You can get a credit card at 17, but only with a co-signer

Most credit card issuers require you to be 18 years old to open an account in your own name. If you are 17, you have one real option: explore with a parent or guardian as a co-signer. The co-signer is legally responsible for any balance you don't pay, which is why most parents agree to this only if they trust you to use the card responsibly.

Some banks offer a different path: a secured credit card designed for people building credit, which may accept younger applicants if a parent co-signs. A secured card requires you to deposit cash upfront — usually $200 to $2,500 — which becomes your credit limit. You use it like a regular card, and after 6 to 18 months of on-time payments, the bank may convert it to an unsecured card and return your deposit.

A third option is to become an authorized user on a parent's existing card. You get your own card linked to their account, but you don't sign the contract and you're not legally responsible for the debt. This doesn't build your own credit history the way a co-signed card does, but it does let you start using credit when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • You must be 18 to open a credit card in your own name; at 17, you need a parent or guardian to co-sign.
  • A co-signer is legally responsible for your balance, so most parents will only agree if you have a clear plan for how you'll use the card.
  • Secured cards designed for building credit may accept younger applicants with a co-signer and require a cash deposit upfront.
  • Becoming an authorized user on a parent's card lets you use credit at 17 without building your own credit history yet.
  • Your first card — whether co-signed or secured — should have a low limit so mistakes don't create large debt.

What a co-signer actually means

When you explore for a credit card with a co-signer, the bank runs a credit check on both of you. The co-signer's credit score and income matter as much as yours — in fact, more, because the bank is really betting on them. If you miss a payment, the bank can demand payment from the co-signer instead of you. If you rack up $2,000 in debt and stop paying, your co-signer's credit score takes the hit along with yours.

This is why most parents hesitate. They are not just giving you permission; they are putting their own credit at risk. Before you ask a parent to co-sign, be honest about what you plan to do with the card. If you want it to build credit by making small purchases and paying them off every month, say that. If you want it for emergencies, say that. If you want it because your friends have one, your parent will probably say no — and they would be right to.

Some banks let you remove the co-signer after you've made on-time payments for 12 to 24 months. Check the card's terms before you explore, because not all issuers offer this option. If they do, you'll need to request it in writing and the bank will re-evaluate your credit on your own before agreeing.

How secured cards work for younger applicants

A secured credit card is designed for people with no credit history or poor credit history. You deposit money into a savings account held by the bank, and that deposit becomes your credit limit. If you deposit $500, you get a $500 limit. You then use the card like any other card — make purchases, receive a bill, and pay it off each month.

The bank reports your payments to the credit bureaus, so every on-time payment builds your credit score. After 6 to 18 months of perfect or near-perfect payments, the bank reviews your account. If your credit score has improved enough, they convert the card to a regular unsecured card, return your deposit, and you keep using the same account.

The catch: you still need to be 18 to open the account yourself. At 17, you would need a co-signer, which defeats some of the purpose — you're trying to build your own credit, not your parent's. However, some banks will let a parent co-sign a secured card and then remove themselves from the account after a year or so, which gives you a cleaner start than a co-signed regular card.

Authorized user accounts and what they do and don't do

If your parent adds you as an authorized user on their credit card, you receive a card with your name on it that draws from their account. You can use it to make purchases, but your parent receives the bill and is responsible for paying it. You have no legal obligation and no contract with the bank.

The advantage is simplicity: you can start using credit when ready at any age, and your parent can set a spending limit or monitor your purchases. The disadvantage is that it doesn't build your own credit history. When you turn 18 and explore for your first card in your own name, the bank will see no credit history at all, as if you'd never used credit before.

Some banks do report authorized user accounts to the credit bureaus, which means your parent's good payment history can help your credit score. But this varies by bank and by card. Before your parent adds you, ask their bank whether they report authorized user activity to the credit bureaus. If they do, being an authorized user on an account with a long, clean payment history can give you a small head start when you explore for your own card at 18.

What to look for in your first card

If you're 17 and getting a co-signed card, your goal is to prove you can handle credit responsibly over the next year. That means choosing a card with a low limit — $500 to $1,000 is plenty — so that a mistake doesn't create a large debt. Look for a card with no annual fee, because you don't need to pay to build credit.

Check whether the card charges a co-signer fee. Some do; most don't. If the issuer charges interest on purchases, the rate will be higher than cards for people with established credit, but that's normal. What matters is that you pay the full balance every month, so the interest rate doesn't affect you.

Ask the bank whether you can remove the co-signer after a certain number of on-time payments. If they say yes, get it in writing. If they say no, understand that your parent will be tied to this account until you close it or turn 21 (when most banks allow co-signers to be removed automatically).

How to use your first card without creating debt

The most common mistake is treating a credit card like information programs. It isn't. Every dollar you charge, you have to pay back — plus interest if you don't pay the full balance by the due date. Before you make a purchase, ask yourself: do I have the money in my bank account to pay this off when the bill arrives?

A realistic first strategy is to use the card for one recurring expense — gas, a subscription, groceries — and pay it off in full every month. This shows the bank and the credit bureaus that you can handle credit responsibly. After six months of perfect payments, you can expand to other purchases if you want to, but the goal stays the same: pay the full balance every month.

Set up automatic payments if the bank offers them. Tell the card to pay the full statement balance automatically on the due date each month. This removes the risk that you'll forget and miss a payment, which would damage your credit and your co-signer's credit. Missing even one payment at 17 can take years to recover from.

What happens when you turn 18

Once you turn 18, you can open credit cards in your own name without a co-signer. If you've been using a co-signed card responsibly for a year, your credit score will reflect that, and you'll have an easier time getting approved for your own card with better terms.

At that point, you can ask the bank to remove your co-signer from the original card, if they allow it. Some banks will do this automatically once you turn 18 and have made on-time payments for a set period. Others require you to request it. Either way, you'll eventually have credit in your own name, separate from your parent's.

If you've been an authorized user instead, turning 18 means you can explore for your own card. You'll start with no credit history, so your first card will likely have a lower limit and higher interest rate than someone with a year of on-time payments. This is why co-signing or becoming an authorized user early can be worth it — you get a head start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a credit card at 17 without a co-signer?

No. Federal law requires you to be 18 to enter a contract, and a credit card agreement is a contract. Some banks offer student cards at 18 with lower limits, but you still have to be 18. At 17, a co-signer is your only option for a card in your own name.

Will being an authorized user hurt my parent's credit?

No. Being an authorized user doesn't change your parent's credit score. However, if you use the card and your parent doesn't pay the bill, it will hurt both of your credit scores. Make sure you and your parent are on the same page about how much you'll spend and when they'll pay the bill.

What if my parent won't co-sign?

Ask them why. If they're worried about risk, offer to start as an authorized user instead and prove you can handle it for six months. If they don't trust you with credit yet, they're probably right — use that time to show responsibility with money in other ways, and ask again later.

Does a secured card hurt my credit score?

No. A secured card works exactly like a regular card for credit-building purposes. The only difference is the deposit. After you've used it responsibly for a year or so, the bank converts it to a regular card and returns your money. Your credit score benefits the whole time.

What if I miss a payment on a co-signed card?

Both you and your co-signer will see your credit scores drop. The missed payment stays on your credit report for seven years. Your co-signer may also face calls from the bank demanding payment. This is why it's critical to set up automatic payments and treat the card as seriously as your co-signer does.