Can You Cancel a Credit Card Application? | Capital One (2024)

January 25, 2024 |4 min read

    Applying for a new credit card can be an exciting step in your personal finance journey. Maybe you’re aiming to take advantage of a credit card offer, earn rewards or simply get a different card. But what if you realize you don’t want the card you applied for? Can you cancel your credit card application?

    It may be possible to cancel a credit card application. But you’ll probably have to act fast.

    Key takeaways

    • You may be able to cancel a credit card application if it’s still pending. But some credit card issuers review online applications in minutes or seconds, so it can be difficult to cancel an application in time.

    • Canceling an application won’t affect your credit scores. But most credit card applications require a hard inquiry to your credit, which can impact your scores.

    • If you’re unable to cancel your application, there may be options to keep, swap or cancel the card, but it’s important to understand how doing so might affect your credit scores.

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    How to cancel a credit card application

    You can only cancel a credit card application if the credit card issuer hasn’t processed the application yet. But keep in mind that card issuers often approve or deny applications within minutes or seconds.

    If you applied in person or by mail or otherwise haven’t been notified about your application yet, there may still be time to contact the issuer and cancel the application.

    How does canceling a credit card application affect your credit score?

    Canceling a credit card application doesn’t directly affect your credit scores.

    However, the credit card application itself will trigger a hard credit inquiry, which is when a lender checks your credit reports after you apply for credit. A hard inquiry will typically cause your credit scores to drop by a few points. Your FICO® score, for example, will typically drop by fewer than five points as the result of a credit check when opening a new credit card.

    But multiple hard inquiries over a short period of time can have a bigger impact on your credit scores, so it’s worth considering when to apply for a credit card.

    What to do if you can’t cancel your credit card application

    If you can’t cancel your credit card application, there may be other options.

    For example, you could decide to keep the card. And if you use the credit card responsibly, it could help you improve your credit scores, build credit or maintain good credit.

    If your new credit card isn’t the one you want, you could check whether there’s an option to upgrade or downgrade it for a different card. For instance, another card may offer rewards that better fit your lifestyle. It also might be possible to downgrade to a card with a lower or no annual fee. Just keep in mind that applying for a different card could lead to another hard inquiry, which can affect your credit scores.

    Can you cancel a credit card if you don’t want the card anymore?

    If you decide that you still don’t want the card, then you could cancel it. And canceling it might be a good idea if using the card could lead to credit card debt. But keep in mind that doing so could negatively affect your credit scores.

    For example, canceling the card will decrease your available credit and increase your credit utilization ratio. It could also affect your credit mix and credit age.

    If you’re approved for the card, you’ll likely have to pay the card’s annual fee if there is one. And if there’s an outstanding balance, it has to be paid off before closing the account.

    Can you cancel a credit card you just applied for?

    If the application hasn’t been approved yet, you may be able to cancel a credit card you just applied for. If the credit card issuer has already approved or declined your application, you can cancel the card in the same way as canceling any credit card. Just be sure to understand the impact on your credit.

    Can you cancel a credit card after approval?

    Yes, it’s possible to cancel a credit card. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends giving the credit card issuer both a call and a written notice. Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay off any outstanding balance.

    Can you cancel a credit card before activating it?

    You can cancel a credit card before activating it, but it will be the same as canceling a card at any other time. And it might still impact your credit scores.

    Canceling a credit card application in a nutshell

    Credit card applications are often processed within minutes or even seconds. If you applied for a credit card you don’t want, you may be able to cancel the application if you act fast. And if you can’t cancel the application, you still have options.

    If you’re considering applying for a Capital One credit card, you could get pre-approved first. Pre-approval can help determine which cards you’re eligible for without harming your credit.

    Can You Cancel a Credit Card Application? | Capital One (2024)

    FAQs

    Can You Cancel a Credit Card Application? | Capital One? ›

    If the application hasn't been approved yet, you may be able to cancel a credit card you just applied for. If the credit card issuer has already approved or declined your application, you can cancel the card in the same way as canceling any credit card. Just be sure to understand the impact on your credit.

    Can I cancel Capital One credit card application? ›

    You can cancel your Capital One Platinum application by calling customer service at (800) 227-4825. Note that you may have very little time to cancel an online application before it is processed. If you applied by mail, you may have up to 10 business days to call customer service and cancel the application.

    Does Cancelling a credit card application affect your score? ›

    Will canceling a credit card application affect your chance to get another card? Credit card applications require running a hard inquiry. When this happens, it's possible that your credit score could decrease by a few points. Don't worry the impact usually won't be much.

    Can I still cancel my credit card application? ›

    Canceling a credit card application is possible, but you'll need to act fast. Most credit card issuers conduct a hard check on your credit report within a few minutes of applying. And after the application is approved or denied, it's too late to cancel.

    Can I cancel my Credit One application? ›

    Credit One does not allow you to cancel an application online. Once the application is processed, you won't be able to cancel it, meaning you will have a hard pull on your credit report and a slight decrease in your credit score.

    Why would Capital One decline my application? ›

    Having too much existing debt or too low disposable income, or even having too many hard inquiries on your credit report could result in a denial.

    What happens if you make a mistake on a credit card application? ›

    Legal consequences: Providing false information on a credit card application can have legal repercussions. If it is found that you intentionally provided false information with the intention to deceive the issuer, you may face legal actions and potential charges.

    How many points will my credit score drop if I cancel a credit card? ›

    While there's truth to the idea that closing a credit account can lower your score, the magnitude of the effect depends on various factors, such as how many other credit accounts you have and how old those accounts are. Sometimes the impact is minimal and your score drops just a few points.

    Will my credit score go down if my credit card application is rejected? ›

    The lender's approval or rejection decision makes no difference to your credit scores. But if a rejection leads you to apply for more cards, that would mean more hard inquiries. And multiple hard inquiries over a short period could have more of an impact on credit scores.

    How much will my score drop if I apply for a credit card? ›

    When you apply for a new card, the credit company may perform a hard pull of your credit report for review as part of the approval process. The inquiry on your credit history may lower your FICO Score but generally the impact is low (for most, this means fewer than 5 points).

    Should I cancel credit cards before applying for a new one? ›

    By closing an old credit card account and applying for another one right away, your credit score may be subject to a double decrease. For this reason, try to avoid canceling a card and applying for a new one within a short period of time.

    How many hard inquiries is too many? ›

    Since hard inquiries affect your credit score and what is found may even affect approval, you might be wondering: How many inquiries is too many? The answer differs from lender to lender, but most consider six total inquiries on a report at one time to be too many to gain approval for an additional credit card or loan.

    Why did Credit One charge me 95 dollars? ›

    ANNUAL FEE: The Annual Fee of $95 will be billed to your Account when opened. It's refundable as long as you cancel your Account and have not made any transactions. The Annual Fee will bill again each subsequent year until the balance is paid is full and your Account is closed.

    Do I need to cancel a credit card before applying for a new one? ›

    There's no one right answer, and several factors to consider. For example, cancelling a card may: Reduce risk of fraud - an open account you hardly ever check up on may be more vulnerable to fraudsters, who may pretend to be you in order to spend money in your name. Decrease your chances of getting credit.

    How soon can you close a credit card after opening? ›

    The answer is worth repeating loud and clear: Never, under any circ*mstances, should you close a credit card less than one year after opening it. While it is possible to do so, there are many reasons why canceling a credit card before the annual fee is due is a bad idea.

    How do I cancel my Credit One card before activating? ›

    Through a phone call: You can call Credit One Bank's customer service at 877-825-3242. Upon connecting with a representative, you should clearly express your intention to cancel your card and close your account.

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