How To Get A Discover Credit Limit Increase (2024)

Credit card limits represent the total amount cardholders can spend using a credit card before having to make payments to free up available credit. A credit limit can be low, such as $300, or as high as $30,000—or even into six digits. Increasing a credit limit allows cardholders the flexibility to make larger purchases and can strengthen credit by impacting utilization. You can ask Discover for a credit limit increase by calling the number on the back of your card or through your online account. Increases can also happen automatically with responsible credit card use.

Before You Increase Your Credit Limit

Before seeking an increase from Discover, make sure you’re doing so for the right reasons. A credit limit increase shouldn’t be viewed as a license to spend more—and certainly not as permission to overspend. Spending more than you’re bringing in is a slippery slope, because when you can’t pay in full each month, you risk increasingly expensive interest charges.

That said, receiving a higher credit limit on your Discover credit card can be a positive experience, so long as you spend responsibly and make payments on time.

Advantages of Increasing Your Credit Limit

Let’s look at the advantages of having a higher credit limit:

• Lowering your credit utilization rate. Credit utilization greatly impacts credit score, making up 30% of a FICO Score. A higher credit limit means lower utilization if your spending stays the same. The lower your utilization, the better your credit score will be.
• Having more funds for a large purchase. A higher credit limit means more wiggle room for large purchases, like appliances or exciting vacations. Make sure you can pay the purchase off within the same billing cycle you make it to avoid interest charges.
• Improving credit standing for premium financial products and low rates in the future. Improving your relationship with Discover might raise your chances of approval for a premium credit card from other issuers or of qualifying for low-interest rates on a big loan or mortgage down the road. When lending large amounts of money, lenders like to see a history of responsible borrowing.

Disadvantages of Increasing Your Credit Limit

Increasing a credit card limit has its risks. Let’s review the disadvantages of getting a higher credit limit:

• The temptation to spend more than you can afford. Having more available credit sometimes creates an illusion that money is available to spend with no consequence.
• Higher risk of credit card debt. Spending more than you can afford can result in missed payments, revolving balances and costly interest charges. This can spiral into credit card debt that’s extremely difficult to pay off, plus a damaged credit score.
• Potential for hard credit inquiries. Credit card issuers sometimes perform a hard credit check to determine whether a cardholder is eligible for a credit limit increase. Too many hard credit checks in a short period of time can dock points off your credit score. Ask Discover if they will perform a hard pull on your credit before you request an increase.

How To Increase Your Discover Credit Limit

Once you’ve decided to inquire about a higher credit limit, contact Discover directly by calling the number on the back of your credit card. Cardholders can also log in to their online accounts and select “Card Services” then “Credit Line Increase” to make a request. You’ll have to enter your annual income and your monthly housing payment.

It’s wise to wait at least six months after opening a new account before requesting a credit limit increase. When you first opened a Discover credit card, the issuer likely used your financial information—including data like current annual income and monthly rent—to estimate how much borrowing power you qualify for. This estimate factors into your credit limit. Unless your information changes drastically, there’s not much point requesting a higher limit sooner.

Issuers are likely to consider the following when deciding whether to increase a credit limit:

• Payment history
• Credit utilization ratio
• Income
• Monthly expenses
• Employment history
• Length of credit history
• Recent credit inquiries

Discover might automatically increase your credit limit if your account is in good standing or if you report increased income. Cardholders may see a pop-up message when they log in online, prompting them to report changes in employment status. Be sure to report any raises you receive if you’re hoping for a credit limit increase (otherwise, you can ignore the prompts).

Discover Student Cards

Cardholders with Discover student credit cards may want to wait at least a year before requesting a credit limit increase. The process is the same with Discover student cards as for its other cards: You can request one either online or by calling Discover. Make sure your account is in good standing, too. This means consistently making on-time monthly payments and maintaining a low balance. If you’ve come into extra income after a year, that could be a great time to request an increase.

After graduation, contact Discover and ask if they can upgrade the account status from “student” to “graduated.” This might automatically qualify the cardholder for a higher credit limit, especially if you’ve landed a job with a steady income after graduation.

How Long Does a Discover Credit Limit Increase Take?

Discover doesn’t specify how long a credit limit increase might take in all cases. Generally, card issuers can push an increase through in just a few minutes. It can, however, take up to 30 days if the card issuer needs more time to perform a hard credit check or conduct a review.

If a request is denied, cardholders should receive a letter in the mail from the card issuer with specific reasons why the request was denied.

What To Do If Your Credit Limit Increase Is Denied

Don’t panic if your request for an increased credit limit is denied. Discover should tell the cardholder why the request was denied, which means you’ll know what to do to improve your chances of getting a credit limit increase in the future.

Some common reasons for a denied credit limit increase request might be infrequent usage of the card, missed payments or a low credit score. Cardholders can improve their chances of success by using the card regularly, always paying on time and keeping a low utilization rate. Also, be sure to report any income increases to Discover as soon as they happen.

Contact Discover directly if you have any specific questions about your denial.

Bottom Line

A higher credit card limit should positively impact a cardholder’s account standing and credit score, as long as spending remains the same. It’s imperative to always pay on time and keep a utilization rate under 30% of your credit limit, even after an increase. If handled properly, having a credit card with a higher limit can help your credit score increase and you’ll be more likely to qualify for lower interest rates on future loans or mortgages—as well as more premium credit cards down the road.