Chase 5/24 blocks the most applications: 5+ new personal cards from any issuer in 24 months blocks most Chase approvals, and because it counts every bank’s cards, it sets the order of everything else you do. The rest of this ranking sorts the other screens by how much they reach beyond their own issuer. Check your own count in the 5/24 calculator.
Every major issuer runs a screen that can decline you regardless of your credit, and they differ in reach. This ranking orders the 6 tracked rules by breadth: how many of your applications each one can block, at how many banks, quoting the issuer rules tracker verbatim for each. Rows reflect the tracker as of July 2026, with each row’s own last-verified date on the tracker itself.
1. Chase 5/24
The tracker’s reading: 5+ new personal cards from any issuer in 24 months blocks most Chase approvals. A few approvals at 5/24-6/24 were reported in late 2025, but most over-limit applicants are still denied. It ranks first because it counts every issuer’s personal cards, so 5 approvals anywhere lock the door at Chase, and planning around it decides your entire application order. The Chase 5/24 guide covers counting and exemptions; the Chase hub holds the rest of the bank’s rules.
2. Amex once per lifetime
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The tracker’s reading: a welcome bonus is available once per card, ever. The terms read “have or have had this card,” so even a long-closed card blocks the bonus. It ranks second because it never expires: every Amex card you have ever held is an application it can block, forever, which makes card order inside Amex a permanent decision. The once per lifetime guide covers what gets around it; the Amex hub has the family rules that stack on top.
3. Bank of America 3/12 and 7/12
The tracker’s reading: 3+ new cards from any issuer in 12 months blocks approval. The limit rises to 7 if you hold a BofA deposit account. It reaches across every bank like 5/24 but on a 12-month window, and it is the only ranked rule you can loosen yourself, since the deposit relationship moves the cutoff from 3 to 7. Bank of America also caps its own cards at 2/3/4. The BofA rules guide explains both screens; the Bank of America rules collects them.
4. US Bank 5/12
The tracker’s reading: 5+ new cards from any issuer in 12 months makes approval unlikely. Business cards appear exempt. It is 5/24’s shape on half the window, and it is reported rather than published, so the tracker carries it with that label. Velocity churners hit it before they hit 5/24. The US Bank rules guide covers the reading and the relationship lever; the US Bank rules holds the rest.
5. The 48-month clocks: Citi and Capital One
Citi’s tracker rows: an AAdvantage card is bonus-eligible 48 months after the last bonus on that card, and closing the card does not reset the clock. Since about September 20, 2026, each Strata card’s bonus is once per lifetime instead. Capital One pairs its own velocity line, roughly 1 new Capital One card every 6 months, unofficial but consistent across data points, with 48-month bonus restrictions across the Venture family. These clocks block repeat bonuses rather than approvals, which is why they rank below the screens above. The Citi 48-month guide and the Capital One rules guide cover the timing; the Citi hub and Capital One hub hold the context.
6. Wells Fargo 6-month
The tracker’s reading: one new Wells Fargo card and one bonus per 6 months. The Signify Business Cash card is excepted; Bilt cards are no longer issued by Wells Fargo. It ranks last on breadth because it only meters Wells Fargo’s own lineup, though a reported 5/24-style screen at 5+ new cards from any issuer in 24 months sits behind it, labeled reported on the tracker. The Wells Fargo rules guide covers both clocks. The no-fee card most people start with is covered in Wells Fargo Autograph benefits.
The risk paragraph
Rules loosen and tighten without notice: the tracker labels Barclays 6/24 loosened right now, and the late-2025 reports of 5/24-6/24 approvals at Chase show even the strictest screen drifts. Every row above carries a last-verified date on the tracker, and reported-but-unpublished patterns keep their labels. Verify the row before you build an application plan on it. Rows quoted as of July 2026.
Related guides
- Shutdown risk: when an issuer closes every account
- Barclays application rules: the loose, inquiry-sensitive 6/24
- US Bank application rules: the reported 5/12 screen
FAQ
Which issuer rule blocks the most applications?
Chase 5/24: 5+ new personal cards from any issuer in 24 months blocks most Chase approvals, and it counts other banks’ cards, so it decides your whole application order. Check your count in the 5/24 calculator.
Do business cards count against these rules?
Mostly no. Most business credit cards never appear on your personal credit reports, so they stay out of counts like 5/24 and 5/12. The business cards and 5/24 guide lists the exceptions that do report.
Where do these statuses come from?
The issuer rules tracker, which quotes each rule, its current status, and the date it was last verified. Reported-but-unpublished patterns are labeled as reported there and in the guides.
Last reviewed October 2026. We verify every rule, ratio, and figure against issuer terms and current reporting, and date each one. See our editorial standards for how we research and correct guides.
We re-check these guides as issuer rules and award charts change. 2 ways to follow along, no account needed.