How often should you request a credit increase

If you’ve been using a credit card responsibly, you might be wondering about a credit limit increase—sometimes called a credit line increase. 

There are no guarantees that a credit card company will increase your credit line. But there are some steps you can take—or keep taking—to help your chances of qualifying for a higher limit. In this article, you’ll learn how credit lines work and when to consider asking for an increase.

Key Takeaways

• Your credit limit is the amount you have available to borrow on a credit card account.
• You might be able to get a credit limit increase by asking for one, or your lender could offer one.
• Keeping your financial information up to date, paying your bills on time and monitoring your credit report can help if you’re looking to get a credit line increase.
• How you use the credit determines the effect it has on your credit scores.

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What Is a Credit Limit?

Your credit limit is the maximum amount of money a lender allows you to spend on a credit card. As you use your card, your available credit goes down. When you make payments, your available credit goes back up—minus any fees or other charges.

Credit limits are set by lenders. Here are some potential factors they may consider when setting your credit limit:

• Payment history: Do you pay your bills—including monthly credit card bills—on time? Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or had a debt sent to collections?
• Current accounts: How many accounts do you have open? And what kinds of loans do you have open?
• Account history: How long have you had your current accounts? Have you applied for a bunch of new credit recently?
• Credit utilization ratio: How much credit are you using compared with how much you have available?
• Income: Do you make enough money to cover your monthly bill?

Changes to Your Credit Limit

Your credit limit won’t necessarily stay the same. It can change over time as your credit scores, job or credit usage changes.

Credit limits can go lower or higher than they originally were. Lower credit limits mean that you have less money available to borrow. Higher credit limits mean you have more money available to borrow.

How to Get an Increase to Your Credit Limit

There are a couple types of credit limit increases: 

• Customer-initiated credit limit increases: A customer requests additional credit from a lender.
• Lender-initiated credit limit increases: A lender offers additional credit to a customer.

In general, additional credit is usually offered or given to customers who have shown responsible financial habits and behaviors over time. You can learn about how Capital One handles credit limit increases in this article about Capital One’s credit policies. 

While credit limit increases might be best for long-term needs, eligible Capital One customers may also be able to go over their limits for occasional spending needs with no over-the-limit fee. If your account has access, you can use the Confirm Purchasing Power tool to check if an overlimit purchase may be approved. You can also disable the ability to spend over your credit limit in your overlimit preferences.

Is It Hard to Increase Your Credit Limit?

Getting a credit line increase can depend on your personal situation. There are a few things you can do to improve your chances: 

1. Keep your financial and personal information up to date: Federal regulations require that credit card companies use up-to-date income information when considering an account for a credit limit increase. So check your account details at least once a year to make sure they’re up to date. Your lender may want to know information like your total annual income, employment status, and monthly mortgage or rent payment.
2. Pay monthly statements on time: Paying loans on time is one way to improve your payment history. It’s one indication that you’re using credit responsibly. If you have trouble staying organized, consider automatic payments or electronic reminders to help you avoid missing payments.
3. Pay more than the minimum on your credit card bills: Even if you don’t pay your full credit card balance, try to make more than the minimum payment when you can. It’s a good rule of thumb no matter what, because it can help you save money on credit card interest and improve your credit utilization ratio.
4. Review your credit report for errors: You can get free copies of your credit reports from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to learn how. And take some time to make sure your information is current and up to date. If you find a mistake, take steps to correct the error on your report. 
5. Monitor your credit: You can use a tool like CreditWise from Capital One to keep an eye on your credit, too. With CreditWise, you can access your TransUnion® credit report and weekly VantageScore® 3.0 credit score—without hurting your scores. This also helps you ensure your accounts remain secure and you catch any potential fraud or errors on your credit report. You can even explore the potential impact of your financial decisions before you make them with the CreditWise Simulator. And CreditWise is free for everyone, even if you’re not a Capital One cardholder.

When to Ask for a Credit Limit Increase

When exactly you should ask for a credit limit increase is up to you. And it depends on your own unique circumstances.

Policies for credit limit increases differ from issuer to issuer. At Capital One, for example, accounts that have only been open a few months are generally too new to be considered. If an account has received an increase or decrease in the past few months, it typically won’t be considered either.

If you are eligible for a credit limit increase, your request may be approved immediately. But sometimes requests can take a few days to review. And sometimes your issuer may ask for additional information before it can approve your request. Once your request has been reviewed, you’ll find out whether you’ve been approved for an increase through an email, online notification or letter.

How Much Should I Request for an Increased Credit Limit?

The amount you request is a personal decision. Whether you’re looking for extra flexibility to help with an unexpected emergency, a large purchase or everyday expenses, examining your goals and your financial situation can help guide your request. Just make sure the amount you request is one you’re comfortable with paying off without overextending yourself.

Keep in mind: Your request for a credit limit increase could be approved by your issuer for a lower amount than what you ask for.

How a Credit Limit Increase Could Impact Your Credit Scores

Whether you’re looking to improve your credit scores or maintain good credit scores, it’s a good idea to be aware of how changes to your credit limit impact credit scores. 

Credit utilization—how much of your available credit you’re using—is an important factor in determining your credit scores. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends you keep your ratio under 30%. 

For example, if you have only one credit card account, and it has a $5,000 balance and a credit limit of $15,000, your credit utilization ratio would be 33.3%. If your credit limit were increased to $20,000, your credit utilization ratio would drop to 25%. 

But it’s important to remember that credit utilization changes as you use and pay down your statement balance every month. 

Other Ways to Access More Credit

Applying for a second credit card is another way to try to access more credit. 

But applying for a new card can affect your credit scores. And it also means another account to keep up with and use responsibly. If you’re considering applying for another card, it might help to think about how many credit cards you should have. 

Credit Limit Increases in a Nutshell

Your credit card company may decide to automatically increase your credit limit because of changes in your personal situation or improvements in your credit scores. Or you could request an increase yourself. 

Remember, a lender isn’t guaranteed to give you an increase when you ask for one. You’ll likely be asked to provide information like your income, employment status, and monthly mortgage or rent payment. Your credit card company may weigh these along with other factors to decide whether to approve your request.

You can learn about how Capital One handles credit limit increases in this article about credit policies. Or you can check out these frequently asked questions about credit line increases at Capital One.

We hope you found this helpful. Our content is not intended to provide legal, investment or financial advice or to indicate that a particular Capital One product or service is available or right for you. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, consider talking with a qualified professional.

Capital One does not provide, endorse or guarantee any third-party product, service, information, or recommendation listed above. The third parties listed are solely responsible for their products and services, and all trademarks listed are the property of their respective owners.

Your CreditWise score is calculated using the TransUnion® VantageScore® 3.0 model, which is one of many credit scoring models. It may not be the same model your lender uses, but it can be one accurate measure of your credit health. The availability of the CreditWise tool depends on our ability to obtain your credit history from TransUnion. Some monitoring and alerts may not be available to you if the information you enter at enrollment does not match the information in your credit file at (or you do not have a file at) one or more consumer reporting agencies.

The CreditWise Simulator provides an estimate of your score change and does not guarantee how your score may change.

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