Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
![The Minimum Requirements for Chase Credit Cards [2023]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Chase-Credit-Cards-Upgraded-Points-LLC-Large-2.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.
It goes without saying that the better your credit score, the more likely you’ll be approved for the best reward-earning credit cards. And while your credit score is one of the most important factors for approval, when it comes to applying for a Chase credit card, there are additional factors taken into consideration.
Chase does things a bit differently, applying its own, sometimes unpublished, rules for card qualification.
While nothing is absolute, today we’ll attempt to lay the foundation of the core requirements you’ll need for Chase to consider you as a cardholder.
Let’s get started.
Establishing a relationship with Chase can be the beginning of creating long-term value that can serve you financially throughout your lifetime.
Let’s start by exploring the reasons you might want to consider jumping through the hoops of securing a Chase credit card.
First, Chase issues some of the most valuable credit cards available.
While earning power and benefits vary by card, here are some of the overall attributes that make Chase cards desirable:
In addition to providing a wide range of credit card options to fit any lifestyle or business operation, Chase offers the following additional banking products and services:
Bottom Line: Whether you’re a college student, young entrepreneur, homeowner, or business owner, establishing the beginning of a financial relationship with a Chase credit card can create benefits that can last a lifetime.
There are certain requirements that are critical to getting approved for a Chase credit card:
While not published requirements, we know, based on the experience of those who have applied and been denied, that you will also need to meet the following to be considered for a Chase credit card.
Having an existing relationship with Chase is not necessary for card approval. However, having a current positive relationship with Chase, such as a mortgage, savings or checking account, or other financial relationship, could weigh positively on your chances for approval. Logging in to an existing account prior to applying for a Chase credit card can also expedite the application process as parts of the application will auto-fill.
In addition to the above-mentioned criteria, Chase will review your payment history, credit utilization, and other information found on your credit report or application, to determine eligibility.
Bottom Line: At a minimum, you will need to have at least a good to excellent credit score, sufficient income, and be under 5 total new credit cards in the last 24 months to qualify for the best Chase credit cards.
Fortunately, there is a step you can take to find out if you have existing Chase card offers available to you without actually completing a credit card application.
For a risk-free way to see if you have Chase card offers waiting for you, you can utilize the CardMatch tool.
There is no credit check on your credit report and the process is simple to complete with quick results.
While having Chase card offers available to you does not guarantee you’ll be approved for those cards, it will give you an idea of the cards for which you’re more likely to get approved.
Chase also has a similar tool specific to its card offers.
Even if you’re prequalified for a specific card, you’ll want to know your credit score prior to applying to understand your chances for approval. You can obtain a free copy of your credit report via annualcreditreport.com.
While credit reports can give you your credit history, these reports do not normally contain your credit score. If you have an existing credit card, you may be able to access your score via the card’s website or you can use Credit Karma.
Hot Tip: Our guide offers more information on the difference between a credit report and a credit score.
Chase does not offer a credit card product that caters to those who have no credit or poor credit. However, there are plenty of card issuers who do offer cards for which you can get approved if you are in this situation.
We give you an overview and some solid card choices to build or rebuild your credit in our informative article.
Bottom Line: Prior to applying for any credit card, you can check for existing offers using the CardMatch tool or, if available, the specific card issuer’s pre-approval site. You should also know your credit score to help determine your chances of approval.
You will need an excellent credit score to qualify for these Chase credit cards:
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
A great first card to consider if you have excellent credit, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a generous welcome bonus, earns flexible Ultimate Rewards points, and has travel redemption options that deliver 25% more in value. You can also transfer points to travel partners for potentially even more value.
You’ll also find that the card comes with money-saving travel and shopping protections/benefits.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
Chase’s premium travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with benefits such as worldwide lounge access, travel statement credits, travel benefits, shopping protections, and more.
Key redemption features include receiving 50% more in value when redeeming Ultimate Rewards points for travel and the ability to transfer points to travel partners for even more potential value.
This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.
When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.
The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ sure does pack quite a punch — especially for a no-annual-fee card.
The Freedom Flex card is an incredible option for those looking for a well-rounded cash-back card, or a powerful point-earner when paired with a premium card in the Ultimate Rewards family.
The Freedom Unlimited card and the Freedom Flex card are great first Chase credit cards due to the lack of an annual fee, elevated earning opportunities, and travel/shopping protections and benefits.
The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases, especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.
Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.
Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.
One of our favorite Chase business card picks, the Ink Business Preferred card offers elevated 3x earnings on many common business expenses. The card also earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed for 25% more in value toward travel purchases on the Chase travel portal. You may also receive even greater value when transferring to airline and hotel partners.
We also like that the card offers cell phone protection and other travel/shopping benefits.
You’ll need an excellent credit score to qualify for the Ink Business Preferred card.
This card offers great rewards and no annual fee. Any new business owner that needs to get going will enjoy this card.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has a lot going for it that makes it a compelling choice for small business owners. The card features a very lucrative 5% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services each account anniversary year.
When you factor in that the card has no annual fee, and 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter, you could be adding big value back into your business for no cost out of pocket.
The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.
As a business owner, you likely keep pretty busy and probably prefer a credit card that just keeps things simple.
If so, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card might be just the card for you. From zero annual fee to a flat cash-back rate, the card is a no-frills option that you don’t have to think twice about.
Don’t forget too, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
Designed specifically to meet the needs of small businesses, the Ink Business Cash card and Ink Business Unlimited card offer generous welcome bonuses and earn valuable Ultimate Rewards points. The cards also offer introductory 0% APR periods to help you facilitate the repayment of purchases over time without interest.
You’ll be able to keep these no-annual-fee cards indefinitely to establish a credit history and later pair with premium Chase cards to elevate redemption values as much as 50% greater when redeemed for travel.
You’ll need a good to excellent credit score to qualify for either card.
Bottom Line: While the best Chase credit cards require an excellent credit score, the issuer does offer both personal and business cards that can be secured with a good or very good credit score.
Even if you meet the guidelines, it’s possible that Chase could deny your application or require additional information before approving you for a card.
If you do receive a denial or a delay in getting a response to your application, you may want to call Chase to discover the reason. You can then provide additional information that might initiate a reconsideration or expedite an approval.
Learn more about how to utilize the reconsideration line here.
While we’ve given you our take on the minimum requirements necessary to get approved for a Chase credit card, Chase will have the ultimate say and could make a decision that is contrary to these guidelines.
Your best chance for approval for a Chase credit card is to know your credit score and obtain a copy of your credit report to ensure it is accurate and there are no errors. Additionally, you’ll want to have less than 5 opened credit cards in the past 24 months, and have sufficient income to pay your obligations.
And if you do get denied, make an effort to speak with Chase to clarify the reason and offer any additional information that could help alter that decision.
While 1 credit card is a small step towards a relationship with Chase, an ongoing long-term relationship with the financial institution is a valuable asset that can serve you for years to come.
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
You will generally need to have a good credit score to get the best Chase credit cards. Experian states that a good score is 670 or above.
Having a Chase bank account is not a requirement for getting approved for a Chase credit card. However, if you do have an existing relationship with Chase, you can log in to your account before applying and it will make the application process faster.
Yes, you should receive an answer within 60 seconds of submitting your application. You could receive approval, a denial, or a message that Chase wants to further review your application.
Yes. When you submit the credit card application to Chase, you will be agreeing to allow Chase to access your credit. This action will code as a hard inquiry on your credit report.
No. Chase does not offer a secured credit card product.
Was this page helpful?
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...
Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.
We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.
