffiliateBanner--context-credit-bill of fare\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"AffiliateBanner--inner\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"AffiliateBanner--wrapper\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"AffiliateBanner--image\"\u003E\u003Ca class=\"Link--root AffiliateBanner--image-link \" href=\"\/credit-cards\/redirect\/54?url=_authorized-users-and-credit-cards-benefits-risks\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"The Platinum Bill of fare<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> from American Express\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"The Platinum Card<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> from American Express\" class=\"Image--root lazyload\" 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rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"Rates And Fees\"\u003ESee Rates & Fees.\u003C\/a\u003E Terms Apply. \u003C\/bridge\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer--item\"\u003EOn American Express' Secure Website \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\north \u003Cscript blazon=\"application\/json\" form=\"js-react-component\" data-component-proper name=\"AffiliateBanner\"\u003E{\"marshal\":\"\",\"buttonColor\":\"primary\",\"buttonIcon\":\"lock\",\"buttonText\":\"Apply At present\",\"category\":\"creditcards\",\"className\":\"AffiliateBanner--context-credit-carte\",\"context\":\" in context: Banner\",\"cssNamespace\":\"AffiliateBanner\",\"disclaimers\":[\"\\u003Ca class=\\\"\\\" href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.americanexpress.com\\\/us\\\/credit-cards\\\/carte-application\\\/use\\\/prospect\\\/terms\\\/platinum-carte\\\/26129-10-0#offer-terms\\\" rel=\\\"nofollow\\\" title=\\\"Rates And Fees\\\"\\u003ESee Rates & Fees.\\u003C\\\/a\\u003E Terms 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Authorized user FAQs

How exercise you remove an authorized user from a credit card?

Typically, you remove an authorized user from a credit bill of fare in the same way that you add an authorized user. For Amex, once you log on to your online account, you can go to the account management department; in that location, you can add and remove whatsoever authorized users. Chase suggests that you call the 1-800 number on the back of your card.

What credit cards allow authorized users?

Almost credit cards allow you to add authorized users to your business relationship. Some credit cards let yous to add authorized users without any boosted fees, while others accuse a fee to add an authorized user.

Is an authorized user liable for credit carte du jour debt?

An authorized user is considered a secondary user and is not liable for whatsoever balances on the credit carte du jour. The primary cardholder is legally responsible for all purchases fabricated by whatsoever users of the business relationship.

Does removing an authorized user hurt their credit score?

It is possible that removing an authorized user can hurt their credit score, especially if they oasis't built up much credit history. Credit score calculations are made up of several different factors, the length of credit history. Removing an authorized user from an account that has been open up for a long fourth dimension can subtract their average age of accounts, decreasing their credit score. If the business relationship has a good payment history, they may likewise lose that record of timely payments on their credit report (for credit bureaus that report payment history on authorized user accounts) — another major factor in credit scoring.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Bill of fare^® from American Express, please click here.

The information related to The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Bill of fare from American Express has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this carte prior to publication. Terms apply to American Express credit bill of fare offers. See americanexpress.com for more data.