To add a minor to your credit card, call your issuer or log into your online account, choose the option to add an authorized user, and enter your child’s name, date of birth, and (in most cases) Social Security number. Your child then receives a card tied to your credit line without having to qualify on their own. The catch is that every charge is legally yours, and the account’s payment history will show up on both of your credit reports.
Check Your Issuer’s Minimum Age First
Federal law sets no minimum age for authorized users. The CARD Act of 2009 restricts who can open their own account before 21, but it says nothing about being added to someone else’s.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1637 – Open End Consumer Credit Plans Each issuer picks its own floor, so confirm your card’s rule before you start.
A few of the largest issuers:
- American Express requires authorized users to be at least 13.2American Express. Additional Card Membership
- Barclays also requires a minimum age of 13.
- Chase says the minimum is generally 13.3Chase. Credit Cards for Teens: What to Consider
- Capital One does not publish a minimum age for basic authorized users, though online account access for the authorized user requires age 18 and a verified Social Security number.4Capital One. Understanding Personal Credit Card User Roles
Policies change. Call the number on the back of your card or look at your cardmember agreement before you assume your child qualifies.
What You’ll Need to Provide
Most issuers ask for the same short list:
- Your child’s full legal name, spelled exactly as it appears on their ID, so the request doesn’t stall in processing.
- Date of birth, which the issuer uses to check any age minimum.
- Social Security number. Some issuers require it upfront; others only ask if you want the account reported to the credit bureaus. Capital One, for example, only needs a name, date of birth, and phone number for a basic authorized user, and asks for the SSN when you want higher-access permissions or credit reporting.
If your child doesn’t have a Social Security number yet, some issuers will still add them, but nothing will be reported to the credit bureaus without one. An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is meant for federal tax purposes and generally isn’t accepted in its place.5Internal Revenue Service. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
How to Submit the Request
You have three channels with most issuers:
- Online: log in, find something like “Manage Users” or “Add Authorized User” under account services, enter the information, and submit.
- By phone: call the number on the back of your card. Expect to pass a security check before the representative processes it.
- By mail: some issuers still send a paper form on request. It’s the slowest route.
After approval, a physical card printed with your child’s name usually arrives in seven to ten business days by standard mail. Expedited shipping may be available for a fee. Your account dashboard should show the new authorized user within a few days.
Is There a Fee?
On most no-annual-fee cards, adding an authorized user costs nothing. Premium cards are where fees show up:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: $195 per authorized user.
- The Platinum Card from American Express: $195 per authorized user, though companion Gold cards can be added at no cost.
- Capital One Venture X: no charge for up to four authorized users, though beginning in 2026 a $125 fee will apply per card for lounge access.
If your goal is credit-building rather than card perks, and your main card charges a per-user fee, a no-fee card in your wallet may be the better one to attach your child to.
You’re Responsible for Every Charge
As the primary cardholder, you owe every dollar your child spends. The minor isn’t a party to your credit card agreement and has no legal obligation to repay any charges, including ones you didn’t approve. Unpaid balances become your problem: the issuer will pursue you for the full amount plus interest and late fees, and any collection action, lawsuit, or wage garnishment lands on you, not on the authorized user.
Late fees are set under federal safe harbor rules and interest compounds at your card’s APR, so a stretch of overspending can get expensive fast.6Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Credit Card Penalty Fees (Regulation Z)
Gift Tax Is Usually Not an Issue, but Worth Knowing
If your child charges large amounts that you pay off, the IRS could treat those payments as gifts. For 2026, you can give up to $19,000 per person per year before gift tax reporting kicks in.7Internal Revenue Service. What’s New – Estate and Gift Tax Tuition or medical expenses paid directly to the institution don’t count toward that limit.8Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions on Gift Taxes Ordinary teen spending stays far below $19,000, but keep it in mind if the card is running big-ticket purchases.
What It Does to Your Child’s Credit
When the issuer reports the account to the credit bureaus, your payment history and credit age start appearing on your child’s credit report too. Steady on-time payments and low balances can help your child build a credit profile years before they apply for anything on their own.
The reverse is also true. High utilization or a missed payment shows up on their report as readily as it does on yours. Only attach your child to an account you’re confident you’ll keep in good shape.
One catch: the SSN has to be on file with the issuer for the account to reach the credit bureaus. Without it, your child can use the card, but no credit history is being built.
Managing How the Card Gets Used
Authorized users share your full credit line, so it helps to agree on the rules before the card leaves the envelope. Issuers give you a few tools:
- Purchase alerts: real-time push notifications through the mobile app for every transaction, or only for ones above an amount you pick.9Chase. Setting a Spending Limit for Authorized Users
- Card lock: many issuers let you instantly lock and unlock an authorized user’s card from the app.
- Per-user spending caps: generally only available on business cards. On personal cards, most issuers don’t offer them, so alerts and locking are your main controls.
Talking with your child about what the card is for, whether that’s gas, school supplies, or emergencies, does more than any app setting. Some families start with a narrow list of approved uses and expand it as their child shows they can handle it.
Removing Your Child From the Account
You can revoke access by calling customer service, using the website, or using the mobile app. The change usually takes effect right away, and any card in your child’s possession stops working.
After removal, the account may drop off your child’s credit report. If it doesn’t, they can contact each credit bureau and ask to have it removed. Once it’s gone, so is every bit of positive history it carried, including payment record and credit age. If your child has no other accounts, their score can fall or become unscorable.
Give your child a heads-up before you remove them, especially if they’re old enough to be applying for their own credit. Waiting until they have an account of their own softens the drop.