An authorized user is someone you give permission to use your credit card account, even though you are the account owner
When you add an authorized user to your credit card, that person receives their own card linked to your account. They can make purchases using that card, and the bill comes to you. You remain responsible for all charges, whether you made them or the authorized user did. The card issuer reports the account activity to credit bureaus under both your name and the authorized user's name.
Authorized users do not have to explore for credit or go through underwriting. The account holder — you — decides who gets added and can remove them at any time. This is different from a joint account holder, who has equal legal responsibility for the debt and equal say in the account.
Key Takeaways
- An authorized user can make purchases on your account but you remain the sole person responsible for paying the bill.
- The account activity appears on the authorized user's credit report, which can help build their credit history if the account is in good standing.
- You can add or remove an authorized user by calling your card issuer or logging into your online account portal.
- Authorized users typically cannot change the account password, request credit limit increases, or make changes to the account without your permission.
- If an authorized user makes charges you did not authorize, you are still legally responsible for paying them.
How authorized users appear on credit reports
When you add someone as an authorized user, the card issuer reports that account to the credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The account shows up on the authorized user's credit report with the same payment history, credit limit, and balance as it appears on yours.
If you pay the bill on time every month, that positive history helps the authorized user's credit score. If you miss payments or carry a high balance, those negative marks also appear on their report. The authorized user builds credit history without having applied for the card themselves, which is why parents often add teenagers or spouses add partners to help them establish credit.
The authorized user's own credit actions — their other cards, loans, or missed payments — do not affect your credit report. The connection runs one direction: your account's history flows to their report, but their separate accounts do not flow to yours.
What an authorized user can and cannot do
An authorized user can swipe the card, make online purchases, and use it anywhere the card issuer accepts it. They cannot change the account password, request a higher credit limit, add another authorized user, or close the account. Most card issuers do not allow authorized users to view the full account online or receive statements, though some issuers offer limited online access.
If the authorized user wants to dispute a charge, they typically have to contact you first, and you contact the card issuer. The authorized user cannot make changes to the billing address, contact information, or payment method without your permission. Any request to modify the account goes through the account holder — you.
Adding an authorized user to your account
To add an authorized user, call the customer service number on the back of your credit card or log into your online account portal. Most issuers have an "Add Authorized User" option in the account settings. You will need to provide the person's full name and date of birth. Some issuers ask for a Social Security number, though not all require it.
The card issuer will mail a new card in the authorized user's name to the billing address on file. This usually takes 7 to 10 business days. Once the card arrives, the authorized user can begin making purchases when ready. You can remove an authorized user just as easily — call customer service or use the online portal to delete them, and the card becomes inactive right away.
There is no cost to add an authorized user on most credit cards. A few premium cards charge a small fee, usually $25 to $100 per year, but this is uncommon. Check your card's terms or call the issuer if you are unsure.
When authorized user status helps or hurts credit
Adding someone as an authorized user can raise their credit score if your account has a long history, a high credit limit, and on-time payments. Credit scoring models reward accounts that have been open for years and show responsible use. A young person or someone rebuilding credit can benefit significantly from being added to an established account.
However, if your account carries a high balance or has missed payments, adding someone as an authorized user can lower their credit score instead. The negative history appears on their report just as the positive history would. Before adding someone, make sure your account is in good standing — low balance, on-time payments, and ideally a long history with the issuer.
An authorized user can also be removed from the account if the account holder's credit situation changes. If you fall behind on payments, you may want to remove authorized users to prevent their credit from being damaged by your account's problems.
Authorized user versus joint account holder
A joint account holder is different from an authorized user in one critical way: both people are legally responsible for the debt. If you open a joint credit card account with someone, you both sign the process, you both appear as account owners, and you are both liable for every charge. If the other person stops paying, the card issuer can pursue you for the full balance.
An authorized user has no legal responsibility. You alone are liable for the debt, even if the authorized user made all the charges. This makes authorized user status safer for the account holder but also means you must trust the person you add, because you will pay for whatever they charge.
Joint accounts are typically used between spouses or long-term partners who want equal control and responsibility. Authorized user status is used when one person wants to give another person spending access without giving them equal legal responsibility.
Removing an authorized user
You can remove an authorized user at any time by calling the card issuer's customer service line or using your online account portal. The removal is usually when ready — the card becomes inactive right away, though the account history remains on the authorized user's credit report.
Once removed, the authorized user can no longer make charges on that card. However, the account's payment history stays on their credit report indefinitely. If the account was in good standing, that positive history continues to help their credit score even after they are removed. If the account had missed payments, that negative history also remains on their report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an authorized user see my credit card balance and statements?
Most card issuers do not give authorized users access to the full account online or send them statements. Some issuers offer limited online access where authorized users can see recent transactions, but they cannot view the full balance or account details. You receive the statement and are responsible for monitoring all charges.
Does adding an authorized user hurt my credit score?
Adding an authorized user does not hurt your credit score. The account remains yours, and no new credit inquiry is performed. However, if the authorized user makes large charges that raise your account balance, that could lower your score because it increases your credit utilization ratio.
What happens if an authorized user makes fraudulent charges?
You are responsible for paying fraudulent charges made by an authorized user, because they had your permission to use the card. This is different from unauthorized fraud, where someone uses your card without permission. If you believe an authorized user made charges without your knowledge, you can dispute them with the issuer, but the burden is on you to prove the charges were not authorized.
Can an authorized user build credit if they never use the card?
Yes. straightforward being added as an authorized user to an account in good standing helps build credit, even if the authorized user never makes a purchase. The account history appears on their credit report and contributes to their credit score based on the account's age, payment history, and credit limit.
Will removing an authorized user hurt their credit score?
Removing an authorized user does not when ready hurt their credit score. The account history remains on their report and continues to affect their score based on that history. However, if that account was a significant part of their credit profile, losing access to that credit limit could have a small negative effect over time.