Several major issuers waive annual fees on their personal credit cards for active-duty service members, and in many cases for military spouses as well. American Express, Chase, Capital One, Citi, and Bank of America all offer some version of this benefit under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and the Military Lending Act (MLA). The savings are real: the Amex Platinum’s $895 fee and the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $795 fee both drop to zero, while cardholders keep the travel credits, lounge access, and rewards.
Which Cards and Fees Get Waived
Coverage varies by issuer, but the pattern is consistent: personal cards yes, business cards no, and premium cards produce the biggest savings.
American Express
American Express waives annual fees on all personal credit cards for active-duty service members under both the SCRA and MLA.{1American Express. Service Members Civil Relief and MLA FAQs} That covers the Platinum Card’s $895 annual fee{2American Express. How Much Is the American Express Platinum Card Annual Fee} and the Gold Card’s $325 fee.{3American Express. How Much Is the American Express Gold Card Annual Fee} Amex also confirms that “interest” for SCRA purposes includes annual membership fees, late fees, and returned payment fees. The waiver extends to spouses and domestic partners, whether they hold their own card or are added as authorized users. The credit typically shows up within one or two billing cycles after status is verified.
Chase
Chase waives annual fees on all personal credit cards for active-duty members and their dependent spouses. The Sapphire Reserve carries a $795 annual fee and a $195 authorized user fee,{4Chase. The Most Rewarding Cards Are Here: The New Chase Sapphire} and military cardholders keep the $300 annual travel credit and all other benefits while paying nothing.{5Chase. Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card} The Sapphire Preferred and its $95 fee are also covered.{6Chase. Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card} Chase applies SCRA benefits to accounts opened before service and MLA benefits to accounts opened during service.{7Chase. Servicemembers Civil Relief Act} A spouse can hold the card in their own name without the service member as co-applicant and still get the waiver.
Capital One
Capital One waives annual fees on personal cards for active-duty members under the SCRA. The Venture X normally carries a $395 annual fee and includes a $300 travel credit and airport lounge access.{8Capital One. All About the Capital One Venture X Credit Card} Discover, now part of Capital One, routes military customers to Capital One’s benefits portal for SCRA requests on both Discover and Capital One accounts.{9Discover. SCRA Credit Card Benefits for US Servicemembers}
Citi
Citi waives annual fees on personal credit cards for eligible service members under both the SCRA and MLA. Covered cards include the Strata Elite (with a reported annual fee near $695) and the Strata Premier at $95.{10Citi. Citi Strata Premier – Travel Credit Card} MLA eligibility extends to spouses and to Guard or Reserve members on Title 10 orders of 30 days or longer. Under the SCRA, Citi caps interest at 6 percent and waives applicable fees on pre-service accounts.
Bank of America
Bank of America advertises waived fees and special rates on credit cards under the SCRA.{11Bank of America. Military Benefits Overview} Its Premium Rewards Elite card, with a $550 annual fee, has been reported as eligible for MLA fee waivers, though cardholder experience varies: some receive a full $550 credit and others see only a partial waiver. The bank tends to apply MLA credits automatically after the fee posts. If the fee appears on your statement, give it a billing cycle before contacting the military benefits line.
Who Qualifies
Full-time active-duty members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard qualify under both statutes. National Guard and Reserve members qualify when serving on federal Title 10 orders for more than 30 days.{12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 50 USC Chapter 50 – Servicemembers Civil Relief} Guard members on state Title 32 orders have a narrower path: SCRA protection applies only when they have been called to active service by the President or the Secretary of Defense for more than 30 days.{13MyArmyBenefits. Servicemembers Civil Relief Act}
Under the MLA, “covered borrower” includes the service member’s spouse and children under age 21.{14Federal Reserve. Consumer Compliance Handbook – Military Lending Act} A spouse can open a premium card in their own name during the service member’s active duty and receive the same waiver. Some issuers also waive fees for spouses added as authorized users, though details vary.
Business Cards Are Not Covered
Neither the SCRA nor the MLA applies to business credit cards. Both laws cover consumer credit only, so a card issued to a business entity falls outside their scope.{15eCFR. 32 CFR Part 232 – Limitations on Terms of Consumer Credit Extended to Service Members and Dependents} This catches people off guard, because cards like the Amex Business Platinum look nearly identical to their personal counterparts and carry similar fees. If you hold both versions, expect the waiver on the personal card and the full charge on the business one.
How to Request the Waiver
Most issuers verify military status by running your Social Security number against the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Some apply the waiver automatically once status is confirmed; others require you to initiate the request.
- Log in to your account and use the secure messaging portal or a dedicated military benefits page to upload documents and submit the request.
- Have your active-duty start date ready. Some banks also ask for Permanent Change of Station orders or a Statement of Service letter from your command.
- If no online option exists, call the issuer’s military service line. Chase, for example, maintains a separate number for military services.
You can also pull your own SCRA status certificate through the Defense Manpower Data Center’s website before contacting your bank.{16Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) Website. Welcome to SCRA} That official report verifies Title 10 active-duty status and cuts down on back-and-forth over documentation. Make sure every detail on your request matches your official military records exactly. Small discrepancies slow things down.
A successful waiver appears as a statement credit offsetting the annual fee. If it does not show up within two billing cycles, call the military benefits line rather than general customer service. Most issuers automate the waiver for subsequent years, so you will not need to re-submit while your active-duty status remains in DEERS.
What Happens When You Leave Active Duty
Once you separate or retire, issuers reinstate the annual fees you have been avoiding. The grace period varies:
- American Express sends a notice at least 45 days before the relief end date, after which any waived annual fees become due.
- Chase extends SCRA benefits for up to one year after your active-duty end date.
- Capital One continues fee waivers for up to one year post-separation.
- Citi ends SCRA benefits within 180 days of your active-duty end date.
- Bank of America provides roughly six months of continued benefits on credit card accounts.
Before that window closes, audit every card in your wallet. A card that made sense at $0 might not make sense at $795 or $895. You can downgrade premium cards to no-annual-fee versions in the same product family to preserve your credit history and accumulated rewards. The Amex Platinum can drop to the no-fee Green or an EveryDay card; the Sapphire Reserve can drop to a Freedom card. Do this before the fee posts, since a charge already on the statement puts you inside a tighter refund window.