How to Keep a Dormant Credit Card From Being Closed

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated June 2026

The short answer: An unused credit card can be closed by the issuer for inactivity, and a closure cuts your available credit and can shorten your credit history, nudging your score down. The fix is simple: put one small recurring charge on the card every few months with autopay turned on, so the account stays active and keeps quietly helping your credit.

Why issuers close inactive cards, and why it matters

A credit card that sits unused for a long time costs the issuer money and earns it nothing, so issuers do close dormant accounts. That matters because a closure removes the card credit line, which can raise your overall utilization, and over time it can shorten your average account age, both of which can lower your score. It is the same reason keeping an old no-fee card open is usually smart: the open account quietly helps your credit. See downgrade versus cancel and credit utilization.

Put one small recurring charge on it

The easiest way to keep a card active is to route one small recurring charge to it, a low-cost subscription or a modest utility bill, and turn on autopay so it is always paid on time. Even a charge every couple of months registers as activity and signals the account is in use. Set it once and it runs itself, keeping the card alive without any ongoing effort. See how to set up autopay.

Which dormant cards to keep, and which to let go

Keep your no-annual-fee cards active, especially your oldest one, since they help your credit history and total credit line at no cost. For a card with an annual fee that you no longer use, do not keep paying the fee just to keep it active. Instead, downgrade it to a no-fee version in the same family, which preserves the account and its history, and keep that no-fee card active instead. See are annual fees worth it.

Set it and forget it, safely

Automate the whole thing: a small recurring charge, autopay for the full balance, and a quick glance at the statement every quarter to catch any fraud, since a card you ignore is a card a thief loves. If an unused card tempts you to spend, keep it in a drawer rather than your wallet. The goal is a quiet, active, paid-in-full account that boosts your credit profile in the background. See why closing cards can backfire.

Frequently asked questions

Will my credit card be closed if I do not use it?

It can be. Issuers close accounts that sit unused for a long stretch, often a year or more, to cut their costs. Putting a small recurring charge on the card with autopay keeps it active and prevents that.

Does closing a credit card hurt your score?

It can. Closing a card removes its credit line, which can raise your utilization, and over time can shorten your average account age. That is why keeping a dormant no-fee card active, rather than letting it close, is usually better.

How do I keep a dormant credit card active?

Route one small recurring charge to it, such as a cheap subscription, and turn on autopay so it is paid in full and on time. A charge every couple of months is enough to register as activity and keep the account open.

Should I keep an old credit card I do not use?

Usually yes if it has no annual fee, since it helps your credit history and utilization for free. If it has a fee you no longer want to pay, downgrade it to a no-fee version rather than closing it, then keep that card active.