Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
(855) 411-2372
Submit a Complaint

About us

We're the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a U.S. government agency that makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly.

Learn how the CFPB can help you

What information are card issuers not allowed to base decisions on when considering a credit card application?

Answer:

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act does not guarantee that you will get credit. You must still pass the card issuer’s tests of creditworthiness. But the law bars discrimination based on age, sex, marital status, race, color, religion, and national origin in deciding whether to extend credit to an applicant, in deciding the terms (such as the interest rate or credit limit), or in any other aspect of a credit transaction. 

The law also generally bars discrimination because you receive public assistance income, or because you exercise your rights under certain federal credit laws (such as filing a billing dispute with a card issuer).

This protection means that a card issuer may not use any of the above grounds as a reason to do the following:

  • discourage you from applying for a card
  • refuse you a card if you qualify
  • provide you credit on terms different from those granted another person with similar income, credit history, and other characteristics
  • close an existing account

Card issuers may not discriminate on the basis of national origin, but if you are a resident alien, they are allowed to consider your immigration status when making a loan decision. In particular, a card issuer can consider immigration status and any additional information that may be necessary to determine its rights and remedies regarding repayment.

Topics:
Was this page helpful to you?

Note: Do not include sensitive information like your name, contact information, account number, or social security number in this field.

The content on this page provides general consumer information. It is not legal advice or regulatory guidance. The CFPB updates this information periodically. This information may include links or references to third-party resources or content. We do not endorse the third-party or guarantee the accuracy of this third-party information. There may be other resources that also serve your needs.