American Express Rules
2/90
The Amex 2/90 rule is an unofficial guideline for American Express credit card approvals that says:
You can be approved for at most 2 Amex credit cards within a 90-day period.
Key points
- This applies only to Amex credit cards, not charge cards (like the Amex Platinum or Gold).
- It refers to approvals, not applications — so denied apps don’t count.
- Charge cards (which don’t have a preset spending limit) do not count toward this 2-card limit and can sometimes be approved even if you're at the 2/90 limit for credit cards.
Example
If you're approved for the Amex Blue Cash Preferred on May 1 and the Amex Hilton Surpass on May 20, you’ll likely need to wait until around August 1 before being approved for another Amex credit card.
10 Charge Card Limit
The Amex 10 charge card limit refers to an unofficial policy by American Express that restricts individuals to holding a maximum of 10 charge cards at any given time. This includes both personal and business charge cards. If you already possess 10 charge cards, you would typically need to close one before being approved for a new one. 1 2
Details
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Applies to Charge Cards Only: This limit pertains specifically to charge cards, which traditionally require full payment of the balance each month and often have no preset spending limit. Examples include the Platinum Card, Gold Card, and Green Card.3
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Separate from Credit Card Limits: American Express also imposes a separate limit on credit cards, typically capping the number at four or five per individual. Credit cards differ from charge cards in that they allow carrying a balance over time with interest.
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Combined Personal and Business Cards: Both personal and business charge cards count toward the 10-card limit.
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Existing Cardholders: If you already hold more than 10 charge cards, you may be grandfathered in and allowed to retain them. However, to obtain additional charge cards, you would likely need to reduce your total to below 10.1
5 Credit Card Limit
The Amex 5 credit card limit is an unofficial policy by American Express that typically restricts individuals to holding a maximum of five American Express credit cards at any given time. This limit encompasses both personal and business credit cards issued by Amex. It does not include charge cards, such as the Platinum, Gold, or Green cards, which are categorized separately and have their own limits.4
Key Details
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Credit Cards Counted: All Amex-issued credit cards, including co-branded cards like those from Delta, Hilton, and Marriott, count toward this five-card limit.5
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Charge Cards Excluded: Charge cards, which typically have no preset spending limit and require full payment each month, do not count toward the five-card credit limit. Amex generally allows up to 10 charge cards per individual.4
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Variability: While the standard limit is five, some individuals have reported being approved for a sixth credit card, suggesting that exceptions may occur based on factors like creditworthiness and relationship with Amex.
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Application Restrictions: In addition to the five-card limit, Amex enforces other application rules, such as the 2/90 rule, which limits approvals to two credit cards within a 90-day period.
Exceeding the 5 credit card limit may result in automatic denial of your application. To manage your Amex card portfolio effectively, you might need to close an existing credit card account before applying for a new one.