How Old Do You Need to Be to Get a Credit Card?

In Canada, there are strict age requirements to get a credit card. The minimum age to apply as the primary cardholder you need to be depends on which province or territory you live in: 18 in some places and 19 in others.

Knowing whether you’re old enough to get a credit card is really just the start. There are several things to consider when deciding if it’s time to apply for your first one.

In Canada, the minimum age to get a credit card depends on where you live. That’s because you must be the age of majority in your province or territory before you can legally be the primary cardholder on your own credit card.

Here’s the minimum age to apply for your own credit card as the primary cardholder:

Other credit card eligibility requirements to consider

Age is not the only requirement when applying for a credit card. You’ll often need to meet other qualifications to be approved. These additional eligibility requirements depend on what type of credit card you’re applying for, but many require that:

» LEARN: How to apply for a credit card

Of course, just because you can legally apply for a credit card doesn’t mean you should. Other factors are far more important than age when deciding if you’re ready for the responsibility of being a cardholder.

Your needs

Ask yourself why you want to get a credit card. Is it important for you to start building a credit score? Do you plan to travel and want the ease of using a credit card to pay for expenses? Are you keen to earn rewards that you might not get from a debit or prepaid card?

If getting a card is a matter of need, great. If it’s just a way to buy items you can’t afford, maybe hit the ‘pause’ button.

» MORE: What credit score is needed for a credit card?

Your understanding of credit cards

It’s crucial to know how a credit card works before getting one. Some questions you should be able to answer include:

Maybe hold off on getting a credit card until you can answer those questions confidently — especially the first one.

Your money management skills

Knowing how credit cards work doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to manage a credit card well. Be honest with yourself about how good you are at sticking to a budget and spending within your means. Will you be tempted to make only the minimum payment every month?

A credit card can be an excuse for some people to spend freely, and debt can quickly grow out of control. It could eventually lead to calls from collection agencies and even bankruptcy.

These negative consequences can significantly affect your credit score, and a low credit score can influence whether you can get loans, qualify for certain jobs or rent an apartment for years to come.

» FIND OUT: How to check your credit score

You might be ready to take on the responsibility of having your first credit card if:

» MORE: How to use a credit card wisely

Before you apply, compare a few cards based on interest rates, annual fees, rewards, credit limits and eligibility requirements.

If this will be your first card, look for an option with costs and a credit limit you can manage. A smaller credit limit can make it easier to build good habits without taking on more debt than you can afford.

You may also want to check your credit report before applying, especially if you’ve used credit before or are unsure what’s on your file.

If you’re not old enough for a credit card or think you’re not quite ready for the responsibility of managing a credit card on your own, there are some other worthwhile options.

If you are old enough but new to credit, a student or secured card may also be worth considering.

Prepaid cards

Prepaid cards offer the convenience of credit cards, often with fewer age or income requirements.

A prepaid card is easy to use — you load it with your own money and then use it like a credit card or a debit card. However, since you aren’t receiving any credit from the issuer, you can’t build up a credit history using a prepaid card.

The upside of a prepaid card is that you don’t risk overspending and accumulating debt as you could with a credit card. In addition, many prepaid cards offer convenient features like fraud protection and ATM withdrawals and can be used when travelling outside Canada.

While some prepaid cards do not require you to have reached the age of majority in your province or territory, others do. Make sure you read the eligibility requirements carefully before applying.

Authorized users

If you are too young to get a credit card but want to learn how to use a card for supervised spending, becoming an authorized user on a parent or guardian’s credit card may be a good choice.

This option can help you get familiar with credit card use without the full responsibility — in Canada, only the primary cardholder is responsible for making payments.

However, authorized-user activity may not help you build credit history, so ask the issuer whether the account will be reported to the credit bureaus in your name.

While not all credit card providers will allow someone under the age of majority to be an authorized user, some may allow underage authorized users. Minimum ages and rules vary, so check with the issuer.

Student credit cards

If you’ve reached the age of majority and are enrolled in school, a student credit card may be worth considering. Student cards are still credit cards, so you’ll need to qualify, make payments on time and avoid carrying a balance you can’t afford.

A student card can be a good first credit card if you want to build credit gradually, but it’s important to compare fees, interest rates and credit limits before applying.

Secured cards

A secured credit card may be a smart choice if you have reached the age of majority in your province or territory but don’t have enough credit history to successfully apply for an unsecured credit card.

Secured credit cards can be relatively easy to qualify for. You provide your own money as a deposit to guarantee payment, which lowers the risk faced by credit card companies.

Unlike prepaid cards, secured credit cards let you build up a credit score as long as you manage the card responsibly. Before applying for a secured card, confirm with the card provider that it will report your payments to a credit bureau.