Not using a credit card does not directly hurt your score, but inactivity can trigger account closure — and that closure does hurt it.

The damage does not come from the card sitting unused. It comes from what happens next. Credit card companies close inactive accounts to reduce their own costs. When an account closes, two things change on your credit report: your available credit shrinks, and the account's payment history stops being updated. Both of these can lower your score, sometimes by 10 to 50 points depending on how much credit you had available and how old the account was.

The timing varies. Some issuers close accounts after six months of no activity. Others wait a year or longer. There is no federal rule that forces them to close inactive accounts, so each company sets its own threshold. If you want to keep an account open, the solution is simple: use it occasionally, even for a small purchase you would make anyway.

Key Takeaways

  • Inactivity itself does not lower your score, but card issuers often close unused accounts, and that closure can reduce your score by 10 to 50 points.
  • A closed account shrinks your total available credit, which raises your credit utilization ratio — the percentage of your credit limit you are using.
  • You can keep an account open by using it occasionally, even for a small purchase like a coffee or a gas fill-up.
  • Older accounts are more valuable to your score because they show a longer history of responsible credit use, so closing them costs you more points than closing newer ones.

How account closure affects your credit utilization ratio

Your credit utilization ratio is the percentage of your total available credit that you are currently using. If you have three cards with $5,000 limits each ($15,000 total) and you carry a $3,000 balance on one card, your utilization is 20 percent. Credit scoring models treat lower utilization as a sign of responsible credit management.

When a card issuer closes an inactive account, your available credit drops. Using the example above: if the issuer closes one of your $5,000 cards, your total available credit falls to $10,000. That same $3,000 balance now represents 30 percent utilization instead of 20 percent. The balance itself did not change, but your ratio got worse, and your score drops. The larger the closed card's limit was, the bigger the hit.

This is why people sometimes see their score fall after paying off a card and closing it. They think paying off the balance should help, and it does — but closing the account removes the available credit that was helping their ratio, and the damage outweighs the benefit.

Why older accounts matter more than newer ones

Your length of credit history makes up about 15 percent of your credit score. Older accounts are worth more because they show you have managed credit responsibly over time. A card you have held for ten years is more valuable to your score than one you opened last month.

When you close an old account, you lose that history. The account stays on your credit report for seven years after closure, but it stops being updated with new activity. This matters less if the account has a perfect payment history — the old record still counts. But if you close an account and later open a new one to replace it, you are starting the clock over on a shorter history.

This is another reason to keep old cards open even if you do not use them regularly. The cost of a small purchase every few months is far less than the score damage from losing years of credit history.

How often you need to use a card to keep it open

Most card issuers do not publish their exact inactivity thresholds, but industry practice suggests using a card at least once every six to twelve months keeps it safe from closure. Some issuers are more lenient; others are stricter. If you want to be certain, you can call the customer service number on the back of your card and ask directly what their policy is.

You do not need to carry a balance or make large purchases. A single small transaction — a $5 coffee, a $10 gas purchase, a subscription renewal — counts as activity. The issuer is looking for a signal that the account is active and worth keeping open, not a minimum spending level.

If you are worried about forgetting, set a phone reminder for every four months to use each card you want to keep. Or set up a small recurring charge (like a streaming service) on the card and pay it off in full each month. This keeps the account active without costing you anything extra.

The difference between closing a card yourself and the issuer closing it

If you close a card yourself, the damage to your score is the same as if the issuer closes it: your available credit shrinks and your utilization ratio rises. The only difference is that you control the timing. You might close a card strategically — for example, after paying down other balances so your utilization stays low — rather than having it closed unexpectedly.

Closing a card yourself also means you can plan which account to close. If you have multiple cards, close a newer one rather than an older one. The older account's longer history is more valuable to your score, so losing it costs you more points.

In most cases, though, keeping a card open is better than closing it. The score damage from closure is usually larger than any benefit you get from simplifying your wallet or reducing temptation to overspend.

When keeping an unused card actually makes sense

Keeping a card open is worth doing if the card has no annual fee. If the card charges an annual fee and you are not using it, you have a real choice to make: pay the fee to keep the account open, or close it and accept the score hit.

The math depends on your situation. If your score is already strong and you have other old accounts, closing a newer card with an annual fee might cost you only 5 to 10 points. If your score is lower or you do not have much credit history, the same closure could cost 30 to 50 points. Only you can decide whether the fee is worth the score protection.

There is also a practical reason to keep cards open: they give you backup payment methods if your primary card is lost, stolen, or compromised. Having a second or third card available is a form of financial security, separate from the credit score question.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my score go back up if I start using the card again?

If the card is still open, yes — your utilization ratio will improve as you use the card and pay it off, and your score will recover. If the issuer already closed the account, the closure is permanent, but the account will age off your credit report after seven years and stop affecting your score.

Does paying off a card in full hurt my score?

No. Paying off a balance lowers your utilization ratio, which helps your score. The only way paying off a card hurts you is if you then close the account, removing the available credit that was helping your ratio.

What if I have a card with a high interest rate and I am not using it?

Keep it open but use it occasionally to prevent closure. You do not need to carry a balance — in fact, you should not, because interest charges cost you money. Make a small purchase and pay it off in full each month. This keeps the account active without costing you anything.

Can I ask the issuer not to close my account?

Yes. If you receive a notice that your account is being closed for inactivity, you can call customer service and ask them to keep it open. Many issuers will honor the request, especially if you have a good payment history. Even if they say no, there is no harm in asking.

Does having too many open cards hurt my score?

Having many open cards does not hurt your score directly. In fact, more available credit usually helps your utilization ratio. The risk is behavioral: if having many cards tempts you to overspend or miss payments, that will hurt your score. But the accounts themselves, if unused and paid on time, are not a problem.