What are the 3 main reasons why credit applicants can be declined credit?
Matthew Harrington
Updated on January 24, 2026
Your adverse action letter will likely list one (or several) of the following reasons your credit card application was denied:
- Too much debt.
- Too many recent credit applications.
- Limited credit history.
- Negative account information.
- Recent late payments.
- Being between age 18 and 21.
Can I get a car loan with a credit score of 765?
A 765 FICO® Score is considered “Very Good”. Mortgage, auto, and personal loans are easy to get with a 765 Credit Score. Lenders like to do business with borrowers that have Very Good credit because it’s less risky.
Why am I getting declined with good credit?
Why You Could Be Denied With an Excellent Score Earning less than the minimum could signal to a lender that you may have a difficult time covering a new debt payment. Unpaid debt, for example, can be a cause for denial. Some lenders may ask you to pay off old collections before approving you for a new loan.
Can you have a high credit score and still be denied?
Essentially, this is the amount of debt you owe compared to the amount of money you earn. Your credit score doesn’t play any role in determining your debt-to-income ratio. This is why people with good credit can still suffer from a bad debt-to-income ratio and be denied as a result.
Is 765 a good FICO score?
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 740 to 799, that is considered Very Good. A 765 FICO® Score is above the average credit score. Consumers in this range may qualify for better interest rates from lenders. 25% of all consumers have FICO® Scores in the Very Good range.
Does your credit score go down if you get rejected?
Being denied for a credit card doesn’t hurt your credit score. But the hard inquiry from submitting an application can cause your score to decrease. Submitting a credit card application and receiving notice that you’re denied is a disappointment, especially if your credit score drops after applying.
How many points does your credit score go down when you are rejected?
If you’re rejected for that loan and immediately try to get another one, the process is repeated. According to Experian EXPGY, -0.32% , you lose between five and 10 points from your credit score with each new hard inquiry.
Why do people with great credit scores get rejected?
Your credit score is just one part of the credit underwriting process. Here are five reasons why you might get rejected, even though you have a great score. 1. You are a “gamer.” Credit card introductory bonuses can be lucrative. When you open a new credit card, you can easily earn from 40,000 to as many as 100,000 bonus miles or points.
What can cause a credit card company to reject you?
The most common indicator of someone trying to take on more debt is a credit inquiry, which is included in FICO and VantageScores. However, a bank or credit card company may want to have even tougher rules. For example, they could reject you if you applied for credit more than five times in the last six months, regardless of your score.
What should my credit score be if I have 3 credit cards?
If you have three cards, each with $1,000 limits, your total available credit is $3,000 — and you’ll only want to charge up to $900 at a time to keep the utilization ratio low. Then, hit pause on generating hard inquiries on your credit.
Why was my credit score denied for a Citi card?
Both issues have been roadblocks for Jaimyn Chang, a search engine optimization expert from Raleigh, North Carolina. Chang said he was once turned down for a new Citi card despite having a credit score of 750. “They cited my limited credit history and high balances as deciding factors,” Chang said.