Chase Rule: The Essential Guide for Credit Card Applicants

Running into a mysterious 'rule' whenever you try to get a new Chase credit card? You’re not alone. The Chase rule, especially the famous 5/24 rule, has blocked a ton of people from snagging rewards cards—even folks with great credit.

Here’s the reality: Chase doesn’t officially post this rule anywhere, so if you’ve never heard about it, that’s on purpose. The Chase 5/24 rule means you’ll be automatically denied new Chase cards if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards (from any bank, not just Chase) in the last 24 months. Sounds strict, right? But knowing how it works could actually help you score the card you want instead of getting that frustrating denial letter.

• What Is the Chase Rule?
• How the 5/24 Rule Works
• Other Important Chase Rules You Need to Know
• Common Myths and Misunderstandings
• How to Check Your Status and Plan Your Applications
• Tips for Success: Navigating Chase’s Approval Process

What Is the Chase Rule?

If you’re hunting for a new Chase credit card, you can’t ignore the Chase rule. It’s actually not one rule, but a nickname for a set of policies Chase uses when you apply for any of their credit cards. The most famous is the 5/24 rule—basically, if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards in the past 24 months (no matter the bank), Chase will almost always say no to your application.

There’s a reason Chase created these rules: they’re trying to stop people from signing up just for the bonuses and then canceling cards (what some call "churning"). Chase also wants customers who will actually use their cards for purchases over the long haul. So, even if your credit score is spotless and your income looks good, the 5/24 rule can still block you.

To be clear, Chase doesn’t publish this rule anywhere official—it’s all based on years of real cardholder experiences and reports. When you apply, Chase pulls your credit report. If they see more than five new personal cards in two years, you get declined, no questions asked. Business cards from most banks (except Capital One and Discover) generally don’t count toward the five, but personal cards from nearly any issuer do.

What throws people is that not all rules work the same for every card or situation. But for most of Chase’s best cards—think Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Freedom Flex, and Ink series—this is the deal-breaker. Even authorized user cards can count against you, though some reps can remove them if you call and ask.

The bottom line: before applying for any new Chase card, you need to know where you stand on the 5/24 rule, or you could waste a hard inquiry on your credit for nothing. It’s the number one reason people get denied by Chase, no matter how strong their application looks.

How the 5/24 Rule Works

Alright, here’s the nitty-gritty. The Chase 5/24 rule is simple but sneaky. It means that if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards in the last 24 months—no matter which bank gave you the card—you’re almost always going to get denied for a new Chase credit card. That counts for every Chase rule applicant, whether you’re after the Sapphire Preferred, Freedom Unlimited, or any other personal card.

The rule started rolling out quietly around 2015, and it’s confirmed by people’s real experiences, even though Chase won’t put it in writing. The idea? It helps Chase lock in loyal customers instead of people who just grab a card for the bonus and move on.

What gets counted? Personal credit card accounts are included, even if the card is closed now as long as you opened it within the last two years. Adding yourself as an authorized user on someone else’s card? Chase will usually count that, but you might get it removed if you call and explain you’re not responsible for it. Business credit cards (from most banks, including Chase itself!) don’t count—as long as you use your company’s real tax ID and not your Social Security number only.

• If you’ve opened five cards, you’ll need to wait until the oldest drops off the 24-month window before you apply.
• Card upgrades or product changes with the same account number don’t count as a new card.
• Store cards can be tricky—only the ones with a Visa or MasterCard logo count toward 5/24.

Wondering how many cards you’ve opened? Either check your credit report for the date each account was opened, or use free tracking tools (like Credit Karma) to save time. Just don’t forget, Chase's system updates in real time, so timing matters. If you’re right at five cards, wait for your oldest one to hit 25+ months before applying. That’s how people finally sneak through.

Other Important Chase Rules You Need to Know

The 5/24 rule might get all the attention, but Chase has a few more secret moves you need to know—or risk wasting a hard credit pull for nothing.

First, let’s talk about '2/30.' Chase usually won’t approve more than two of their personal credit cards in a rolling 30-day period. Got excited and applied for three last week? Chances are, the third one’s getting rejected. For business credit cards, it’s even tighter. Some folks hit a wall after just one approval every 30 days.

Next up, there’s the '24-month rule' for sign-up bonuses. If you’ve had the same Chase card before and got a bonus, you generally need to wait 24 months after you last received a bonus (and closed the card) before you get another one for the same product. For Sapphire cards (Preferred and Reserve), Chase is even more strict with a 48-month cooldown.

And don’t overlook the 'one Sapphire rule.' You can only hold one Sapphire-branded Chase card—so no doubling up on a Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve at once. If you want to switch between them, you’ll need to downgrade or cancel one, then apply for the other.

Here’s a quick rundown of these less-publicized Chase rules:

• 2/30 Rule: Max of two personal Chase cards approved per 30 days.
• No Double Sapphires: Only one Sapphire-branded card at a time.
• Signing Bonus Wait: 24 months between sign-up bonuses for the same card, 48 months for Sapphires.
• Infrequent Business Card Approvals: Usually only one every 30 days.

Confused about all the numbers and time frames? Here’s a simple cheat sheet:

Keeping these rules in mind will save you stress—and maybe even your credit score. When you’re planning your next Chase card, space out your applications and don’t get greedy with bonuses. Play by these rules, and you’re way more likely to get that approval email.

Common Myths and Misunderstandings

If you’ve Googled about Chase cards, you’ve probably come across a bunch of rumors and half-truths. The Chase rule is famously murky, so it’s no wonder people get tripped up. Let’s clear up the confusion with facts instead of guesses.

• Myth: Only Chase cards count toward 5/24. Nope. It doesn’t matter if you opened cards with Amex, Citi, or your small local credit union. Any personal credit card that shows up on your credit report in the last 24 months counts toward your 'five.'
• Myth: Business credit cards count for 5/24. Most business cards from major banks like Chase, Amex, and Citi don’t usually get reported on your personal credit file, so they don’t add to your 5/24 count. But be careful—certain banks like Discover and Capital One report business cards, so those can push you over the limit.
• Myth: Authorized user cards don’t matter. Bad news: If you’re an authorized user on someone else’s account, Chase will often count that card against your 5/24 tally, even if you’re not responsible for the payments. Sometimes, calling reconsideration and telling them you’re just an authorized user helps, but no guarantees.
• Myth: 5/24 resets in January every year. Totally false. The clock is rolling. Cards 'fall off' your 24-month window exactly two years after the date you opened them—not the start of a new year.
• Myth: Denials won't hurt your credit. Every time you apply for a credit card, you get a hard inquiry on your report. That can ding your credit a couple points, so guessing with Chase could mean unnecessary hits for no gain.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet to help you avoid the most common traps:

If you know these basic rules, you won’t waste time or risk your credit score for nothing. Smart moves with credit applications can be the difference between a big new bonus and a useless rejection.

How to Check Your Status and Plan Your Applications

If you’re planning to beat the Chase rule, you’ll want to know exactly where you stand before you apply for any more cards. Even one too many applications could mean an automatic denial, so let’s get real about how to count your card openings and time things smartly.

Chase doesn’t provide an official counter, but you can check your '5/24 status' yourself. Here’s what you do:

• Get a free credit report (from Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax—the law says you get one free from each, every year at AnnualCreditReport.com).
• Count all the personal credit cards opened in the past 24 months. This includes cards from any bank.
• Don’t count business cards from most banks (like Chase, Amex, Citi, or Bank of America), but business cards from Capital One and Discover do count. Store cards, if they’re just for the store brand, usually don’t.

Here’s how a typical card review might look if you lay it out:

Planning your applications from here is all about timing. Let’s say you’re at 5/24 today. Wait until one of those older accounts drops off before trying for another Chase card—any application before then is almost certain to be rejected.

Here are some tips to make planning easier:

• Set calendar reminders for when old accounts drop from your 24-month window.
• Apply for Chase cards you want first, before adding non-Chase cards.
• Don’t apply for several cards at once—even if you’re "safe" today, new approvals may quickly push you over the edge.
• Remember, denials can cause hard inquiries, which may ding your score a bit and could look risky to other banks.

This stuff can seem picky, but missing the mark by even a week could cost you a sign-up bonus or your dream travel card. Take a few minutes, tally up your accounts, set your reminders, and you’ll dodge all the Chase 5/24 headaches going forward.

Tips for Success: Navigating Chase’s Approval Process

If you're planning to apply for a Chase card, a little strategy goes a long way. You don’t need to be an expert to boost your approval odds—just focus on what matters to Chase's system.

• Check your 5/24 status before you apply: Grab a free credit report (for example, from AnnualCreditReport.com) and count the personal cards you’ve opened in the past 24 months. Store cards and business cards from some banks (like Amex or Capital One) usually don’t count toward your 5/24 rule, but most big issuers do.
• Apply for Chase cards first if you’re planning to open more than one card in a short period. Once you hit five new cards, you’ll get stuck.
• Keep a close eye on your credit score. Chase usually looks for a score of at least 670, but higher is better—many successful applicants land their cards with 700+.
• Space out your applications. Applying for several cards in a row can flag you as risky. Wait at least three months between applications.
• If you’re denied, call Chase's reconsideration line. Sometimes, a friendly call (where you explain your situation and answer questions) can turn a denial into an approval.

Chase pays attention to other details, too. Here are some things they check—straight from people who’ve applied and shared their real results:

Ready for a secret tip? Sometimes Chase’s business cards (like the Ink line) don’t count against your 5/24 tally once they’re approved. But note: the Chase rule still applies when you apply for any Chase card—so plan those applications carefully.

Stick to these tips and you’ll have a much smoother time clearing Chase’s hurdles. The extra effort pays off when you land one of their top rewards cards.