Yes, you can get a debit card for your kid. Most major banks offer joint teen checking accounts with a linked debit card once a child turns 13, and several fintech companies issue prepaid cards for children as young as 6 through a parent-controlled app. In either case, federal rules require an adult to co-own the account because minors cannot independently enter into contracts, which means you sign the agreement and carry the legal responsibility for how the card is used.
How Old Does My Child Have to Be
There is no single federal minimum age. Traditional banks generally set the floor at 13 for their teen checking products. Prepaid cards built for families often start at 6 or 8.
The 13-year mark comes from the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which restricts how online services collect personal information from children under that age. Any app that knowingly collects data from a child under 13 has to get verifiable parental consent first.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 6502 – Regulation of Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices in Connection With the Collection and Use of Personal Information From and About Children on the Internet For a financial app, that can mean verifying your identity through a card transaction, a government ID check, or a call with trained staff.2Federal Trade Commission. Complying With COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions Many banks skip the extra verification plumbing by refusing applications for anyone under 13, while family-focused fintechs build it in on purpose.
What You’ll Need to Open the Account
Every bank has to run a Customer Identification Program before opening an account. That means collecting each account holder’s legal name, date of birth, address, and taxpayer identification number, which for most U.S. residents is a Social Security number.3eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks You and your child both have to provide this information.
If your child does not qualify for a Social Security number, an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) may work. The IRS issues ITINs to people who need a federal tax ID but aren’t eligible for an SSN.4Internal Revenue Service. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Not every bank accepts an ITIN in this context, so ask before you apply.
Beyond the taxpayer ID, plan to bring:
- Your government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, or state ID)
- Your child’s birth certificate, often a certified copy, to confirm the parent-child relationship
- Proof of your current address, such as a utility bill, lease, or bank statement
Make sure the names on everything match. A discrepancy between a birth certificate and an SSN card is a common reason applications get held up.
Bank Teen Account or Fintech Prepaid Card
Two models dominate.
A Joint Checking Account at a Bank
Most major banks offer a teen checking product that you open as a co-owner, usually once your child turns 13. Your child gets a standard debit card drawing on the shared balance. These accounts often waive the monthly fee for minors and come with mobile banking, direct deposit, and in-network ATM access. The card can be overdrawn if you opt into overdraft coverage.
A Prepaid Card From a Family Fintech
Providers such as Greenlight, GoHenry, and FamZoo issue prepaid cards you load through an app. They accept younger children, sometimes starting at age 6, and typically charge a monthly subscription somewhere between $5 and $15 depending on the plan. In exchange you get tighter parental controls: category-level spending limits, instant lock and unlock, real-time alerts. Because the card is prepaid, it cannot be overdrawn. Some providers give you a virtual card number right away so your child can use it online or in a mobile wallet before the plastic arrives.
Physical cards generally show up at your address within seven to ten business days. Activation runs through a sticker phone number or the provider’s app, and either you or your child sets a PIN during that step.
What You’re on the Hook For
Because your child can’t be legally bound by a contract, the bank treats you as the responsible party. The account agreement makes you liable for the balance, the fees, and any negative balance your child’s spending creates. Your child is an authorized user; you are the owner on the hook.
That same structure gives you broad authority. You can watch transactions in real time, adjust daily spending limits, freeze the card, close it, or pull the entire balance without your child’s permission.
If you opt into overdraft coverage and the account goes negative, you owe the fees. A single overdraft charge can run around $35.5FDIC.gov. Overdraft and Account Fees The simplest way to avoid this is to decline overdraft coverage at account opening, which tells the bank to just refuse any transaction that would push the balance below zero.
If the Card Is Lost or Used Without Permission
Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized debit card use, but the cap depends on how fast you report the problem. Under Regulation E, the tiers run on a sliding scale:6eCFR. 12 CFR Part 1005 – Electronic Fund Transfers (Regulation E)
- Report within 2 business days of learning about the loss or theft: your maximum liability is $50, or the unauthorized amount if it’s lower.
- Report after 2 business days but before 60 days: liability can climb to $500.
- Report more than 60 days after the statement showing the unauthorized charges: no cap on later transfers.
The clock starts when you find out, not when the charge posts. If your child says Monday that the card is missing, you have two business days from Monday to call for the lowest tier. Banks have to extend these deadlines a reasonable amount for extenuating circumstances like a hospital stay.6eCFR. 12 CFR Part 1005 – Electronic Fund Transfers (Regulation E)
Tell your child to flag a missing card or an unrecognized charge the moment they notice. A phone call or app notification to the bank is enough; written follow-up is a good idea but not a prerequisite.
Fees to Watch For
Costs vary a lot between banks and fintechs. The ones that catch most families:
- Monthly maintenance fees. Teen checking accounts at banks often have none. Fintech prepaid cards usually run $5 to $15 a month.
- Overdraft fees. Around $35 per transaction if you’ve opted in. Prepaid cards sidestep this entirely because they decline when the balance runs out.5FDIC.gov. Overdraft and Account Fees
- Out-of-network ATM fees. Typically $2 to $3 from your own bank plus a surcharge from the ATM operator. Some youth accounts waive a handful of these each month.
- Card replacement fees. $5 to $25 depending on the provider, with the first replacement often free.
Read the fee schedule before you sign. Most of these are avoidable once you know they exist.
A Note on Custodial (UTMA) Accounts
If someone suggests a Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or UGMA account for your child’s debit card, pause. A custodial account is a different animal. Money deposited into it is an irrevocable gift to the child and legally belongs to the minor from the moment it goes in. You act as custodian with a fiduciary duty to manage the funds for the child’s benefit, and withdrawals have to serve the child’s interests, not yours.
When your child reaches the age set by state law, which is 18 in most states and 21 or 25 in some, they gain full unrestricted access. The former custodian loses all authority at that point.
For a spending card you control, a joint checking account fits better. Custodial accounts are built for longer-term savings and investments you intend to hand off.
What Changes When Your Child Turns 18
The age of majority is 18 in most states, with a few at 19 or 21. Once your child reaches it, they can open and manage accounts on their own.
The existing joint account doesn’t automatically transform. Some banks convert a teen account into a standard adult checking account; others leave both names on it until someone asks for a change. Your child can open a new individual account and move the balance whenever they’re ready.
As long as your name stays on the joint account, you still have access to the money and you’re still liable under the agreement. If you both want a clean break, have your child open a new solo account and remove you from the old one or close it.
For a UTMA account, control transfers to your child automatically at the state-set age. No parental sign-off is needed after that, and your authority as custodian ends.