The short answer: there is no single minimum, and many cards exist for people with no score at all

Credit card issuers do not publish a required credit score. Some cards are designed for people with no credit history or a damaged one, while others require a score of 700 or higher. The card you can get depends on what you are trying to do: build credit from zero, rebuild after missed payments, or access rewards on an existing good score.

The reason there is no universal minimum is that "credit score" itself is not one number. You have multiple scores from different companies using different math. A lender might use Equifax's score, Experian's, or TransUnion's — or none of them, and instead look at your payment history directly. This means you could be turned down by one card and approved by another on the same day.

What matters more than the number is understanding what each type of card is built for, and matching your actual situation to the right product.

Key Takeaways

  • Secured credit cards and store cards often have no stated score requirement and are designed for people building or rebuilding credit.
  • Unsecured cards for fair credit typically want a score in the 580–669 range, though exact thresholds vary by issuer.
  • Premium rewards cards usually require a score of 700 or higher, often 750 or above.
  • Your credit score comes from payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, new credit inquiries, and credit mix — not from income or employment.
  • You can check your own credit score for free from AnnualCreditReport.com (the official source) without affecting your score.

Cards for people with no credit score or a very low one

If you have never had a credit card, loan, or utility account in your name, you have no credit score yet. You are not penalized for this — you are simply new. The same applies if your score has dropped below 580 due to missed payments or collections.

Secured credit cards are the standard entry point. You deposit cash with the card issuer (usually $200 to $2,500), and that deposit becomes your credit limit. You use the card like any other, pay the bill each month, and after 6 to 18 months of on-time payments, the issuer converts it to a regular unsecured card and returns your deposit. Discover, Capital One, and U.S. Bank all offer secured cards with no stated score requirement. The deposit is not a fee — it is your own money held as collateral.

Store credit cards (from Target, Kohl's, Amazon, or similar retailers) often approve people with lower or no scores because the issuer already knows you shop there. These cards work only at that store or its partners, but approval is faster and the credit limit is usually lower, which means less risk for the issuer. Store cards report to the credit bureaus just like bank cards do, so they build your score the same way.

Authorized user status is another path if someone with good credit is willing to add you to their card. You get a card linked to their account, and their payment history may appear on your credit report. This does not require a score check, but it depends on someone else's account and can be removed at any time.

Cards for fair credit (scores roughly 580–669)

Once you have made on-time payments for several months or your score has recovered somewhat, you move into the "fair credit" range. Cards in this tier are designed for people rebuilding or with a short credit history. They typically have higher interest rates and lower credit limits than premium cards, but they are real unsecured cards — no deposit required.

Capital One, Discover, and Chime all offer cards marketed to this range. Some have no annual fee; others charge $39 to $99 per year. Many offer a path to a higher limit or better terms after 6 to 12 months of on-time payments. The interest rate on these cards often starts at 18% to 24% APR, which is why carrying a balance is expensive — but if you pay in full each month, the rate does not matter.

At this score level, you will likely be approved for a card, but you may not may have access to for the best terms. That is normal and temporary. The goal is to use the card responsibly for 12 to 24 months, then apply for something better.

Cards for good credit (scores roughly 670–739)

Once your score reaches the "good" range, you have more options. Cards at this level often have lower interest rates (14% to 20% APR), higher credit limits, and may include basic rewards like 1% cash back on all purchases. You are no longer rebuilding — you are maintaining and optimizing.

Issuers at this tier include Chase, Bank of America, and Citi, alongside the issuers who serve lower scores. You may see annual fees appear, but they are usually offset by rewards or benefits. A card with a $95 annual fee that gives you 3% cash back on groceries pays for itself if you spend $3,200 a year on groceries.

This is the range where you can start to be selective about which card fits your spending. If you eat out often, a card with bonus categories for dining makes sense. If you travel, a card with travel credits or lounge access becomes worth the fee.

Cards for excellent credit (scores 740 and above)

Premium rewards cards and travel cards typically require a score of 740 or higher, and many prefer 750 or above. These cards offer the best interest rates (often 12% to 18% APR, though you should not carry a balance anyway), the highest credit limits, and the richest rewards: 2% to 5% cash back in specific categories, airline miles, hotel points, or sign-up bonuses worth hundreds of dollars.

The tradeoff is cost. Annual fees range from $95 to $550 or more. These cards are designed for people who spend enough to earn back the fee through rewards and who pay their balance in full each month. If you carry a balance, the interest charges quickly erase any rewards value.

At this score level, you are also more likely to be approved for a higher credit limit and to receive offers for cards you did not apply for.

How your credit score is actually calculated

Understanding what goes into your score helps you know what to expect. The most common scoring model (FICO) weighs five factors: payment history (35%), amounts owed relative to your limits (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit inquiries (10%), and credit mix — having different types of credit like cards, loans, and installment accounts (10%).

Your income, employment, age, and where you live do not affect your credit score. Neither does checking your own score. Only hard inquiries (when a lender checks your score as part of an application) and soft inquiries (when you check it yourself) count differently — hard inquiries can lower your score slightly for a few months, soft inquiries do not affect it at all.

This is why you can safely check your own score without worry. The official source is AnnualCreditReport.com, which gives you one free report per year from each of the three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Many card issuers and banks also offer free score monitoring to their customers, and that does not count as a hard inquiry either.

What happens when you apply for a card

When you apply, the issuer will pull your credit report and score. This is a hard inquiry and may lower your score by a few points for a few months. If you are approved, the new account appears on your report and affects your score in two ways: it lowers your average age of accounts (new accounts are younger), and it may lower your score slightly because of the hard inquiry. Over time, as you make on-time payments, the new account helps your score by adding to your payment history and credit mix.

If you are denied, you have the right to know why. The issuer must tell you which bureau they used and provide contact information. You can then check that report for errors. If your score was the reason, you now know what range you are in and can either wait a few months and reapply, or look for a card designed for your score range.

Applying for multiple cards in a short time (within 30 days) counts as multiple hard inquiries, which can add up. However, inquiries for the same type of credit (like multiple credit card applications) within 45 days often count as a single inquiry in FICO scoring, so spacing applications a month apart is safer than applying to several cards in one week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a credit score to get a credit card?

No. Secured cards and store cards often approve people with no score at all. You do need a Social Security number and to be at least 18 years old, but you do not need existing credit. Starting with a secured card is the standard way to build a score from zero.

Will checking my credit score hurt my score?

No. Checking your own score is a soft inquiry and does not affect it. Only hard inquiries (when a lender checks your score as part of an application) may lower your score slightly. You can check your score for free at AnnualCreditReport.com or through many banks and card issuers without any impact.

How long does it take to build a credit score high enough for a good rewards card?

Most people see movement within 3 to 6 months of on-time payments. Reaching the "good" range (670+) typically takes 12 to 24 months if you start from zero or after a major negative event. The exact timeline depends on your starting point and how much credit history you have.

Can I get approved for a premium card with a score of 700?

Maybe. A score of 700 is at the lower end of "good" credit, and some premium cards will approve you, but many prefer 740 or higher. Your approval also depends on your income, existing debt, and payment history. If you are denied, you are not far from the threshold — waiting a few more months of on-time payments may help.

What if I was denied for a card?

You have the right to know why. The issuer must provide the reason and the bureau they used. Check that report for errors at AnnualCreditReport.com. If your score was the issue, look for a card designed for your score range and reapply in a few months after making on-time payments. Do not apply to multiple cards immediately after a denial — each application is a hard inquiry.