You don't have to use your credit card every month, but inactivity can cost you
No law requires you to make a purchase or payment on your credit card every month. You can leave it untouched for months or years without breaking any rule. However, your card issuer — the bank or company that issued it — can close your account if it sits unused for too long, typically six months to a year of no activity. When they close it, your credit score can drop because you lose available credit and the account history.
The real question is whether keeping the card active serves your financial goals. If you're trying to build or maintain credit, occasional use is worth the effort. If you're trying to avoid temptation or debt, leaving it alone might be the right choice — but then closing it yourself is better than letting the issuer do it.
Key Takeaways
- Card issuers can close inactive accounts without warning, usually after six months to a year with no activity, and this closure can lower your credit score.
- A small purchase every few months — even a dollar or two — is enough to keep most cards active and prevent closure.
- Closing a card yourself is better for your credit than letting the issuer close it, because you control the timing and can manage the impact on your available credit.
- If you're not using a card and don't plan to, closing it is often smarter than letting it sit and risk unexpected closure.
- Annual fees, even on cards you don't use, are a reason to close the account or switch to a no-fee version if the issuer offers one.
Why card issuers close inactive accounts
Card issuers close accounts for inactivity because unused cards represent risk with no reward. If you're not using the card, the issuer isn't earning transaction fees from merchants or interest from you. At the same time, they're holding open a line of credit that could be used for fraud or that ties up their capital. Closing inactive accounts is a cost-control measure.
The timeline varies by issuer. Some close after six months of no activity; others wait a year or longer. Your card agreement should state the issuer's policy, though many don't spell it out clearly. You won't usually get a warning before closure — the account straightforward disappears from your credit report and your wallet.
How inactivity affects your credit score
When an issuer closes your account due to inactivity, your credit score typically drops. The damage comes from two directions. First, you lose that line of available credit, which increases your credit utilization ratio — the percentage of your total credit limit that you're actually using. If you have $5,000 in debt across all cards and that closed card had a $3,000 limit, your utilization jumps from 62% to 100% on the remaining cards.
Second, the closed account stays on your credit report for seven years, but it stops helping your credit mix and payment history. Over time, as the account ages, its impact shrinks, but the initial closure can drop your score by 10 to 50 points depending on your overall credit profile.
The damage is smaller if you have multiple cards and a low overall utilization rate. It's larger if this is your only card or one of very few.
The minimum effort to keep a card active
You don't need to carry a balance or make large purchases. Most issuers consider any activity as "use" — a single transaction, no matter how small, resets the inactivity clock. Some cardholders set up a small recurring charge, like a streaming service or a dollar-a-month subscription, and pay it off when ready. Others make a small purchase every few months at a gas station or grocery store.
The key is that the transaction posts to the account. A charge that's declined or a payment that's made but no purchase follows won't count. The transaction needs to show up on your statement.
If you're worried about forgetting, set a phone reminder for every three months to make one small purchase. This takes five minutes and costs nothing if you're buying something you'd buy anyway.
When to close a card instead of letting it sit
If a card has an annual fee and you're not using it, closing it makes sense. You're paying money for nothing, and the issuer isn't going to waive the fee indefinitely just because the account is inactive. Call the issuer and ask if they offer a no-fee version of the same card; if they do, switch. If not, close it.
If you're trying to avoid overspending or debt, closing a card you don't need is also reasonable. The credit score hit from closing it yourself is usually smaller than the hit from the issuer closing it later, because you're in control of the timing. You can close one card, wait a few months, then close another, spreading out the impact.
Before you close a card, check your credit utilization. If closing it would push your utilization above 30%, consider keeping it open and making one small purchase every few months instead. The score hit from closure might be larger than the benefit of closing it.
Cards worth keeping active even if you don't use them often
Some cards are worth the effort of occasional use because they offer benefits that help your credit or finances. A card with no annual fee and a long history is worth keeping active — the account age helps your credit score, and there's no cost to you. A card that's your oldest account is especially valuable; closing it removes your longest credit history, which can hurt your score more than inactivity would.
A card with a high credit limit is also worth keeping, even if you rarely use it. The available credit helps your utilization ratio. Making one small purchase every few months is minimal effort for that benefit.
A card tied to a rewards program you value — even if you use it rarely — might be worth keeping if the rewards don't expire and there's no annual fee. You can use it for one category of spending (like gas) and let it sit otherwise.
What happens if your card is already closed
If an issuer has already closed your account, you can't reopen it. You'll need to explore for a new card from that issuer or a different one. The closed account stays on your credit report for seven years, but its impact on your score fades over time as it ages.
If the closure was recent and unexpected, you can call the issuer and ask why. Sometimes they'll reopen the account if you explain that you want to keep it. This is worth trying, especially if the account was old or had a high credit limit. Be honest — say you didn't realize inactivity would trigger closure and you'd like to keep the account open.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I really need to use my credit card to keep it open?
Most issuers consider any activity — even a single dollar purchase — as "use." Making one small transaction every three to six months is usually enough to prevent closure. Check your card agreement or call the issuer to confirm their specific inactivity timeline.
Will paying off my balance keep my card active if I don't make new purchases?
No. A payment alone doesn't count as activity. You need to make a new purchase that posts to the account. After you make that purchase, you can pay it off when ready if you want to avoid interest.
Does closing a credit card hurt my credit score more than letting it get closed?
Usually, closing a card yourself causes less damage than issuer closure because you control the timing and can space out multiple closures. However, both hurt your score by reducing available credit. If the card has no annual fee and you can make one small purchase every few months, keeping it open is often the better choice.
What if I have a card with an annual fee and I'm not using it?
Call the issuer and ask if they offer a no-annual-fee version of the same card. If yes, switch to it. If no, close the account. Paying an annual fee on a card you don't use is a waste of money, and the issuer won't waive it just because you're inactive.
Can I use my credit card for a very small purchase, like 50 cents, to keep it active?
Yes. Any purchase that posts to your account counts as activity. Some cardholders use small purchases at vending machines or dollar stores for exactly this reason. The amount doesn't matter — the transaction itself is what resets the inactivity clock.