U.S. Bank Lowers Required Age For Authorized Users To 13 Years Old

Evan Coleman is an Updates Editor on the Credit Cards and Travel Rewards team at Forbes Advisor, showcasing his interest in personal finance and love of travel. He has written for a variety of local news sources, college blogs and nonprofits on topics including business, arts and culture and search engine optimization. Evan is a graduate of the University of Rochester, where he studied Business and English: Language, Media and Communication.

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Dylan Pearl

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Deputy Editor

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Published: Jan 16, 2024, 2:14pm

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Table of Contents

Being added as an authorized user to a trusted person’s credit card account is an effective way to begin to establish credit history. With a new policy change, U.S. Bank authorized users can be added to a current cardholder’s account at as early as 13 years old.

New Age Requirement for U.S. Bank Authorized Users

While there’s no legal age requirement for authorized users, some credit card issuers have minimum age policies in place. For example, Discover requires authorized users to be at least 15 years old.

U.S. Bank used to be one of the stricter lenders in terms of minimum age policies, previously requiring authorized users to be 16 years old. This requirement has since changed, and current U.S. Bank cardholders can add authorized users who are at least 13 years of age.

If you have held a U.S. Bank credit card for a while and are looking to pass along your credit history to a family member, legal guardian or trusted friend, adding them as soon as they turn 13 can do wonders for their future credit score. That is if you have a low credit utilization rate and no record of late payments.

How Do I Add an Authorized User to My U.S. Bank Credit Card?

Adding an authorized user to your U.S. Bank credit card is a simple process that can be done over the phone, online or through the U.S. Bank mobile app. Regardless of the method, make sure to have the potential authorized user’s first and last name, date of birth and Social Security Number handy.

If using online banking, first select “Customer Service” followed by “Self Service.” Under the “Credit Cards, Charge Cards and Personal Lines” section, select “Add Authorized User” on the specific card you would like to add someone to. From there, fill out the necessary information in the form and submit.

As for the U.S. Bank mobile app, first select “Manage cards” under the menu on your account dashboard. Then select “Add a user” to access the authorized user form. Submit the form after adding the required information.

Finally, authorized users can be added over the phone by calling the number on the back of your card or 800-285-8585. The authorized user’s credit card will be mailed to the address associated with the primary cardholder’s account.

You can add up to seven authorized users to your account. However, keep in mind that authorized users cannot be added to college, secured or young adult (co-signer) credit card accounts.

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Bottom Line

Adding authorized users is a great way to share your credit history with your children, other family members or friends. If you have a U.S. Bank credit card with a positive track record, take note of the minimum age requirement so you can spread the wealth with those close to you as soon as possible.