Is it legal for a 11 year old to have a credit card?
Isabella Turner
Updated on February 14, 2026
Strictly speaking, parents cannot open a credit card account for their minor children. Only a person age 18 and over can enter into a legally binding contract, which includes applying for a credit card as the primary account holder.
At what age can I open a credit card for my child?
18
Kids can’t open their own credit card account until they turn 18, and will need to prove independent income until they’re 21. But even before then, minors can benefit from becoming authorized users on a family member’s credit account.
Can I add my 12 year old to my credit card?
Most major card issuers allow you to add a minor as an authorized user. Half of the 10 major issuers surveyed by CreditCards.com allow minors as authorized users with no minimum age. For example, Bank of America, Capital One, and Chase all allow children to be added to a primary account holder’s card regardless of age.
Can I get a credit card for my 14 year old?
You can get a credit card at 14 as an authorized user, but you have to be at least 18 years old to open a credit card account in your own name. In the meantime, you can begin to build credit as an authorized user, and you can always use a debit card for everyday purchases.
Is it OK for a child to have a credit card?
Parents must be willing to teach their children the value of money before they allow their child to have a credit card, personal finance experts tell NBC News BETTER. “Knowledge about the credit card, that’s simple.
How old do you have to be to have a credit card?
Some tweens and young teens, about one in six, now has a credit card. The 2019 Parents, Kids and Money Survey by T. Rowe Price shows that 17 percent of kids 8-14 years old have a credit card, up from just 4 percent in 2012. Almost as many of these kids (19 percent) have a checking account.
What should a teenager do before getting a credit card?
Before handing a teenager a credit card, they should first have experience using a checking account of their own. They should be able to write checks, balance their checkbook, and maintain the checkbook register. Next, they should have practice using an ATM card that only allows cash withdrawals and eventually a debit card.
How many parents in the northeast have a credit card?
The survey also found regional variations, with 13 percent of parents living in the Northeast reporting that at least one of their children has a credit card, versus 8 percent in the South and 5 percent in the Midwest.