One of the most convenient ways to request a credit line increase is using our app or website. If you don’t already have an online account, you can sign up for an online account or download our mobile app.
When you request a credit limit increase, Capital One may ask you to provide certain information to help us determine if we can offer additional credit, such as:
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Total annual income
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Employment status
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Monthly housing costs
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Projected monthly spending
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Last year’s total business revenue (for Spark Business cardholders)
Requesting a credit increase won’t impact your credit score because we use soft inquiries for credit limit increase requests.
When deciding whether to approve a credit limit increase request, we consider things like:
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Responsible credit usage: Consistent on-time payments
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Account history: How long you’ve had the account and when your last credit limit increase occurred
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Income changes: Recent changes in household income
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Credit score: The strength of your credit score
Reasons your request could be denied
If your request for a credit limit increase is denied, you’ll receive a letter by mail or in your online account, stating the specific reasons, which may include:
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Low Capital One account usage
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Insufficient income
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Your Capital One account is too new
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A recent change to the credit line on your account
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A recent past due on your account
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Your average monthly payment is too low
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A recent credit delinquency reported by a credit reporting agency
If your request is denied
If your credit limit increase request is denied, you can still apply again later. However, it’s good practice to:
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Wait several months between requests
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Avoid seeking additional credit across multiple cards at the same time
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Pay all accounts on time
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Update income change information
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Update employment change information
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Monitor your credit score and work on improving it
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Address the specific issues listed in the declination email or letter
The difference between credit limit and available credit
Your credit limit is the maximum amount of money you can charge on your credit card. Your available credit is the general amount of credit you have left to spend on a credit card account. To calculate the available credit on your credit card, subtract your card’s current balance from its credit limit.
For example, if your credit card has a $10,000 credit limit and you buy a $4,000 sofa, your credit limit remains $10,000. But your available credit will drop to $6,000 until a payment is posted or the sofa is returned.
Will a credit limit increase request impact my credit score?
Requesting a credit limit increase from Capital One won’t harm your credit score.
Are all Capital One credit cards eligible for a credit limit increase?
Some Capital One accounts may not be eligible for an increased credit line at the time of the request.
Generally, these accounts are ineligible for a credit limit increase:
- Accounts opened within the last few months
- Secured credit card accounts
- Accounts with a recently increased or decreased credit line
Even if your account doesn’t fall into one of these categories, your credit line increase request may still be declined for other reasons.
Why was my request for a credit limit increase denied?
There are several reasons a credit limit increase may be denied. If your request is denied, you’ll receive a letter by mail or in your online account, stating the specific reasons, which may include:
- The account isn’t used often enough
- Insufficient income
- Your Capital One account is too new
- A recent change to the credit line on your account
- A recent past due on your account
- Your average monthly payment is too low
- A recent credit delinquency reported by a credit reporting agency
How does Capital One decide whether or not to increase my credit limit?
Capital One may look at the following factors when considering your credit limit increase request:
- On-time payments—with all creditors
- Larger monthly payments that pay down your balance
- Changes in your employment status
- Changes in your total annual income
- Changes in your credit score
- Usage of your current credit line
- Your account age and recency of your last credit line change
To learn more about the factors that affect your credit health, download CreditWise from our mobile app.
