Can You Remove an Authorized User?
This guide explains how to remove one, what it does to each person’s credit, and when it is worth timing carefully.
How to remove an authorized user
Only the primary cardholder can remove an authorized user, and it is simple: call the number on the back of the card or use the online account, and the issuer takes them off, usually right away. It is a good idea to also destroy or return their card and, if relevant, tell them so they are not surprised by a decline.
What it does to their credit
For the person removed, the effect depends on how much that account contributed to their file. If it was a large, positive part, an old account with a high limit and perfect payments, losing it can drop their score, especially if they have little other credit. The account may linger on their report for a time before dropping off, but the ongoing benefit ends. Our guide on authorized-user credit building covers this dependence.
What it does to your credit
For you, the primary account holder, removing an authorized user has no effect on your credit. The account is yours, its full history stays on your report, and your score is untouched. If the authorized user is building credit through the account, it can be worth timing removal for when they have their own credit established, so the transition does not set them back.
- The primary cardholder can remove an authorized user anytime.
- It usually takes one call or an online request.
- Removal does not affect the primary account holder’s credit.
- It can lower the authorized user’s score if the account was a big positive.
- The account may stay on the authorized user’s report for a while after.
Frequently asked questions
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