Capital One Adds Language Limiting Welcome Offers to Every 48 Months

Updated: April 17, 2025, 5:51pm CDT

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Table of Contents

Capital One’s 48-Month Welcome Offer Rule
Credit Card Application Rules
Final Thoughts

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Applying for credit cards involves a maze of rules, and now Capital One has joined the ranks of issuers clarifying how often you can qualify for a welcome bonus on a particular card.

Here’s what you should know about this new Capital One application restriction.

Capital One’s 48-Month Welcome Offer Rule

Capital One has just added new language under the “View Important Rates and Disclosures” section of your next application:

“Existing or previous cardmembers are not eligible for this product if they have received a new cardmember bonus for this product in the past 48 months.”

The good news is that this limitation seems to apply to individual cards rather than entire card families.

Capital One Venture One Upgraded Points 1c 1 — New verbiage in Capital One’s terms and conditions gives cardholders some more clarity when it comes to applications. Image Credit: Upgraded Points

For instance, if you had already applied to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and received the welcome bonus offer, you likely would not have to wait 48 months to receive one on the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. It just likely means you won’t qualify for another welcome offer on the Capital One Venture X card.

Credit Card Application Rules

All told, this concept isn’t unique to Capital One, as many credit card issuers impose various application rules. In comparison, American Express has even stricter rules with “lifetime” language on many of its products, meaning you can only qualify for the welcome offer once, though research has shown that there are ways around this with many Amex cards.

On the other hand, Chase imposes a similar 48-month application rule, but for the family of Chase Sapphire cards. If you’ve received a welcome offer for either the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® in the past 48 months, you won’t be eligible for another one until that window passes.

Hot Tip:

Receiving a welcome offer is not the same thing as being approved for a credit card. If you don’t satisfy Capital One’s new 48-month requirement, you might still be approved for the card—but you wouldn’t qualify for the welcome bonus.

Final Thoughts

The updated language in Capital One’s terms and conditions provides applicants with clearer guidance around the application process. In the past, Capital One was often vague, leaving potential cardholders uncertain about eligibility. Now, you’ll want to be certain you comply under these new guidelines in the fine print.