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How to Increase Your Credit Limit

7 min read

Last Updated: February 10, 2026

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

You may submit a credit limit increase request online or over the phone.
An increased credit limit might benefit your credit score and give you more spending flexibility.
Responsible use of your existing credit may increase your odds of getting a higher limit.

Your credit limit is the maximum amount you may borrow on your credit card before paying down your balance. A lower credit limit may not be a bad thing, especially as you begin your credit journey. But over time, limited credit may feel restrictive and make it difficult to use your card for big purchases. Fortunately, if you have a good credit score and have used your credit responsibly, you may be eligible for a higher credit limit.

4 ways to increase your credit limit

Submit a request

Contact your card issuer to request a credit limit increase. You may typically submit re-quests online or over the phone.

Report income increases

Card issuers may automatically increase your credit limit if your income goes up, so it’s important to update your card issuer about changes in your employment.

Build your credit score

Your credit card issuer may occasionally review your credit history and automatically raise your credit limit if your credit score has increased.

Apply for a new credit card

If you can’t increase the limit on your current credit card, you may still qualify for anoth-er credit card. A new card may provide you the additional credit you may need.

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Reasons you might want a higher credit limit

As long as you have the resources to manage additional credit, a higher credit limit may offer more benefits than you think:

Ability to make larger purchases: With a higher credit line, you may be able to charge more expensive purchases to your credit card.
Increased flexibility: Access to more credit may come in handy if you think you’ll use your card more than usual within a certain period, like during a vacation.
Access to emergency funds: Even if you don’t typically spend much on your credit card, a credit limit increase may prove useful for unexpected expenses, like car repairs or veterinary bills.
Lower credit utilization: Increasing your credit limit may lower your credit utilization ratio (your revolving credit debt compared to your overall available credit). The lower your credit utilization ratio, the better it can be for your credit score.
Opportunity to earn more rewards: If you have a rewards credit card, increasing your spending power may also increase your ability to earn rewards like cash back.

Ways to increase your credit limit

If your current credit limit doesn’t meet your needs, you may reach out to your credit card issuer directly to ask for additional credit. Or you might work on increasing your income and improving your credit file in the hopes of receiving an automatic credit limit increase.

Submit a credit limit increase request to your credit card company

You may contact your credit issuer directly to ask for a higher credit limit. You might call the customer service line, log into the online banking portal, or use the issuer’s mobile app to file a request.

Asking for a credit line increase on your Discover^® credit card can be easy. Just use the Discover mobile app and file a request under “Services”. Or call the number on the back of your credit card to make a request through a customer service representative.

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Report increases in your income

Increases in your income may show your credit card issuer that you have the financial resources to manage a higher credit limit responsibly. If you start making more money, your credit card company may even automatically increase your credit limit.

Make sure you update your income information with your credit card company after you get a raise, promotion, or higher-paying job.

Build your credit score

Your credit score typically plays an important role in determining your credit limit. You may receive an automatic increase if your credit card issuer notices a significant increase in your credit score. Or, if you plan to request a higher limit, you may want to strengthen your credit score first.

Consistent, on-time monthly payments and minimal balances across revolving credit accounts may help you build a good credit score.

What to do before a credit limit increase request

Before asking for a higher credit limit, review your credit history and consider the possible effects of a credit limit increase request on your credit score.

Check your credit report for errors

Make sure the information on your credit report is accurate, as mistakes may lower your credit score. For example, if a lender has reported your payment as late when you made it on time, fixing the error may help your credit score. Dispute any mistakes you find with your card issuer and your credit bureau so your lender may get a more accurate picture of your creditworthiness.

Review your credit score

Without a strong credit score, you may not qualify for a credit limit increase. Before submitting your request, review your credit score and consider key factors, like your payment history and credit utilization ratio.

If your credit score is lower than you’d like, you may want to make some positive changes to your credit file. Consider setting up automatic payments to establish a stronger payment history and paying more than the monthly minimum on your revolving credit accounts to reduce your credit utilization.

Did you know?

If you improve your credit score, you may also qualify for a wider range of credit card options in the future, including rewards credit cards that allow you to earn cash back on eligible purchases.

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Determine whether requests trigger a hard credit check

Before requesting a higher credit limit, ask whether your credit card issuer conducts a hard credit inquiry as part of the review process.

A hard credit inquiry has the potential to lower your credit score by a few points. Too many hard inquiries within a short time might make lenders think twice before issuing more credit. You may not want to request a credit increase on multiple credit cards at once if those requests result in multiple hard credit checks.

Drawbacks to requesting a credit limit increase

A credit limit increase may give you more flexibility and increase your available credit, but there are some potential drawbacks to consider:

If a credit limit increase request involves a hard credit check, your credit score may go down.
A higher credit limit may tempt you to overspend, leaving you with unmanageable credit card debt.
You may owe considerable interest charges if you carry a larger balance as a result of your credit line increase.

What if you’re denied a credit limit increase?

If your request for an increased credit limit gets denied, don’t be discouraged. The following steps may help you access more credit in the future.

Pay off balances

Paying off your credit card balances may help you qualify for a higher credit limit by reducing your credit utilization ratio. Plus, paying down your debt frees up your current credit limit, increasing your available credit. As long as you stay on top of your balances, you may have more flexibility to use your card, even without increasing your credit limit.

Keep using credit cards responsibly

Lenders may be more likely to give you additional credit if you establish a history of responsible credit use on the account. When you consistently practice good credit habits, you may build the card issuer’s trust in your ability to manage a higher limit in the future.

Apply for a new credit card

A new credit card account also increases your available credit. Whether your new card has a higher or lower credit limit than your existing cards, it still increases your purchasing power. Plus, you may access additional features or rewards.

Remember, you may want to wait a few months after applying for a credit limit increase before you submit an application for a new credit card to avoid multiple hard credit checks in a row.

The bottom line

A higher credit limit could give you more spending power to make larger purchases or manage unexpected expenses. Plus, increasing your available credit may help your credit score. Practicing responsible credit habits and keeping your card issuer updated about changes to your income may lead to an automatic credit increase or improve your odds if you request more credit.