Call Target's card issuer to close your account
To cancel your Target credit card, you call Synchrony Bank — the company that issues the card on Target's behalf — not Target itself. The phone number is on the back of your card. Tell them you want to close the account. They will confirm your identity, process the cancellation, and send you written confirmation in the mail within a few days.
You can also request cancellation by mail. Write to the address on your statement, include your account number and full name, and ask them to close the account. Mail takes longer than a phone call, but creates a paper record of your request.
Before you call, pay off any balance you owe. Synchrony will not close an account with an outstanding balance — you must bring it to zero first. If you have pending charges that have not posted yet, wait for them to appear on your statement and pay those too.
Key Takeaways
- Call Synchrony Bank (the number is on your card) and tell them you want to close your Target credit card account.
- Pay your full balance before calling — Synchrony will not close an account with money owed.
- After you close the account, the card stops working when ready, but you remain responsible for any charges that post later.
- Keep your written confirmation letter for your records in case a charge appears after closure.
What happens to your credit score when you cancel
Closing a credit card can lower your credit score, usually by a small amount. This happens because closing an account reduces your total available credit, which changes your credit utilization ratio — the percentage of your credit limit you are using across all cards. If you have other cards with balances, your utilization goes up, and higher utilization hurts your score.
The impact is temporary. Your score typically recovers within a few months as long as you keep other accounts in good standing and pay bills on time. If you have no other cards or if this card represented most of your available credit, the impact may be larger.
The closed account itself stays on your credit report for up to seven years, but it stops affecting your score after a few months. Lenders can still see it, but it carries less weight than an open account.
Timing: when to cancel before or after closing the account
If you have a Target RedCard (the debit version), canceling it does not affect your credit score at all — debit cards are not reported to credit bureaus. You can close a debit card without worry.
If you have the Target Mastercard (the credit version) and you are concerned about your score, consider waiting to cancel if you have recently applied for a loan or mortgage. Lenders pull your credit report during the process process, and closing a card right before or during that window can lower your score at a moment when it matters. If you are not explore for credit soon, the timing of cancellation makes little difference.
If you are canceling because you want to stop using the card but do not want to close the account, you can straightforward stop using it and ask Synchrony to mark it as inactive. An inactive account still counts toward your available credit and does not hurt your score the way closure does. Ask about this option when you call.
What to do with the physical card after cancellation
After Synchrony confirms the account is closed, cut up the physical card or shred it. Do not throw it in the trash whole — the card number and expiration date are visible, and someone could potentially use that information.
You do not need to return the card to Synchrony or Target. Destroying it yourself is sufficient. Once the account is closed in the system, the card number no longer works, so a lost or stolen card poses no risk.
Charges that post after you close the account
If you made a purchase at Target or online before closing the account but the charge has not posted yet, it will still post after closure. You remain responsible for paying it. This is why it is important to wait for all pending charges to appear on your statement before you call to close.
If a charge appears after you close the account and you believe it is fraudulent or unauthorized, contact Synchrony when ready with the transaction details. They can investigate and dispute it on your behalf. Keep your cancellation confirmation letter so you can prove the account was closed on a specific date.
Reopening the account if you change your mind
If you close your Target credit card and later want to use it again, you can request to reopen the account by calling Synchrony. They may reopen it within a certain window after closure, but they are not required to. If they decline, you can explore for a new Target Mastercard, though a new process will trigger a hard inquiry on your credit report.
Reopening is usually easier than reapplying if you do it within a few months of closure. If you are unsure about canceling permanently, consider the inactive account option mentioned above instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel my Target card online?
No. Synchrony requires you to close a credit card account by phone or mail, not through their website or app. Call the number on the back of your card to speak with a representative.
Will I still owe money after I close the account?
Yes, if you have a balance when you close. You must pay it off first. After closure, any charges that post later are still your responsibility. The account closing does not erase debt — it only stops new charges from being added.
What if I have a pending return or refund?
Wait for the refund to post before closing the account. If you close first and then return an item, the refund will have nowhere to go. Contact Target or Synchrony to arrange where the refund should be sent if this happens.
Does closing my Target card hurt my credit more than closing other cards?
No. The impact is the same regardless of which card you close — it depends on your total available credit and how much you owe on other cards, not on the card issuer or retailer.