An authorized user is someone the cardholder gives permission to use their credit card account
When you are an authorized user, the primary cardholder — the person who opened the account — lets you make purchases using their card or a card issued in your name linked to their account. You are not responsible for paying the bill. The primary cardholder receives the statement and owes the debt, no matter who made the charges.
The card issuer sends the primary cardholder one monthly bill for all purchases made by authorized users and the primary cardholder themselves. If the bill goes unpaid, it affects the primary cardholder's credit report, not yours — though late payments can still damage the account's credit history, which may indirectly affect you if you were counting on that account to help your credit.
Being added as an authorized user is different from being a joint account holder. A joint account holder is equally responsible for the debt and has equal legal claim to the account. An authorized user has no legal obligation to pay and no ownership stake in the account.
Key Takeaways
- The primary cardholder remains fully responsible for all charges and payments, whether they made the purchase or an authorized user did.
- Adding an authorized user typically takes a phone call to the card issuer and costs nothing, though some issuers charge a small fee.
- Authorized user accounts may appear on your credit report and can help or hurt your credit score depending on the account's payment history and credit limit.
- You can be removed as an authorized user at any time without notice, and the primary cardholder can set spending limits or restrictions on your card.
- Being an authorized user does not give you the legal right to make changes to the account, close it, or access the primary cardholder's personal information.
How the primary cardholder adds you as an authorized user
The primary cardholder calls the card issuer's customer service number — usually on the back of the card — and requests to add an authorized user. They provide your name, date of birth, and sometimes your Social Security number, depending on the issuer's policy. Some issuers ask for your address as well.
Most card issuers do not charge a fee to add an authorized user, but a few do — typically $5 to $25 per year. The issuer will tell the primary cardholder upfront if there is a cost. Once approved, the issuer mails a card in your name to the address on file, usually within 5 to 10 business days.
The primary cardholder can also set restrictions before the card arrives. They may limit your spending to a certain amount per day or per month, restrict which types of merchants you can use the card at, or require the issuer to notify them of each purchase you make. Not all issuers offer all of these options.
How authorized user accounts affect your credit report
When you become an authorized user, the card issuer reports the account to the credit bureaus in your name. This means the account's credit history — its payment history, credit limit, and current balance — appears on your credit report, even though you do not owe the debt.
If the primary cardholder pays on time every month and keeps the balance low relative to the credit limit, the account helps your credit score. A longer payment history and a higher available credit limit both work in your favor. If the primary cardholder misses payments or carries a high balance, the account can lower your score.
Not all credit bureaus report authorized user accounts the same way. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion may each handle the account differently, so it is possible the account appears on one of your credit reports but not the others. You can check your credit reports for free once per year at annualcreditreport.com.
Why someone might add you as an authorized user
Parents often add teenagers or young adult children as authorized users to teach them how to use credit responsibly while keeping control of the account. The parent can set a low spending limit and monitor purchases, and the child builds a credit history without taking on debt.
A spouse or partner may add the other as an authorized user for convenience — so both can access funds for household expenses without needing a separate account. This is common when couples share finances but one person opened the original card.
Some people add a trusted family member or friend as an authorized user to help manage expenses during a period when the primary cardholder is unavailable or incapacitated. A power of attorney or healthcare proxy is a more formal way to handle this, but adding an authorized user is simpler for everyday spending.
What you cannot do as an authorized user
You cannot change the account's terms, request a credit limit increase, close the account, or add other authorized users yourself. You also cannot access the primary cardholder's personal information, such as their Social Security number or full account details, unless they choose to share it with you.
If you want to make changes to the account — such as updating the billing address or requesting a different card design — you must ask the primary cardholder to contact the issuer on your behalf. The issuer will only take instructions from the person whose name is on the account as the primary holder.
You have no legal claim to the account if the primary cardholder dies or the account is closed. The account belongs entirely to the primary cardholder, and their estate or the issuer determines what happens to it.
When the primary cardholder can remove you
The primary cardholder can remove you as an authorized user at any time by calling the card issuer. They do not need to give you notice or a reason. Once removed, you can no longer use the card, and any card issued to you becomes invalid.
The account may remain on your credit report for a period after removal. Most credit bureaus keep closed authorized user accounts on your report for up to seven years, depending on whether the account was in good standing. During that time, the account's history — positive or negative — continues to affect your credit score.
If the primary cardholder stops paying the bill after you are removed, the missed payments do not appear as new negative marks on your credit report. However, any missed payments that occurred while you were an authorized user remain on your report.
Authorized user accounts versus building credit on your own
Becoming an authorized user is one way to build credit history, but it has limits. The account helps your credit score only if the primary cardholder uses it responsibly. You have no control over whether payments are made on time or how much of the credit limit is used.
Opening your own credit card, even with a low credit limit or a secured deposit, gives you direct control over your credit-building. You make the payments, you decide how much to spend, and you own the results. If you miss a payment, it is your mistake to learn from. If you pay on time, the credit is yours alone.
Many people use authorized user status as a starting point — to build a small credit history while learning how credit works — and then open their own card once they have some credit history to show. This combination approach can be faster than starting from zero.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will being an authorized user hurt my credit if the primary cardholder misses a payment?
Yes. Late payments on the account appear on your credit report and lower your credit score, even though you are not responsible for paying the bill. The damage is the same as if you had missed the payment yourself. This is why it is important to trust the primary cardholder's payment habits before agreeing to be added.
Can I use the card if I am an authorized user but the primary cardholder has not received their card yet?
No. You can only use the card once the issuer mails it to you. The primary cardholder can use their card when ready after opening the account, but your card arrives separately. If you need to make a purchase before your card arrives, the primary cardholder can make the purchase themselves or provide you with their card temporarily.
What happens to my credit if the primary cardholder closes the account?
The account stops appearing as active on your credit report, but the account's history remains visible for several years. If the account had a positive payment history, it continues to help your credit score even after it is closed. If it had late payments, those negative marks stay on your report for seven years from the date of the missed payment.
Can I be held responsible for charges if someone steals the authorized user card?
No. As an authorized user, you are not responsible for any charges on the card, whether you made them or someone else did. The primary cardholder is responsible. However, if you report the card stolen and the issuer investigates, they may ask you questions about how the theft occurred and whether you took reasonable steps to protect the card.
Does being an authorized user show up on my credit report the same way as having my own card?
It appears on your credit report, but most credit scoring models treat it differently than an account you opened yourself. The account contributes to your credit history and available credit, but some lenders may weight it less heavily when deciding whether to lend to you. When you explore for your own credit, lenders can see that the account belongs to someone else.