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The Daily Insight Hub

Is signing a credit card required?

Author

Daniel Santos

Updated on February 06, 2026

All the major credit card payment networks — Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express — no longer require signatures. Individual merchants, however, are free to require signatures. For that reason, card issuers continue to provide the signature panel — on the off chance that someone is checking.

Is it illegal to ask for credit card info?

In most cases, the answer is no. In some instances, asking for personal information may violate store policy, credit card merchant agreements and even state law. A February ruling in California made it illegal for merchants to ask for your ZIP code when making a purchase with a credit card.

Should you get a credit card at 18?

CNBC Select reviews why experts recommend getting a credit card at age 18 and how to protect your credit score as a new cardholder. And a good place to start is by opening a credit card at 18, so you can start building credit at an early age and developing good money habits.

How does signing up for a credit card work?

How Can You Get a Credit Card? To get a credit card, you must complete an application on the credit card issuer’s website. It’ll ask for basic information, including your income and Social Security number. The issuer will then check your credit scores and reports.

Why do you have to sign after using a credit card?

Why you had to sign Although many people don’t bother to do so, you’re supposed to sign the back of your credit card. The signature panel was added to cards so merchants could compare the signature on your card to the signature on your receipt. If the signatures didn’t match, the merchant could stop the transaction.

Is it good to sign up for credit card?

Signing up for a credit card can be an exciting way to gain access to credit and start building a positive credit history. Smart moves like researching for the best card and, once you’re approved, automating payments so that funds are automatically debited from your checking account each month can set you up for success.

Do you need a credit card to set up an Apple account?

However, if you’re the organizer for a Family Sharing group, Apple always requires a payment method, either a credit card, PayPal, or debit card. And Apple also needs a payment method when you set up an account for your children.

How does one get approved for a credit card?

That may sound easy, but getting approved for a credit card once you apply typically requires years of responsible credit use. That’s because credit card issuers will review your credit history to determine whether you meet their criteria for the card before accepting or denying your application.

What kind of credit card do I need to sign?

Card companies in the US have recently moved to adopt more secure payment security methods. Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) cards, also known as “chip & PIN” or “chip & signature,” have taken the traditional swiping methods away and replaced them with two alternative forms of payments: