It used to be easier to sign up for travel cards. When you hear stories from just a few years ago, they can seem unbelievable today. That’s because the banks figured out what many of us were up to: signing up for a bunch of cards to get the signup bonuses, then canceling or downgrading before we’d ever really become profitable customers. FREE POINTS!
As you could imagine, the banks didn’t like that very much. Over time, they added more and more rules on new card applications. These rules vary by bank and they change constantly.
One of the first restrictions people hear about is Chase’s “5/24 rule.” At face value, it sounds simple, but I still see constant questions online where people get tripped up by the details. What counts? What doesn’t? Why’d I get denied?
Below, I’ll review some of the most misunderstood parts of the 5/24 rule, explain what it means to you, and whether you should care.
Background
Chase’s 5/24 rule first surfaced around 2015 when people started getting denied for popular cards like the Sapphire Preferred and Freedom. Over time, the points & miles community pieced together (through data points and crowdsourcing) that Chase was often denying applicants who had opened too many new credit card accounts recently. The shorthand became “5/24”: five (or more) new credit card accounts opened in the past 24 months.
Here’s the key thing that still confuses people: it’s an “unofficial” policy. Chase doesn’t consistently publish it in a nice, neat place. But it absolutely shows up in real-world approvals/denials, and it affects a huge chunk of Chase’s card lineup.
Eight Misunderstandings About 5/24
1) “I’ve only applied for one Chase card. Why was I denied?”
Because Chase doesn’t just count Chase cards. Your “5” can include cards from other banks, too—basically anything that shows up on your personal credit report as a newly opened credit card account. Also, note that 5/24 is about accounts you opened, not how many applications you submitted.
2) “What’s the deal with business cards?”
This is one of the most important nuances:
- Many business cards do NOT report to your personal credit report (so they usually won’t add to your 5/24 count).
- Some business cards DO report to your personal credit report (and those can add to your 5/24 count).
That’s why business cards can be such a powerful tool for earning signup bonuses without filling up your 5/24 slots—as long as you pick issuers/cards that don’t report ongoing account activity to your personal credit file.
(And yes, you generally need a legitimate business—even a small side hustle can count. Here’s how to prove you’re a real business.)
3) “I was denied a Chase business card because I was over 5/24. I thought business cards don’t count!”
Two things can both be true:
- Most business cards won’t increase your 5/24 count (because they don’t show up on your personal credit report as a new account).
- Chase can still use your personal 5/24 status when deciding whether to approve you—even for a business card.
So yes: being “over 5/24” can block you from Chase business cards, even though (if approved) that business card likely wouldn’t add to your 5/24 total.
4) “What personal cards count toward 5/24?”
The safest rule of thumb is:
If it’s a personal card and it appears on your personal credit report as a new credit card account opened within the last 24 months, assume Chase will count it.
That generally includes:
- Personal credit cards
- Personal charge cards
- Many retail/store cards (even if they’re “store-only”)
Even this one, which I’d apply for just because… if it didn’t count to 5/24 and if I were eligible for it.
Also, closing a card doesn’t make it disappear from 5/24 if it was opened in the last 24 months. Closed cards can still count.
On the other hand, a product change (upgrade/downgrade) usually does not create a new account, so it usually doesn’t add to your 5/24 count (you’re changing an existing account, not opening a new one).
5) “I’m an authorized user on an account. Does that count to 5/24?”
Here’s the annoying reality: authorized user (AU) accounts can show up on your credit report, and when Chase’s system is doing an automated count, those AU accounts can push you “over 5/24.”
What can you do?
- If possible, remove yourself as an AU before applying and then work on getting that tradeline removed from your credit report.
- If you get denied, call reconsideration and explain that you’re only an authorized user on that account and you’re not financially responsible for it.
(And yes, this is one of the reasons I hate adding authorized users to accounts.)
6) “What counts as 24 months? The date I applied? My first bill?”
In practice, 5/24 is generally based on the account opening date that appears on your credit report.
Because different systems and bureaus can update at different times, people still report edge cases where the timing is weird. If you’re trying to apply the moment you think you’re “under,” you’re playing with fire.
If it were me, I’d wait until you’re comfortably past the 24-month mark (and ideally you’ve confirmed your count using your credit report) rather than trying to squeeze it in at the earliest possible moment. But I’m willing to play the long game.
7) “I’ve read a bunch of ways to get around 5/24 online. Do they work?”
Usually? No.
Over the years, people have chased loopholes and “workarounds,” and Chase has shut down many of them. There are still reports that certain “Just for you” / pre-selected offers (including some in-branch situations) can sometimes bypass 5/24—but those exceptions are inconsistent and can change at any time.
If you’re making a plan, I’d plan as if you cannot bypass 5/24, and treat any “bypass” story as a lucky bonus rather than a strategy.
8) “I’m at 7/24, 9/24, LOL/24. Should I try to get under 5/24?”
It depends.
If you’re close—and you have a strong reason to want Chase cards—waiting can make sense. A classic example is if you want to combine Chase personal + business cards for something like a Southwest Companion Pass strategy (when that’s aligned with the current rules/bonuses).
It also makes sense to wait if you’re already pausing applications for another reason (like prepping for a mortgage).
But if you’re massively over 5/24 and it would take forever to get back under, then waiting may not be worth it. You probably already know there are plenty of good cards from other banks. Focus there, keep earning, and come back to Chase when the clock naturally resets.
Final Thought
On the surface, 5/24 seems like an easy concept to understand. In reality, it gets messy because it’s an unofficial policy, and the fine print lives in the real world: credit reports, authorized user quirks, and which cards actually report as new accounts.
I hope this helps clear up some of the most common questions about Chase’s 5/24 rule. Feel free to leave any additional questions (or data points) in the comments.
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