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There are Capital One credit cards available for just about everyone, whether you're looking for a rewards card, a 0% intro APR, or to build your credit. If you want to apply for a Capital One credit card, here's how to do it.
How to apply for a Capital One credit card
There are only a few steps to apply for a Capital One credit card.
1. Go to the credit card's page and click "Apply Now." 2. Enter the required information. You'll need to have the following information available to fill out the application:
Personal information: Full name, date of birth, and Social Security number
Contact information: Residential address (P.O. boxes aren't valid as a residential address for credit card applications, but you can add one as your mailing address by clicking "Add mailing address"), email address, and phone number
Financial information: Employment status, annual income, monthly home payment (rent or mortgage), the types of bank accounts you have, and optional questions about your credit card spending habits
3. Add an authorized user if you want to do so now. If not, you can skip this step. 4. Submit the application.
Ideally, you'll get an answer right away -- or at least, within the minute or so that it takes for the credit card issuer to process your information. The results could, however, take longer than that.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair (300-669)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Fair (300-669)
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Welcome Offer:
$200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
$200 Cash Back
Welcome Offer:
N/A
N/A
Welcome Offer:
Earn $50 Cash Back when you spend $100 in the first three months
Earn $50 Cash Back
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply.
1.5%-5% cash back
Rewards Program:
—
Rewards Program:
Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply. Earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal.
1%-8% cash back
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months (Balance Transfer Fee Applies)
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Intro APR:
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR:
19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Regular APR:
29.99% (Variable)
Regular APR:
19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Highlights:
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.49% - 29.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Highlights:
No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you
Highlights:
Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card
Earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal
Build your credit with responsible card use
Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you
What happens after you apply for a Capital One credit card?
There are three potential outcomes after you apply for a Capital One credit card:
Instant approval
Instant denial
Under review
If it's an approval, then you're good to go. Capital One will send you the card in the mail. The letter you receive with it will include activation instructions and your credit limit.
A denial is the worst-case scenario, but it doesn't always mean you're out of luck. You can call Capital One's reconsideration line. They can tell you why you were denied (you'll also get a letter in the mail with this information), and you can explain why the company should reconsider your application. It's possible a representative may overturn the original decision and approve your Capital One credit card application.
Finally, there's application purgatory. When Capital One says it needs more time to review your application, you should receive a letter within seven to 10 business days on whether you were approved or denied. But you can also call Capital One as early as the next day to check your application's status. The benefit of doing that is if you were denied, you can attempt to get a reconsideration immediately.
Choosing a Capital One credit card
Before you apply for a Capital One credit card, you need to pick one. If you're not sure which card is right for you, consider your credit score and the credit card benefits you're looking for.
Your credit history and credit score determine which cards you can get. The best Capital One credit cards are usually only an option if you have good or excellent credit. Fortunately, Capital One includes recommended credit levels with each of its cards. You can click the credit level to see what the qualification requirements are for that Capital One credit card.
As far as card benefits go, you'll need to decide what perks matter most to you. That could be cash back, travel rewards, 0% intro APR financing, or something different. It's also important to look at any fees a card has, such as an annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
Here are Capital One credit card recommendations that will cover most financial situations and goals, from earning rewards to raising your credit score:
It's not difficult to apply for a Capital One credit card. What's most important is finding the right card. When you can figure out the best credit cards for you, you'll maximize your value. Once you know what you want, the application itself should only take about five to 10 minutes.
To get approved for a Capital One credit card, check the recommended credit level for the card before you apply. You can find this information for all Capital One cards on its website. Make sure your credit score and profile fit the guidelines provided by Capital One. If you're a good fit for the card, you're much more likely to be approved.
To open a Capital One card, you need the following:
Social Security number or individual tax ID
U.S. address (this must be a residential address, as P.O. Boxes aren't accepted on credit card applications)
Form of income
For most of its credit cards, Capital One requires that your monthly income exceeds your mortgage/rent payment by at least $425. If it doesn't, then you most likely won't be eligible for a Capital One credit card.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.
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