What an authorized user is and how it affects your credit
An authorized user is someone the cardholder adds to their account who can use the card to make purchases, but is not legally responsible for paying the bill. The primary cardholder remains the account owner and the person the card issuer bills. When you are added as an authorized user, the card issuer may report your name and the account activity to the credit bureaus — which means the account's payment history, credit limit, and balance can show up on your credit report.
This is different from being a joint account holder, where both people are legally responsible for the debt. As an authorized user, you have no obligation to pay what you charge, and the primary cardholder cannot force you to reimburse them through the card issuer — that is a matter between the two of you.
Whether being added helps or hurts your credit depends on the account's history. If the primary cardholder pays on time and keeps the balance low, the account will boost your credit score. If they miss payments or carry a high balance, your score can drop.
Key Takeaways
- As an authorized user, you can use the card but have no legal obligation to pay the bill — the primary cardholder is responsible.
- The account may appear on your credit report, so a good payment history helps your score and a poor one hurts it.
- Not all card issuers report authorized users to credit bureaus, so ask before accepting to know whether it will affect your credit.
- You can be removed as an authorized user at any time by the primary cardholder, and the account will stop appearing on your credit report after a few months.
- Some people add authorized users to help them build credit; others do it for convenience or to let family members use the card.
How the card issuer reports authorized user accounts
When a card issuer reports an authorized user account to the credit bureaus, they typically report the full account history — the credit limit, current balance, payment history, and the date the account opened. This means the account's age counts toward your average account age, and the payment record counts toward your payment history score.
Not every card issuer reports authorized users. Some report them to all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), some report to only one or two, and some do not report them at all. Before you accept being added, ask the primary cardholder to call their card issuer and confirm whether authorized users appear on credit reports. If the issuer does not report, being added will have no effect on your credit.
The account will remain on your credit report as long as you are listed as an authorized user. Once you are removed, it typically stays on your report for about seven years (the standard reporting period for most account information), though it will show as closed or inactive.
Why someone might add you as an authorized user
The most common reason is to help you build credit. If you are young, new to credit, or rebuilding after past problems, being added to an established account with a good payment history can raise your score faster than opening your own card. This works because you inherit the account's age and payment record without having to prove your own creditworthiness.
A parent or spouse might also add you for convenience — so you can make purchases on a shared account without needing your own card. In this case, the primary cardholder still pays the bill, but you have the ability to charge.
Some people add authorized users to increase the card's credit limit or to earn more rewards points, though card issuers have tightened rules around this practice in recent years.
What happens if the primary cardholder misses a payment
If the primary cardholder falls behind on the bill, the late payment will show on your credit report just as it shows on theirs. A 30-day late payment can lower your score by 100 points or more, depending on your current score and credit history. A 60-day or 90-day late payment is even more damaging.
You have no legal way to force the primary cardholder to pay, and the card issuer will not pursue you for the debt. However, your credit score suffers the same way theirs does. If you are concerned about the account's payment history, you can ask the primary cardholder for updates, or you can check your own credit report to see how the account is being reported.
If the account goes to collections or the cardholder defaults, the damage to your credit can last seven years. This is why being added to someone else's account carries real risk — you benefit from their good behavior but are harmed by their bad behavior, with no control over either.
How to request to be removed as an authorized user
You cannot remove yourself directly. Only the primary cardholder can remove you from the account by calling the card issuer and requesting your name be taken off. Once they do, the card issuer will stop sending you a card (if you have one) and will stop reporting the account to the credit bureaus under your name.
If you are concerned about the account's payment history or if your relationship with the primary cardholder changes, ask them to remove you. There is no penalty for being removed, and the primary cardholder can add you back later if circumstances change.
If the primary cardholder will not remove you and you believe the account is being misused or damaged, you can dispute the account with the credit bureaus by filing a claim that you did not authorize it. This is a formal process and should only be used if the account was added without your knowledge or consent.
Authorized user accounts versus opening your own card
Being added as an authorized user is faster than building credit on your own, but it is also less stable. Your credit depends on someone else's behavior, and you have no control over when the account closes or when you are removed. If you are building credit to eventually get your own card, being an authorized user is a useful stepping stone, but not a substitute.
Opening your own card — even a secured card that requires a cash deposit — gives you full control over your credit history and your account. You build a relationship with the card issuer, and the account stays on your report even if you close it (it will show as closed but remain part of your history for seven years).
Many people do both: they are added as an authorized user to boost their score quickly, and they also open their own card to build their own credit file. Once your score improves, you can graduate to better cards with higher limits and better rewards.
What to know about authorized user credit-building services
Some companies sell "authorized user packages" — they add you to their credit card accounts (or accounts they control) for a fee, claiming this will raise your score. These services are legal but risky. The accounts are real, and if they are reported to the credit bureaus and have good payment histories, they can help your score. However, you have no control over the accounts, and if the company stops paying or the accounts are closed, your score can drop suddenly.
Additionally, some card issuers have started declining to report authorized users added by these services, specifically to prevent score manipulation. Before paying for such a service, research whether the specific card issuer involved still reports authorized users, and understand that the boost may be temporary.
Building credit through an authorized user relationship with someone you know and trust — a family member or close friend — is generally safer and costs nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the card if I am an authorized user?
Yes. The card issuer will typically send you a card with your name on it, and you can use it to make purchases just like the primary cardholder. The bill goes to the primary cardholder, not to you. If you do not want a physical card, you can ask the primary cardholder to request a card-free arrangement where you can use the account number to make purchases online or over the phone.
Will being an authorized user hurt my credit if the account has a high balance?
Yes. A high balance relative to the credit limit (high utilization) lowers both your score and the primary cardholder's score. Even if the account is paid on time, high utilization can reduce your score by 50 points or more. If you are being added to build credit, ask the primary cardholder to keep the balance below 30 percent of the credit limit.
What if I want to use the card but do not want it on my credit report?
Ask the primary cardholder to confirm with the card issuer whether they report authorized users. If they do not, you can be added without any credit impact. If they do, you have the option to decline being added or to ask to be removed later if the account's history changes.
Can the primary cardholder charge me for being an authorized user?
The card issuer does not charge for adding an authorized user, but the primary cardholder can ask you to reimburse them for purchases you make or for a share of the annual fee (if there is one). This is a personal arrangement between you and them — the card issuer is not involved.
How long does it take for an authorized user account to show up on my credit report?
This varies by card issuer. Some report within one billing cycle (usually 30 days), and others take two to three months. Ask the primary cardholder to check with their card issuer for a timeline, or check your own credit report after 30 days to see if the account has appeared.