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The Daily Insight Hub

Can you use your parents credit card with their permission?

Author

Emma Miller

Updated on February 11, 2026

You can use someone else’s credit card if they let you. The issuer only authorized the person who got approved for the card to access its credit line. So even using someone else’s card with permission is a violation of that card’s terms. In that case, the cardholder is liable for any charges you make.

Can you authorize someone to use your credit card?

To add an authorized user, contact your credit card issuer by phone or by logging on to your online account. The card issuer will need the authorized user’s personal information, including their name, address, date of birth, and social security number, to process the request.

Can a child use an adults credit card?

Nevertheless, most credit card issuers allow minors to be added as authorized users to an adult’s credit card account. American Express, for instance, allows parents to add children 15 years and older as authorized users to an existing account, a spokesperson confirmed.

What do you do when your child uses your credit card?

File a complaint with the FTC.

  1. Step 1: Contact the merchant. The first step you should take is to contact the merchant.
  2. Dispute the charges with your credit card issuer. You can try to contact your card issuer and dispute the purchase, which may work.
  3. File a complaint with the FTC.

Should I use my parents credit card without permission?

It is not legal to use your parent’s credit card without his or her expressed permission. Doing so can have legal consequences for you as well as cause your parent to pay fees for unauthorized charges.

Can a child be an authorized user on a credit card?

If you do give your kids a card to use on your account, it’s a good idea to set expectations on how much they can charge to the account and how they plan to pay it off. You may be able to set limitations. Some card issuers allow you to set spending limits on authorized user cards.

Is it illegal to take your parents credit card?

Doing so can have legal consequences for you as well as cause your parent to pay fees for unauthorized charges. When someone uses a credit card without permission from the account holder, this constitutes an unauthorized charge, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Can a child open a credit card in their own name?

When it’s time for your children to open a credit card account in their own names, they can do so even if they are authorized users on your account for the same type of card.

Is it good to add kids to credit card?

Advantages of adding kids as authorized users. Adding a child as an authorized user on your credit card can help those who have limited or no credit history start building a credit file. This allows them to get better credit offers (loans, mortgages, car leases and more) once they are older.