Understanding Chase 5/24: The Complete Guide

If you’re serious about maximizing credit card rewards, the Chase 5/24 rule is one of the first and most important concepts you need to understand. This single, unofficial rule can determine whether your Chase application is instantly approved or automatically denied — regardless of your credit score, income, or relationship with Chase.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how the 5/24 rule works, what counts toward the limit, which cards are affected, and — most importantly — how to build a strategic application plan that works around it. Whether you’re brand new to rewards credit cards or a seasoned enthusiast looking for a refresher, this is the definitive resource you need.

How the Chase 5/24 Rule Works

The Chase 5/24 rule is straightforward in concept: if you have opened five or more new personal credit card accounts across all issuers in the past 24 months, Chase will automatically deny your application for most of its credit cards.

Note the critical details in that sentence. The rule does not only look at Chase cards — it counts cards from every issuer, including Amex, Citi, Capital One, Bank of America, and even store cards. Chase pulls your credit report, counts the number of new accounts opened within the trailing 24-month window, and if that number is five or higher, the application is declined.

This is not a formally published policy. Chase has never officially acknowledged the rule by name. Instead, it has been identified and confirmed through thousands of community data points. Denied applicants consistently report the same pattern: too many new accounts in the past two years. The community calls it “5/24” because you need to be at 4/24 or below (four or fewer new accounts) to be approved.

Being at exactly 5/24 means you have five new accounts and will be denied. You must be at 4/24 or lower to have a chance at approval.

For a deeper look at how our eligibility engine evaluates this rule and others, visit the How It Works page.

What Counts Toward Your 5/24 Total

Understanding exactly which accounts add to your 5/24 count is essential. Here is what Chase considers:

• Personal credit cards from any issuer — This includes Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One, Bank of America, Discover, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Barclays, and any other bank. If it shows up on your personal credit report as a new account within 24 months, it counts.
• Authorized user cards — If someone added you as an authorized user on their credit card, that account may appear on your credit report and count toward 5/24. The good news is that if you are denied because of an authorized user account, you can call Chase’s reconsideration line, explain the situation, and they will typically remove the AU account from your 5/24 count and reconsider your application.
• Store cards that report to credit bureaus — Many retail store cards (issued by Synchrony, Comenity, TD Bank, etc.) report to the major bureaus as new tradelines. A Target RedCard, a Macy’s card, or an Apple Card all count if they appear on your report.
• Some business cards — Business cards from Capital One and Discover report to personal credit bureaus and therefore count toward 5/24. (See the next section for more detail.)

What Does NOT Count Toward 5/24

Equally important is knowing which accounts are excluded from the calculation:

• Business cards from most major issuers — Chase business cards (Ink series), Amex business cards, Citi business cards, Barclays business cards, and US Bank business cards generally do not report to personal credit bureaus and therefore do not count toward 5/24. This is a key strategic advantage.
• Corporate or employer-issued cards — Cards provided by your employer for business expenses are not personal accounts and do not count.
• Credit limit increases — Requesting or receiving a credit limit increase on an existing card does not create a new account and does not affect your 5/24 count.
• Product changes (upgrades/downgrades) — Changing a card to a different product within the same issuer (for example, downgrading a Sapphire Reserve to a Freedom Flex) does not open a new account. It retains the original account’s opening date.
• Charge cards (historically) — In the past, Amex charge cards (like the Platinum or Gold) did not always count. However, as of recent years, Amex reports charge cards as new tradelines, so they typically do count now. Always verify with your credit report.

Quick Reference: Counts vs. Does Not Count

Which Chase Cards Are Subject to 5/24

Most Chase cards fall under the 5/24 restriction. If you want any of these cards, you must be under 5/24 when you apply:

Personal Cards

• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Freedom Flex
• Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Chase Freedom Rise
• United Explorer Card
• United Quest Card
• United Club Infinite Card
• United Gateway Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority
• World of Hyatt Credit Card
• IHG One Rewards Premier
• IHG One Rewards Traveler
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold
• Chase Aeroplan Card
• British Airways Visa Signature

Business Cards (Also Subject to 5/24)

Although business cards from Chase don’t count toward your 5/24 number, many Chase business cards still require you to be under 5/24 to be approved:

• Ink Business Preferred
• Ink Business Cash
• Ink Business Unlimited
• Southwest Performance Business
• Southwest Premier Business
• United Business Card
• United Club Business Card
• IHG One Rewards Premier Business

Which Chase Cards Are NOT Subject to 5/24

A small number of Chase cards have historically been available to applicants who are over 5/24. This list is fluid and changes over time, so always verify with recent data points before relying on these exceptions:

• Select in-branch pre-approved offers — In rare cases, Chase has extended pre-approved offers in branches that bypass 5/24 for certain co-branded cards. These offers are not guaranteed and have become less common.
• Chase Amazon Prime Visa (sometimes) — There have been mixed data points about the Amazon Prime Visa card. Some applicants over 5/24 have been approved, particularly through targeted offers on Amazon’s website. However, this is not consistent.
• Ritz-Carlton card (discontinued) — The old Ritz-Carlton card was known to bypass 5/24, but this card has been discontinued and replaced by Marriott Bonvoy products.

The safest approach is to assume all Chase cards require you to be under 5/24. Exceptions are rare, unreliable, and change without notice.

Strategies for Managing Your 5/24 Count

The 5/24 rule doesn’t have to be a roadblock. With proper planning, you can work within the constraint and still build a powerful card portfolio. Here are the most effective strategies:

1. Prioritize Chase Cards First

This is the golden rule of credit card strategy. Since Chase is the only major issuer with a strict cap on recent account openings, you should apply for Chase cards before turning to other issuers. Cards from Amex, Citi, Capital One, and others will still be available to you after you’ve used your Chase slots.

A typical “Chase-first” plan might look like this: start with a Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, then add a co-branded card like the World of Hyatt or United Explorer, and use remaining slots for Ink Business Preferred (which doesn’t count toward 5/24 but still requires you to be under it). Then, once you’re at or near 5/24, switch to Amex, Citi, and other issuers.

2. Use Business Cards Strategically

Business cards from Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclays, and US Bank do not count toward your 5/24 number. This means you can open business cards between personal card applications without increasing your count. If you have a legitimate business — even a small sole proprietorship or freelance side project — business cards are a powerful way to earn sign-up bonuses while preserving your 5/24 slots for personal cards.

3. Downgrade Instead of Opening New Cards

If you already have a Chase card and want a different product in the same family, consider a product change (downgrade or upgrade) rather than opening a new account. For example, you can downgrade a Sapphire Reserve to a Freedom Flex or Freedom Unlimited. This does not create a new account and does not affect your 5/24 count.

4. Time Your Applications Around the 24-Month Window

Each card drops off your 5/24 count 24 months after its opening date. If you’re currently at 5/24 or higher, you can simply wait for older cards to “fall off” and then apply for Chase cards once you’re back under the limit. Use our eligibility checker to see exactly when your 5/24 count will drop and which Chase cards you’ll become eligible for.

5. Understand the Modified Double Dip (Now Much Harder)

In the past, applicants could submit two Chase applications on the same day — known as the “modified double dip” — to get approved for two cards when at 4/24. The idea was that the second application would be processed before the first card appeared on your credit report. However, Chase has significantly tightened its systems, and this technique is now much less reliable. We do not recommend relying on it as a strategy.

6. Respect the 2/30 Velocity Rule

Independent of 5/24, Chase also limits you to two new Chase card approvals within any rolling 30-day period (commonly called the “2/30 rule”). Even if you’re well under 5/24, applying for a third Chase card within 30 days of two recent approvals will likely result in a denial. Space your Chase applications at least a month apart.

For more details on velocity rules across issuers, see our Velocity Rules Guide.

How to Check Your 5/24 Count

Knowing your current 5/24 status before applying is critical. Here is how to check:

1. Pull your credit reports. You can get free reports from all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) at AnnualCreditReport.com. Chase most commonly pulls Experian, but this varies by state.
2. Count new accounts opened in the last 24 months. Look for any account with an opening date within the past two years. Include personal credit cards, store cards, and any authorized user accounts.
3. Exclude business cards that don’t report. If you have business cards from Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclays, or US Bank, they should not appear on your personal report. If they do not appear, they do not count.
4. Note authorized user accounts. Mark any accounts where you are an authorized user, not the primary cardholder. These will count initially, but you can request removal during reconsideration if denied.
5. Use our eligibility tool. Enter your wallet into our setup wizard and we will automatically calculate your 5/24 count and show which Chase cards you are eligible for.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced card enthusiasts make errors with 5/24. Here are the most common pitfalls:

• Opening non-Chase cards first. This is the number one mistake for beginners. If you open an Amex Gold, a Capital One Venture X, and a Citi Premier before any Chase cards, you’ve already used three of your five 5/24 slots on cards that have no such restriction. Always evaluate whether you want any Chase cards before applying elsewhere.
• Forgetting about authorized user accounts. Many people were added as authorized users on a parent’s or spouse’s card years ago and forgot about it. If that account was opened within the last 24 months, it counts. Check your credit report carefully.
• Applying without checking your count. It takes only a few minutes to pull your credit report and count your accounts. Applying blind can result in a wasted hard inquiry and a denial that stays on your report for two years.
• Assuming closed cards don’t count. Closing a card does not remove it from your 5/24 count. The account was still opened within the 24-month window. It will only fall off after 24 months from the original opening date.
• Not spacing out Chase applications. Even if you are at 0/24, applying for three Chase cards in a single week will likely trigger denials due to the 2/30 velocity rule and may also raise red flags with Chase’s internal risk assessment.
• Ignoring the Sapphire one-card rule. Chase only allows you to hold one Sapphire product at a time, and you cannot earn a Sapphire sign-up bonus if you received one in the past 48 months. This is separate from 5/24 but often overlaps in planning. See the How It Works page for details.