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How many Capital One credit cards can you have?
Consider which cards you really want and apply only for those.
Capital One is one of many card providers with credit card limitations, but it’s one of the rare ones that permits very few credit cards per customer. Because of that, it’s important you only apply for the Capital One cards you really want.
Capital One credit card limitation rules
Capital One limits consumer credit cards to two cards per individual. Technically, you can have more than two Capital One cards but for some of the cards, Capital One doesn’t accept new applications.
Here’s how some cardholders have more than two Capital One credit cards:
- Old credit card accounts.
They already had more than two Capital One cards when this rule was implemented in 2011. If they decided to keep their cards, the rule didn’t affect them.
- Capital One acquired banks.
Individuals who held credit cards by banks bought by Capital One, such as HSBC, don’t count toward the two-card rule.
- Cobranded credit cards.
Cobranded cards issued by Capital One and a retailer don’t count toward the rule. For example, you can get a GM BuyPower Business Card from Capital One® in addition to your two Capital One cards without conflicting the rule.
- Secured credit cards.
Capital One’s secured cards don’t count toward the rule. If you started with a secured Capital One credit card and managed to build your credit, you are still eligible for two more Capital One credit card slots.
- Business credit cards.
You can freely add Capital One business credit cards to your personal card selection if you need more than two without conflicting the two-card rule.
Is it possible to have more than two Capital One credit cards?
Some Finder readers claim they have applied for more than two Capital One credit cards after Capital One imposed this rule, and they claim they were approved.
Others claim that this rule only applies to Capital One’s subprime cards:
- Capital One® Platinum Credit Card
- Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®
- Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card
While the total number of Capital One credit cards you can have is five.
Compare Capital One credit cards
If you don’t have two Capital One credit cards, you can safely apply for one of their cards. But if you already have two, consider applying for a credit card from another provider.
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Is it possible to combine Capital One credit cards?
Capital One used to allow combining credit cards they issue. This was a good way to combine two cards’ balances and credit limits into one and to leave room for another credit card application.
But this option is temporarily disabled. Call Capital One and ask to combine credit cards in case they’ve resumed this practice.
If you can’t combine credit cards but you still want a better card, consider product change. Capital One often allows its customers to change from one credit card to another without actually applying for the card.
Bottom line
Capital One doesn’t allow for more than two consumer credit cards per individual. But you can bypass this rule by applying for a cobranded credit card or asking for a product change.
But if this sounds like a hassle without meeting your financial needs, compare cards from other providers until you find the right card for your wallet.
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