What Happens If You Don’t Activate a Credit Card?
6 Min Read | Published: December 22, 2025
This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services. Similar products and services offered by different companies will have different features and you should always read about product details before acquiring any financial product.
What can happen if you don’t activate a credit card? Learn how inactivity may lead to closure or impact your credit score, and when to consider a new card.
At-A-Glance
- Leaving a card inactive for too long might cause the issuer to close your account.
- If that happens, your available credit and account age could shrink, which might nudge your credit score down.
- If you miss the activation window, you might need to reapply for a new card that fits your current spending style.
Your new credit card arrived in the mail on schedule, but somehow it ended up buried under a pile of bills. No big deal—even if you don’t activate the card, your account’s still technically open. Leaving it inactive for too long, though, could lead to a closed account or a missed chance to build credit.
Here’s why it’s worth taking a minute to activate your new card.
What Happens if You Don’t Activate a Credit Card?
If the card stays dormant for too long, your issuer might eventually close the account for inactivity—kind of like when you lose a dinner reservation when you don’t show up in time. And since account closures can shorten your average credit history and lower your overall available credit, your scores may see some negative ripple effects. You’re also still on the hook for any annual fees, even if you don’t activate your card.
If you decide you actually do want to use the card, activating it by calling the number on the back or following any attached instructions is simple. You can also learn about other quick ways to activate your credit card and start enjoying its perks in minutes.
Did you know?
When you applied for your card, your card issuer most likely reviewed your entire credit history with a hard credit check that temporarily dinged your scores—so not activating the card after approval could waste that hit you already took.
Common Reasons People Forget to Activate a Card
It can happen to the best of us: You applied, it arrived, and then life took over. For most people, activating a forgotten card takes just a minute, and then it’s ready to use.
Here are some reasons you may have forgotten to activate:
- New Card Nerves
If it’s your first card, and you might be waiting until you feel knowledgeable enough to use it. Getting comfortable with how to get a credit card may give you confidence before activating.
- Missed an Upgrade
You may have upgraded your card, but are still using the old one out of habit. Reviewing what a credit card upgrade means could remind you of the new perks you’re missing.
- Impulse Sign-Up
You opened a retailer card for a store discount, and by the time it arrived, you realized you didn’t want that new card after all.
- Lost in the Shuffle
Between errands, travel, or unopened mail, your new card might still be sitting in its envelope.
Why Activation Matters
Activating your card officially links the card to you, confirming it’s in your hands and not someone else’s. Activation is kind of like the on switch for all the good stuff, too: rewards, perks, and the opportunity to build your credit with consistent payments. Plus, it can help protect you against fraudsters using your card before you do.
What If You Miss the Activation Window?
If you forgot to activate your card right away, most issuers give you around 45-60 days to activate.1 But that window can vary, and waiting too long might lead to your account closing automatically.
Missing the window isn’t the end of the world, and you have options if you do experience a closure:
- Call Your Issuer
They may be able to flip the switch and get your card ready to use.
- Reapply
If the card was closed a while ago, you might need to reapply for it or apply for a different one.
- Check your Credit Report
It’s a good habit anyway, and if fraudsters ever used your forgotten card, you might be able to spot that activity faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can cancel a card even if you never activated it. Just know the account may still show up on your credit report, and depending on your overall credit mix, closing it could have a negative effect. If you’re curious, you can learn more about how to close a credit card.
It can be. Issuers sometimes close inactive accounts, which could lower your available credit limit and bump up your credit utilization ratio, or how much credit you’re using compared to what’s available.
That depends on your issuer, but many might close the account automatically after about 45-60 days. When in doubt, it’s worth calling to check.
Not right away, but possibly later. An inactive account usually still shows as open, but if your issuer closes it, your score could shift depending on how that closure changes your credit history or credit limit.
The Takeaway
That new card is worth activating, not just to start earning rewards, but to avoid someone else using it. Leaving it inactive too long could also mean the account gets closed, which could have a negative impact on your credit history. Activation is the first step toward making your new card work for you, so it’s best to call the number on the back of your card as soon as you can.
1 “What happens if you don’t activate a credit card?,” Bankrate
Liv Gillespie is a Philadelphia-based writer with a double M.A. in English Linguistics & Literature and Secondary Education. Her work focuses on personal finance.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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