Getting a preapproval for a credit card is often a good indicator of your chances of receiving an actual approval—without having to go through a hard credit check. If a card issuer offers preapproval, it’s worth checking out before you submit your official application.
If you’re interested in getting a Bank of America card, you’re in luck—Bank of America’s preapproval process is simple and can help you find a card that’s right for your wallet.
How To Get Preapproved for Bank of America Credit Cards
Bank of America has a preapproval process for prospective cardholders, which they refer to as either pre-selected or customized offers. There are a few different ways that someone can get preapproved:
You may receive a pre-selected offer via mobile, online banking or in person. If you’re a Bank of America customer, you may see these offers pop up when you log into your account or be asked if you’re interested when you visit a branch.
You could also receive a preapproval offer in the mail. Like many credit issuers, Bank of America sends out pre-selected offers via direct mail. When you receive such an offer, you have the option to fill out the application—which will be started for you—and mail it back, or to apply online, usually with a specific link or code.
If you’re interested in a Bank of America credit card but you haven’t received a pre-selected offer, you can try initiating a preapproval using an online tool on the Bank of America website.
This involves filling out a brief application that asks for basic contact information like your name and social security number. You will also be asked to specify the type of credit card you are interested in such as a rewards card, a balance transfer card, a cash-back card, etc., though you have the option to say you’re not sure. If you are a Bank of America customer, you have the option to log in with your username and password from this page to pre-populate the preapproval form.
Once you submit the preapproval form, Bank of America will do a soft inquiry of your credit, meaning that they’ll take a quick peek at your current credit health. Because it’s not a hard inquiry, it will not show up on your credit report or have a negative impact on your credit score.
In just a few moments, your information will be processed, and you’ll receive an offer for a card (or cards) that match your credit level and criteria. After that, you can decide if you want to move forward with an official application.
How To Check Preapproval Status for Bank of America Credit Cards
You should get an instant preapproval offer when using the online tool. However, if you do decide to select an offer and submit a full application, that can take a bit more time in some cases. You can check the status of your application online.
How Accurate Is Bank Of America Credit Card Preapproval?
While it’s not technically guaranteed that you’ll be approved for a credit card just because you’ve cleared the preapproval hurdle, it is a pretty strong indicator.
A Bank of America spokesperson confirmed that when you receive a pre-selected or customized offer, you can consider it “a firm offer of credit.” In other words, there’s a high likelihood that you will be approved for the card as long as your qualifying criteria does not change before you get around to applying.
How To Apply for a Bank Of America Credit Card Without Preapproval
If there is a particular Bank of America credit card that you know you want and you have a reasonably good idea that you have the credit score and income to qualify, you can skip past a preapproval and go straight to the application.
You can apply for a Bank of America credit card by finding the card’s page online and clicking the Apply Now button on that page. You’ll need to supply your personal information, including Social Security number and total annual income.
You can also apply for a Bank of America credit card over the phone by calling 800-932-2775.
After your submit, one of the following things will happen:
- You’ll be approved
- You’ll be informed that you qualify for a different card offer
- You’ll have to wait while your information is under review
- You’ll be denied
If you are approved, you’ll receive your card within seven to 10 days. If you are denied, Bank of America has to tell you why, which will give you the opportunity to seek other products better suited for you.
Bottom Line
There’s no rule that says you need to start with a preapproval offer in order to apply for a credit card. But with Bank of America, there’s really no downside to doing so. Especially if you’re torn between different products, getting preapproved can help you explore different options without initiating any hard inquiries on your credit.
As long as your credit and income information don’t change after preapproval and before you complete the actual application, you can feel reasonably confident that you’ll be fully approved without issue.
Find the Best Credit Cards for 2024
No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.
