You can have a credit card under 18, but the card must be in your parent's or guardian's name, and they control it
If you are under 18, you cannot open a credit card account in your own name. Banks and card issuers are required by law to lend only to people who are legally able to sign contracts, and that age is 18 in most states. However, you can use a credit card before 18 in two real ways: as an authorized user on a parent's or guardian's account, or through a secured card once you turn 18.
The difference matters. As an authorized user, the card belongs to your parent and they are responsible for all charges and payments. A secured card, which you can open at 18, is your own account — you put down a cash deposit, and the card issuer gives you a credit line equal to that deposit. Both build your credit history, but they work differently and have different rules.
Key Takeaways
- As an authorized user under 18, you can use a card in your parent's name, but your parent is legally responsible for all charges and payments.
- Being added as an authorized user can help build your credit history if the primary account holder pays on time, because the payment history reports to your credit file.
- Once you turn 18, you can open your own secured credit card by depositing cash with a bank or credit union, which gives you a credit line and your own account to manage.
- Your parent can remove you as an authorized user at any time, and that removal will eventually stop affecting your credit score.
How authorized user accounts work
When your parent or guardian adds you as an authorized user to their credit card, the card issuer issues you a card with your name on it, but the account belongs to them. You can use it to make purchases, but your parent receives the bill and is responsible for paying it. The card issuer reports the account activity — including payment history, credit limit, and balance — to the credit bureaus under your name, even though you do not own the account.
This means that if your parent pays the bill on time every month, that positive payment history shows up on your credit report and helps build your credit score. If your parent misses payments or carries a high balance, that negative history also reports to your credit file and can hurt your score. You have no control over the payment, so your credit depends entirely on your parent's behavior with that account.
Most major card issuers — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover — allow parents to add authorized users under 18. Some have a minimum age (often 13 or 16), and some charge a small fee to add an authorized user. Call your parent's card issuer or log into their online account to find out their specific rules and whether there is a fee.
What happens to your credit when you are an authorized user
The account history reports to your credit report as long as you remain an authorized user. This includes the credit limit, the current balance, and the entire payment history going back to when the account opened. If the account has been open for years and paid on time, that long, clean history helps your credit score. If the account is newer or has missed payments, it can lower your score.
Your parent can remove you as an authorized user at any time, for any reason. Once you are removed, the account stops reporting to your credit file. However, the history that was already reported stays on your credit report for a set time — usually seven years for negative marks like late payments, and longer for positive history. So if you were an authorized user on a good account for five years and then removed, that five years of positive payment history remains on your report even after removal.
Being an authorized user does not mean you are responsible for the debt. If your parent does not pay the bill, creditors cannot come after you for the money. Your only risk is to your credit score if payments are missed.
Opening your own card at 18 with a secured card
Once you turn 18, you can open a credit card in your own name. Most standard credit cards require a credit history or a high income, which you may not have yet. A secured credit card is designed for people building credit for the first time. You deposit cash with the card issuer — typically $200 to $2,500 — and they give you a credit line equal to that deposit. You then use the card like any other card, make monthly payments, and build your credit history.
After 6 to 18 months of on-time payments, many issuers will convert your secured card to a standard unsecured card and return your deposit. Some will increase your credit line without requiring more money down. Others will let you graduate to a different card product. The exact timeline and rules depend on the issuer.
Banks and credit unions offer secured cards. Common options include Capital One Secured Mastercard, Discover Secured Card, and cards through your local credit union. Compare the deposit amount, the annual fee (if any), the interest rate, and the issuer's policy on converting to an unsecured card. Some issuers report to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), which helps your credit score grow faster; others report to only one or two.
The difference between authorized user and secured card
| Feature | Authorized User (Under 18) | Secured Card (Age 18+) |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns the account | Your parent or guardian | You |
| Who pays the bill | Your parent or guardian | You |
| Who is legally responsible for debt | Your parent or guardian | You |
| Can you be removed | Yes, at any time | No, it is your account |
| Credit building | Depends on parent's payment behavior | Depends on your payment behavior |
| Upfront cash required | No | Yes (deposit amount) |
Building credit as a teenager
If your parent adds you as an authorized user, you are building credit without doing anything — the account reports to your file automatically. This is useful if your parent has good credit and pays on time. However, you have no control over the account and no way to demonstrate that you personally can manage money responsibly.
Once you turn 18, opening a secured card gives you the chance to show lenders that you can make payments on time and manage your own account. This matters because future lenders — for car loans, apartment rentals, or other credit products — will look at your credit history and see whether you have managed your own accounts responsibly, not just whether you were added to your parent's account.
If you have been an authorized user and want to build additional credit history in your own name, you can open a secured card at 18 and use both accounts. The more accounts you have reporting positive payment history, the stronger your credit profile becomes.
What to do if you want to become an authorized user
Ask your parent or guardian to contact their credit card issuer and request to add you as an authorized user. Most issuers allow this through their online account portal or by calling customer service. Your parent will need to provide your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. The issuer will then issue a card in your name linked to your parent's account.
Before your parent adds you, ask them about the account: How long has it been open? Is the balance usually low? Are payments always on time? If the account has missed payments or a high balance, being added could hurt your credit score rather than help it. In that case, waiting until you turn 18 to open a secured card in your own name might be the better choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a credit card under 18 without being an authorized user?
No. You cannot open a credit card account in your own name until you are 18. Some retailers offer store cards or prepaid cards to younger teens, but these are not credit cards — they do not build credit history and do not require a credit check. A true credit card account must be in your name or your parent's name.
Will being an authorized user hurt my credit if my parent misses a payment?
Yes. Late payments on the account will show up on your credit report and lower your credit score, even though you did not make the payment. This is why it is important to ask your parent about the account's payment history before agreeing to be added. If your parent has a history of late payments, you may want to wait until you turn 18 and open your own secured card instead.
What happens to my credit if my parent removes me as an authorized user?
Once you are removed, the account stops reporting new activity to your credit file. However, all the history that was already reported — both positive and negative — stays on your credit report for seven years or longer. So if you built good credit as an authorized user and then are removed, that positive history remains and continues to help your score.
Can I get a credit card at 17 if I have a job?
No. Age 18 is a legal requirement set by federal law, not by individual card issuers. Having a job or income does not change this. Your only option before 18 is to be an authorized user on a parent's or guardian's account.
Do I need a Social Security number to be an authorized user?
Yes. Your parent will need to provide your Social Security number when adding you as an authorized user so the card issuer can report the account to the credit bureaus under your name. If you do not have a Social Security number, you will need to obtain one before being added.