The basic steps to cancel a credit card
Call the card issuer's customer service number on the back of your card or on your statement. Tell them you want to close the account. They will ask why, but you do not have to give a detailed reason — "I no longer need it" is sufficient. The representative will confirm your identity, process the cancellation, and give you a confirmation number. Write down the date, time, representative's name, and confirmation number.
After the call, send a written request by mail or through your online account portal. Include your account number, the date you called, and the confirmation number. Keep a copy for your records. This creates a paper trail in case there is a dispute later about whether the account was actually closed.
Check your credit report 30 to 60 days after cancellation to confirm the account shows as closed. You can view your report free once per year at annualcreditreport.com, which is run by the three major credit bureaus.
Key Takeaways
- Call the card issuer directly using the number on your card or statement, confirm your identity, and request account closure.
- Follow up with a written request by mail or through your online account to create a record of the cancellation.
- Pay off your balance before or at the time of cancellation to avoid interest charges on a closed account.
- Closing a card reduces your total available credit, which can raise your credit utilization ratio and temporarily lower your credit score.
- Check your credit report 30 to 60 days later to confirm the account shows as closed.
Pay your balance before you cancel
Do not close an account with an outstanding balance. Pay off what you owe first, either in full or by arranging a payment plan with the issuer. Once the account is closed, you can still be charged interest on any remaining balance, and the card issuer will continue to report the debt to the credit bureaus.
If you have a promotional rate that is about to expire, closing the account before the rate changes can lock in your current terms. However, if you have a 0% introductory rate on a balance transfer, closing the account may trigger the end of that rate early — check your cardholder agreement or ask the issuer before you cancel.
Understand how cancellation affects your credit score
Closing a credit card does not remove it from your credit history. The account will remain on your report for up to 10 years after closure, which means the payment history you built with that card continues to help your score. However, closing the account does lower your total available credit when ready.
Your credit utilization ratio — the percentage of your total credit limit you are using across all cards — is a major factor in your credit score. If you close a card with a high credit limit, your utilization ratio goes up, which can lower your score by 10 to 50 points depending on how much credit you had available. For example, if you have $5,000 in debt across all cards and $20,000 in total credit limits, your utilization is 25%. If you close a card with a $10,000 limit, your total limits drop to $10,000, and your utilization jumps to 50%.
The impact is usually temporary. Your score typically recovers within a few months as long as you keep your remaining cards in good standing and do not miss payments.
What to do with the physical card
After the account is closed, cut up the card or shred it. Do not throw it in the trash whole — someone could retrieve it and attempt to use the account number. Some issuers will send you a confirmation letter in the mail; wait for that letter before destroying the card, in case you need to reference the account number for your records.
If the card issuer sends you a new card before you have a chance to cancel — which sometimes happens if you have an active account — you can refuse delivery or destroy the card when it arrives. The account closure request takes priority over any automatic card renewal.
Reasons to keep a card open instead
Before you cancel, consider whether keeping the account open might serve you better. A card with no annual fee costs nothing to maintain and helps keep your credit utilization ratio low. If you have built a long payment history with the card, closing it removes that active account from your credit profile, which can hurt your average account age.
If the card has a high credit limit, keeping it open — even unused — protects your score by preserving your available credit. You can put one small recurring charge on it, like a streaming subscription, and set up automatic payments to keep the account active without effort.
The main reason to cancel is if the card has an annual fee you no longer want to pay. In that case, call the issuer first and ask if they will waive the fee or downgrade you to a no-fee version of the card. Many issuers will do this to keep your business.
Canceling a joint account or authorized user card
If the card is a joint account — meaning both you and another person are responsible for the debt — both account holders usually have to agree to close it. Contact the issuer to find out their policy. Some will allow one person to request closure; others require both signatures.
If you are an authorized user on someone else's card, you cannot close the account yourself. You can ask the primary account holder to remove you as an authorized user, which stops you from using the card but keeps the account open. The primary holder can then close the account later if they choose.
What happens after the account closes
The card issuer will send you a final statement showing a zero balance. Keep this statement for your records. The account will show as "closed by consumer" on your credit report, which is a neutral status — it does not hurt your score any more than the temporary utilization impact already has.
If you had automatic payments set up on this card, update those payments to a different card or bank account before the cancellation takes effect. The issuer will not process charges to a closed account, and missed payments will damage your credit score.
If you later want to reopen the account, contact the issuer and ask. Some will reopen closed accounts within a certain window (often 30 to 90 days), while others will not. There is no may provide, so do not count on this option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will canceling my credit card hurt my credit score?
Yes, but usually only temporarily. Your score may drop 10 to 50 points because closing the card reduces your available credit and raises your utilization ratio. The impact typically fades within a few months if you keep your other accounts in good standing and do not miss payments.
Can I cancel a credit card with a balance on it?
You can request closure, but the issuer will keep the account open until the balance is paid. Interest will continue to accrue on the remaining balance even after you request cancellation. Pay off the balance first to avoid ongoing charges.
What if the card issuer refuses to close my account?
Most issuers will close an account when you request it. If they refuse, ask to speak with a supervisor and explain that you want the account closed. If they still refuse, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov.
Do I need to cancel in writing, or is a phone call enough?
A phone call is enough to close the account, but sending a written request afterward creates a record. This protects you if there is a dispute about whether the account was actually closed. Keep copies of both the confirmation number from the call and your written request.
How long does it take for a credit card cancellation to show up on my credit report?
The account closure typically appears on your credit report within 30 to 60 days. Check your report at annualcreditreport.com to confirm it shows as closed. If it does not appear within 60 days, contact the issuer to confirm the closure was processed.