Not using a credit card does hurt your score, but the damage is usually small and temporary
A card you never use will not tank your credit score overnight. But it does create two separate problems: your credit utilization ratio stays the same while your available credit shrinks, and the card itself may close due to inactivity, which removes that available credit from your report entirely. The first problem costs you a few points. The second can cost you 10 to 50 points, depending on how much credit the closed card represented.
The damage is temporary. Your score will recover once you use the card again or once the closed account ages off your report (typically seven years). But if you are trying to maintain a high score or you are about to apply for a loan, inactivity can work against you at exactly the wrong moment.
Key Takeaways
- Unused cards do not directly lower your score, but they can close automatically after 6 to 12 months of inactivity, which removes available credit and temporarily reduces your score by 10 to 50 points.
- Your credit utilization ratio — the percentage of your total available credit you are actually using — matters more than the total number of cards you own.
- A single small purchase every few months on an unused card will keep it open and prevent the score drop that comes with account closure.
- Closed accounts stay on your credit report for seven years, so the damage is not permanent, but it can affect loan applications during that time.
- Closing a card yourself causes the same score drop as the card closing on its own, so inactivity is not a reason to close it.
Why card issuers close inactive accounts
Credit card companies close accounts that show no activity because dormant accounts cost them money to maintain and create liability if the card is lost or stolen. Most issuers define inactivity as no purchases, balance transfers, or cash advances for 6 to 12 months, though some are more lenient. A few cards, particularly premium travel cards with annual fees, may close faster if you do not use them.
The issuer will usually send you a notice before closing the account, but the notice may arrive by mail and you might miss it. Once the account closes, the card stops working immediately, even if you have a balance. You can still pay off what you owe, but you cannot make new purchases.
How account closure affects your credit utilization
Your credit utilization ratio is the total amount you owe divided by your total available credit across all cards. If you have three cards with $5,000 limits each ($15,000 total) and you carry a $3,000 balance, your utilization is 20 percent. If one card closes, your available credit drops to $10,000, and your utilization jumps to 30 percent — even though you did not borrow any additional money.
Credit scoring models treat higher utilization as riskier, so your score drops when a card closes. The drop is usually 10 to 50 points depending on how much of your total available credit that card represented. If the closed card was a small part of your total credit (say, a $1,000 limit when you have $50,000 total), the impact is minimal. If it was a large part, the impact is larger.
This is why closing a card yourself is just as damaging as letting it close on its own. The utilization ratio changes either way.
The difference between a closed account and an inactive one
An inactive card that remains open does not hurt your score at all. The card still counts toward your available credit, so your utilization ratio stays the same. You are simply not using it. This is the ideal scenario if you want to keep a card around without paying an annual fee.
Once the card closes — whether you close it or the issuer does — it stops counting toward your available credit immediately. Your score drops at that moment. The closed account itself stays on your credit report for seven years, but it no longer affects your utilization ratio after the first few months.
How to keep a card open without using it regularly
The simplest way to prevent closure is to make a small purchase every few months — a gas station transaction, a coffee, anything that shows activity. You do not need to carry a balance. A single $5 purchase every three months is enough to keep most cards open indefinitely. Pay it off in full when the statement arrives, and you will have no interest charges.
Some cards have no annual fee, so there is no cost to keeping them open even if you never use them. Other cards charge an annual fee, and in that case you have to decide whether the card is worth keeping. If it is a premium travel card with a high annual fee and you are not using it, closing it yourself is often the right choice — you will take the score hit once, but you will stop paying the fee.
Set a phone reminder or calendar alert if you tend to forget. Many people keep a card open specifically for its available credit, even if they never plan to use it. That available credit helps your utilization ratio and can be a safety net in an emergency.
When inactivity matters most for your score
The timing of a card closure can matter a lot. If a card closes two weeks before you apply for a mortgage, your utilization ratio will be higher at the exact moment the lender pulls your credit report. That higher ratio could cost you points on your credit score, which could affect your interest rate or loan approval.
If you are planning to apply for a loan in the next few months, check your inactive cards now and use them if they are at risk of closing. A single purchase will reset the inactivity clock. If a card has already closed, there is not much you can do except wait — the damage is temporary, and your score will recover as you continue to use your other cards responsibly.
For routine credit building with no major loan application on the horizon, inactivity is a minor concern. Your score fluctuates constantly based on your balance, payment history, and other factors. A closed account will lower your score, but it is not a catastrophe.
How long the damage lasts
The score drop from a closed account is usually worst in the first month or two. After that, the impact gradually lessens as the account ages and as your other credit activity continues. Within six to twelve months of responsible use on your other cards, the closed account will have much less effect on your score.
The closed account itself remains on your credit report for seven years from the date it closed. During that time, it still shows up when lenders pull your report, but it has less weight than active accounts. After seven years, it disappears from your report entirely, and it no longer affects your score at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my credit score go down if I don't use a card for a month?
No. A card that is inactive for a month will not close or affect your score. Most issuers wait 6 to 12 months of inactivity before closing an account. You can leave a card unused for weeks or even a few months without any score impact.
What happens if I use a card once and then don't use it again?
That single use resets the inactivity clock. The issuer will count the months from that last transaction, so you will have another 6 to 12 months before the account is at risk of closing. One purchase every few months is enough to keep a card open indefinitely.
Does having multiple unused cards help or hurt my credit score?
Multiple unused cards help your score because they add to your total available credit, which lowers your utilization ratio. The cards themselves do not hurt you as long as they stay open. The problem only starts if they close due to inactivity.
Can I reopen a card after it closes due to inactivity?
You can contact the issuer and ask them to reopen it, but they are not required to agree. Some issuers will reopen an account within a short window (30 to 60 days) if you request it. After that window closes, you would need to apply for a new card from that issuer. A new application will trigger a hard inquiry, which temporarily lowers your score by a few points.
Should I close a card I'm not using to avoid temptation?
Closing a card hurts your score just as much as letting it close on its own, so closing it for discipline reasons is not worth the score damage. If you are worried about overspending, consider removing the card from your wallet or asking the issuer to lower your credit limit instead.