What you can actually do at 17
You cannot get a credit card in your own name at 17. Credit card companies are required by federal law to only issue cards to people 18 and older. That rule has no exceptions — not for income, not for good grades, not for anything.
What you can do instead is become an authorized user on someone else's card, usually a parent or guardian. This puts your name on their account, gives you a card linked to it, and starts building your credit history before you turn 18. When you do turn 18, you will already have credit history behind you, which makes getting your own card much easier.
The other path is to wait until you turn 18 and then open a card yourself. If you have no credit history yet, you will likely need a secured credit card, which requires a cash deposit. Both routes are real options, and which one makes sense depends on your situation and who is willing to help.
Key Takeaways
- You must be 18 to hold a credit card in your own name; no exceptions exist for minors under 18.
- Becoming an authorized user on a parent's or guardian's card is the only way to build credit before 18, and their payment history appears on your credit report.
- When you turn 18, you can open your own card; if you have no credit history, a secured card (which requires a deposit) is usually the easiest first step.
- Your parent or guardian's credit score can be affected if they add you as an authorized user, so discuss this with them first.
Becoming an authorized user on a parent's card
This is the fastest way to start building credit at 17. Call the credit card company or log into the account online and ask to add an authorized user. You will need to provide your full name, date of birth, and Social Security number. The card issuer will then send you a card in your name linked to that account.
The key thing to understand: you are not responsible for paying the bill. Your parent or guardian is. But the account activity — every payment made, every balance carried, every late payment — shows up on your credit report. If they pay on time every month, your credit score will rise. If they miss payments or carry high balances, your score will suffer along with theirs.
This is why you need to have an honest conversation with the parent or guardian first. They need to know that adding you as an authorized user ties your credit to their behavior. If they are reliable with payments, this is a huge advantage for you. If they are not, it can hurt you before you even have your own card.
What happens when you turn 18
The day you turn 18, you become legally able to sign contracts, which includes credit card agreements. You do not have to wait for your birthday to pass or for any paperwork to process — you can open a card the moment you are 18.
If you have been an authorized user for a year or more, you will have credit history. That history makes you a lower-risk borrower in the eyes of card companies. You can often walk into a bank or explore online for a standard credit card and be approved, sometimes with a decent credit limit.
If you have no credit history at all — because you were not an authorized user and have no other credit accounts — you will need a secured card. This is a real credit card, not a prepaid card. You put down a cash deposit (usually $200 to $2,500), and that deposit becomes your credit limit. You use the card like any other card, pay the bill each month, and after 12 to 24 months of on-time payments, the card company converts it to a regular unsecured card and returns your deposit.
Secured cards: the bridge to your first card at 18
A secured card is not a punishment or a second-class product. It is a tool designed specifically for people with no credit history. Banks know that someone with no history is a risk they cannot measure, so they ask for collateral — your deposit.
To open a secured card at 18, you will need a Social Security number, a government-issued ID, and proof of income (a pay stub, a letter from an employer, or a bank statement showing regular deposits). Some card companies also require a checking account with them, though not all.
The deposit sits in a separate account and earns interest. You cannot touch it while the card is active, but it is yours — the card company is not keeping it. Your credit limit is usually equal to your deposit, though some issuers offer limits slightly higher. After you have made 12 to 24 on-time payments, the company will review your account and often convert it to an unsecured card without asking you to do anything.
Building credit as an authorized user versus starting from scratch
If you start as an authorized user at 17, you will have a head start. By the time you turn 18, you may already have a credit score in the 600s or higher (depending on the parent's payment history). That score is high enough to get approved for a regular credit card without needing a secured card.
If you wait until 18 with no credit history, you will likely start with a secured card. That is not a bad thing — it is a normal path — but it takes longer. You will need to hold the secured card for a year or two before converting it, whereas an authorized user can often jump straight to a regular card.
The trade-off is that as an authorized user, your credit is tied to someone else's behavior. If your parent misses a payment, it damages your score too. Starting from scratch at 18 means your credit is entirely your own responsibility, which is cleaner but slower.
What to avoid and what to watch for
Do not ask a parent to add you as an authorized user if they carry high balances or have missed payments. Their account history will become your history, and it will hurt you. It is better to wait until 18 and start with a secured card than to inherit bad credit at 17.
Do not confuse an authorized user card with a debit card or a prepaid card. An authorized user card is a real credit card. Charges go on the parent's bill. If you use it, the parent has to pay it. Make sure you and the parent agree on what the card is for before you start using it.
If you do become an authorized user, do not assume you can use the card however you want. Talk to the parent about limits — a monthly spending cap, what kinds of purchases are okay, whether you need to ask permission first. This is their account and their credit score. Treating it responsibly now builds trust and shows you are ready for your own card later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a credit card at 17 without a parent?
No. Federal law requires you to be 18 to hold a credit card in your own name. The only exception is becoming an authorized user on someone else's account, which requires that person's permission and their account.
Does being an authorized user hurt my parent's credit?
Not directly. Adding you as an authorized user does not lower their score. However, if you use the card and they do not pay the bill, it will hurt both of you. The account history shows up on both credit reports, so their payment behavior affects your score.
What if my parent does not have a credit card?
Then you cannot become an authorized user. Your only option is to wait until you turn 18 and open a secured card in your own name. A secured card requires a deposit but no credit history, so it is a real path forward.
Can I use an authorized user card to build credit for a loan later?
Yes. Lenders look at your credit history, and an authorized user account counts. If you have been an authorized user for a year or more with on-time payments, that history helps you get approved for a car loan, student loan, or apartment lease at 18 or later.
What is the difference between a secured card and a prepaid card?
A secured card is a credit card backed by a deposit. You build credit with it, and it reports to the credit bureaus. A prepaid card is not a credit card — it is like a gift card. You load money onto it, spend that money, and it does not build credit. For starting credit at 18, a secured card is what you need.