What Happens If You Go Over Your Credit Limit? | Chase (2024)

Going over your credit limit can be frustrating, especially when one of your credit cards gets declined at the store checkout counter. Without another debit or credit card on hand, you may not be able to complete your purchase, and that means leaving the items you came to buy behind. But that's just the start of the problems that can arise from exceeding your credit card limit. These can include fees for exceeding the limit and dings to and potentially more serious impacts on your credit score.

What is a credit limit

A credit limit is how much a card issuer is prepared to let you borrow toward a secured card or an unsecured card balance. With secured credit cards, the amount of money you put down in cash usually determines your limit. With unsecured credit cards, your limit is set when you receive the card in the mail and is specified in the issuer's terms and conditions.

Among those terms is that if you go over the limit on your card, the card issuer can charge you an over-limit fee. This means paying a fee in addition to the amount required to get the card balance back under the limit.

What are over-limit fees?

If you go over the limit on your credit card, fees cannot be higher than the amount you went over your limit—so if you spent $35 over your limit, the fee cannot exceed $35. According to current federal law, card issuers can issue one over-limit fee per billing cycle. However, it is more typical for them to simply decline charges that go over the limit.

How much can you go over credit card limit?

How much you can exceed your credit limit mainly depends on the credit card issuer's terms and conditions. Over-limit protection is a benefit that some credit issuers offer. This mitigates, but does not eliminate, the risk of temporarily exceeding your limit.

Negative consequences of going over your credit card limit

Many cardmembers go over their limit for a variety of reasons—a lost debit card that requires using your credit card while you await a replacement, large and unexpected expenses such as a major car repair or medical bill, or other life events. Regardless of the reasons why it happened, the important thing is making a payment as soon as possible to get back under the limit and understanding the full implications for your credit score if it happens repeatedly.

As we've already mentioned, the first consequence of going over your limit besides the card getting declined for further purchases can be a fee.

A further consequence is the negative impact this could have on your credit score. This is particularly the case if the credit utilization of the limit-exceeded card has been high for multiple billing cycles. Your total credit utilization determines about 20% of your credit score, so going over the limit on one card can add to the negative reporting to the credit bureaus.

But the worst potential consequence of exceeding the limit on your card, especially if it's a repeat occurrence and you are unable to pay any applicable fee and reduce the balance, is the issuer invoking provisions that can raise your interest rate.

According to the CARD Act of 2009, the credit card issuer must give you 45 days' notice before raising your interest rate. It's important to know that routinely exceeding your credit limits on not just one, but multiple cards, can lead to higher interest payments.

How going over your credit limit can affect your credit

Going over your credit limit usually does not immediately impact your credit, particularly if you pay down your balance to keep the account in good standing. However, an account that remains over its limit for a period of time could be declared delinquent, and the issuer could close the account. When this happens, you will likely be left without your card but still owe the unpaid balance. A closed credit card account will also be reported to the major credit bureaus, and that could have a negative impact on your credit score.

How to avoid going over your credit limit

There are several practices that can keep your credit score healthy and reduce the likelihood of exceeding your credit card limit. These include:

  • Using a debit card to make purchases if you don't need a credit card to cover routine expenses or are not accumulating rewards points for regular purchases.
  • Implementing autopay from your debit to your credit card account.
  • Sticking to a budget when making credit card purchases and carefully keeping track of billing cycles and payment dates online.
  • Asking your card issuer to raise your card limit. Having a higher limit combined with careful monitoring of your spending habits can make exceeding your limit less likely.
  • If paying off the balance on a card that's approaching the limit or substantially paying down the balance are not options for the moment, you could take advantage of a balance transfer offer. This can give you some relief and time to either increase your income to pay down debts or come up with a plan to reduce your credit utilization.

Following these practices can help you avoid going over your credit card limit and maintain healthy balances moving forward.

What Happens If You Go Over Your Credit Limit? | Chase (2024)

FAQs

What Happens If You Go Over Your Credit Limit? | Chase? ›

Going over your credit limit usually does not immediately impact your credit, particularly if you pay down your balance to keep the account in good standing. However, an account that remains over its limit for a period of time could be declared delinquent, and the issuer could close the account.

What happens if you exceed your credit limit? ›

If you go over your limit and haven't opted into the over-limit program, your card will be declined. In this case, you will have to provide another method of payment to complete the transaction. Increased interest rate. If you exceed your credit limit, your credit card issuer might apply a penalty APR.

How do you answer a question to increase your credit limit? ›

You should explain why you think you deserve a higher credit limit, says Lohrenz. If your credit score has increased since you opened the card, point that out. “You should also mention if you've had an increase in your financial means since you opened the account,” she says.

What happens if you max out a credit card? ›

A maxed-out credit card can lead to declined purchases, impact your credit scores and increase your monthly credit card payments. You can deal with a maxed-out card by doing things like paying down the balance on your card and establishing a budget to help keep spending in check.

What happens if you go over your credit limit in Chase Freedom Unlimited? ›

You can go over your Chase Freedom Unlimited credit limit by just making a purchase that exceeds your available credit. Usually, the transaction should go through but there is no guarantee that it will. However, you will not be charged any over limit fee.

Is it okay to use 100% of credit limit? ›

While it is permissible to use 100% of your credit card limit, it is not recommended. Maxing out your credit card can adversely impact your credit score, limiting future borrowing options. Moreover, a high outstanding balance incurs substantial interest, putting you at risk of falling into debt.

Is it bad to max out a credit card and pay it off immediately? ›

Absolutely, while it's possible to max out your Credit Card and subsequently pay off the balance, it's generally ill-advised. Maxing out your card can lead to a high Credit Utilization Ratio, which may negatively impact your Credit Score.

Does asking for a credit limit increase hurt your credit? ›

Requesting a credit limit increase on its own shouldn't affect your credit scores. But the type of credit inquiry your credit card issuer uses to evaluate your request could. Generally, your lender will review your credit history when deciding whether to approve your credit limit increase request.

How much should I spend if my credit limit is $2000? ›

What is a good credit utilization ratio? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30%. So, if your only line of credit is a credit card with a $2,000 limit, that would mean keeping your balance below $600.

Is it better to get a new credit card or increase the limit? ›

If you like your current card, asking for an increase could be the right move. But if you're looking for additional rewards or a better rate, opening a new line of credit may be the right option. No matter what you choose, always remember to use credit responsibly and spend within your means.

What happens if I use 90% of my credit card? ›

Helps keep Credit UtiliSation Ratio Low: If you have one single card and use 90% of the credit limit, it will naturally bring down the credit utilization score. However, if you have more than one card and use just 50% of the credit limit, it will help maintain a good utilization ratio that is ideal.

How much can I go over my credit limit? ›

The amount your issuer will allow you to borrow beyond your limit is typically unknown. Factors a card issuer evaluates to determine any buffer beyond your limit may include your past payment history and any bank balances you maintain checking and savings accounts with your issuer.

Can I go over my credit limit Capital One? ›

Eligible Capital One cardholders may be able to exceed their credit limits. If your account has access, you can use the Confirm Purchasing Power tool to check whether an overlimit purchase may be approved. You can also disable the ability to spend over your credit limit in your overlimit preferences.

Does credit limit reset after payment? ›

A credit card or other type of loan known as open-end credit, adjusts the available credit within your credit limit when you make payment on your account. However, the decision of when to replenish the available credit is up to the bank and, in some circ*mstances, a bank may delay replenishing a credit line.

What happens if you go over 30% of your credit limit? ›

Using more than 30% of your available credit on your cards can hurt your credit score. The lower you can get your balance relative to your limit, the better for your score. (It's best to pay it off every month if you can.)

Is $10,000 a good credit limit? ›

If you're just starting out, a good credit limit for your first card might be around $1,000. If you have built up a solid credit history, a steady income and a good credit score, your credit limit may increase to $5,000 or $10,000 or more — plenty of credit to ensure you can purchase big ticket items.

How much over credit limit can I go? ›

The amount your issuer will allow you to borrow beyond your limit is typically unknown. Factors a card issuer evaluates to determine any buffer beyond your limit may include your past payment history and any bank balances you maintain checking and savings accounts with your issuer.

Will credit one let you go over limit? ›

A cardholder must opt in to allow transactions over their credit line to be made in exchange for this penalty being assessed. If a cardholder does not opt in, any transactions that will exceed their credit line will most likely be declined.

What percentage of credit limit should you not exceed? ›

You should aim to use no more than 30% of your credit limit at any given time. Allowing your credit utilization ratio to rise above this may result in a temporary dip in your score.

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