While you can apply for a credit card you already have, getting approval for a second card of the same type is rare. It’s easy to see why – most people interested in opening a second, identical card want to maximize their rewards or earn another welcome offer, something banks aren’t keen on allowing. With that said, it’s not impossible to qualify for a card identical to the one you own.
Can I apply for the same credit card twice?
Generally, yes. However, the exact policies of whether you can apply for the same credit card twice depend on the issuer.
What to watch out for
Unfortunately, most issuers don’t make their policies explicitly clear when it comes to applying for a second card of the same type. Card applications are judged on a “case-by-case basis,” but you can expect most card issuers to frown upon your attempts at applying for an additional card you already own.
Some of the restrictions you might encounter depending on your issuer include:
Total restriction. Some issuers might completely prevent you from applying for the same card twice.
Waiting period. While you might find your issuer amenable to letting you apply for the same card, you might need to wait a year or more from when you opened the identical card to apply for another one.
Welcome offer restrictions. Rather than prevent you from applying for the same card again, some issuers will simply remove your ability to receive another welcome offer after signup. For example, American Express has a more notable welcome offer restriction – AMEX cardholders can only earn one welcome offer per card per lifetime.
Same card exceptions
If you’re dead set on picking up another copy of a card you already own, check to see if your issuer offers a business version. Business versions of a card often aren’t counted as “identical” to a personal version of the card and could be much easier to obtain.
Finally, you might find that another issuer’s credit cards are similar enough to fill the same role. For example, both the TD Cash Back Visa Card and SimplyCash Card from American Express offer opportunities for unlimited cash back along with no annual fee. Plus, there’s no minimum income requirement to apply, and you won’t find yourself locked out of the welcome offer.
Applying for multiple credit cards at once
Remember that applying for multiple credit cards at once can negatively affect your credit score thanks to the hard credit pulls issuers will perform during the application process. While this isn’t a huge issue, it’s something to be mindful of if you’re only interested in opening a duplicate of your existing credit card.
If you really love your current credit card and want to open an additional, identical credit card account, there’s little harm in applying aside from the hard credit pull. But given the card restrictions and overall rarity of receiving approval for the same card, you’ll want to compare credit cards to find one that can work as a suitable substitute.
No. Most credit card issuers restrict balance transfers between credit cards they’ve issued, including identical cards. Find out more about switching to a new card in our guide to balance transfers.
No. A rejection won’t hurt your credit score, but the hard credit pull that happens when you apply temporarily dents your score. Find out what lenders are looking for in credit card applications, so you can increase your odds of getting approved.
It depends. Having multiple cards can improve your credit utilization and bump your score. However, carrying a debt of more than 30% of your available credit can end up hurting your score. There are pros and cons to reducing the number of credit cards you have – find out more in our guide.
Steven Dashiell is an editor for Bankrate and CreditCards.com and formally a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in credit cards, banking and growing and protecting your income. His insights and expertise has been featured on Nasdaq, U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, ABC, Fox Business, Lifehacker and Martha Stewart Living, among other top media. Steve holds a BA in English from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, minoring in composition and rhetoric. In his spare time Steve nerds out on birds, paints and plays a whole lot of Street Fighter. See full bio
Steven's expertise
Steven has written 5 Finder guides across topics including:
Stacie Hurst is an editor at Finder, specializing in loans, banking, investing and money transfers. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Writing, and she has completed FP Canada Institute's Financial Management Course. Before working in the publishing industry, Stacie completed one year of law school in the United States. When not working, she can usually be found watching K-dramas or playing games with her friends and family. See full bio
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