American Express provides relief for those on active duty under the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and Military Lending Act (MLA). Eligible American Express Card Members may be entitled to relief under one of those acts.
| Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) | Military Lending Act (MLA) |
|---|---|
Established: 2003 |
Established: 2006, with an added Credit Extended to Covered Borrowers provision taking effect in 2017 |
Provides important protections to those who serve on active duty for the Nation's defense and allows Servicemembers and in some instances their spouses to reduce the burden of some civil obligations during active duty. State laws regarding community property may apply. |
Provides important protections to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents relating to extensions of consumer credit while they are serving on active duty. |
Cap of 6% Interest Rate |
Cap of 36% MAPR (Military Annual Percentage Rate) |
Credit must be acquired prior to active duty |
Credit must be acquired while on active duty |
Eligible Card Members may request SCRA relief from start of active duty up to 180 days after they leave active duty. |
MLA relief is applied to eligible Card accounts at the date of account opening. Enrollment is not required. |
The Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
SCRA is a federal law that protects those persons who serve on active duty for the Nation's defense and allows Servicemembers to reduce the burden of some civil obligations during active duty. Active duty may occur during peacetime, war, or during other military actions.
The SCRA applies to Consumer, Small Business and Corporate Card products, and closed-end credit loan products. Eligible American Express customers will receive the relief described in the “Relief Provided by SCRA” section below for the duration of the servicemember’s active duty service.
SCRA relief is available for extensions of credit acquired by a servicemember prior to active duty. Relief is given to servicemembers for the duration of their active duty. Servicemembers may request SCRA relief from start of active duty up to 180 days after they leave active duty.
If you are a servicemember or a dependent of a servicemember who acquired an extension of consumer credit from us during active duty, please visit the MLA tab to learn about MLA relief.
Process to obtain SCRA relief:
Submitting your request online is the fastest way to request SCRA relief. You may also submit any relevant documents through the Document Center: this includes paperwork establishing active duty, such as documentation prepared exclusively by a branch of the military, the Department of Defense or your commanding officer which indicates that you are on active duty (e.g., active duty orders, change of station orders, DD-214 forms, letters from commanding officers, etc.).
Please note that SCRA relief can only be requested online if the Card account for which you’re requesting relief is enrolled in American Express Online Services. If it is not, you may enroll your Card now.
We will advise you of your status up to 2 billing cycles after you submit your request.
Call the number on the back of your Card or 1-800-253-1720 to submit a request. If you are outside the United States, you can call us collect at 1-336-393-1111.
Fax documents establishing your active duty status to 623-444-3000. Please make sure to include the applicable American Express account number(s).
Send a copy of documents establishing your active duty status to:
American Express, Attn: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, PO Box 981535, El Paso, TX 79998-1535.
Please make sure to include the applicable American Express account number(s).
Relief Provided by SCRA:
The SCRA limits the rate of interest that may be assessed on eligible loans and credit products to no more than 6%. “Interest” for SCRA purposes includes fees such as annual membership fees, late fees, and returned payment fees.
Eligibility for SCRA:
Individuals eligible for SCRA relief are servicemembers who have been on or are currently on active duty in one of the below services:
- Any member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) or a reserve component called to active duty (Reserve, National Guard, and Air National Guard).
- National Guard personnel under a call or order to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days (for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by federal funds).
- Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officers.
- U.S. citizens serving with the forces of a nation with which U.S. is allied in the prosecution of a war or military action.
American Express provides SCRA relief on accounts that were opened before the start of the servicemember’s active duty period. This includes credit cards and personal loans.
Once SCRA relief has been requested and confirmed, American Express will apply relief to your eligible account within 2 billing cycles. Once the relief has been applied to your account you will receive a letter outlining the eligibility for your accounts. Some American Express account types may receive relief sooner than others.
Requests for SCRA relief must be made while on active duty or within 180 days of leaving or completing active duty.
SCRA relief is retroactive to your active duty start date or "order to" date for reservists. American Express periodically reviews accounts to determine if the account is no longer eligible for relief. If you are no longer eligible, you will receive a notification letter at least 45 days prior to the date relief ends on your account. When your relief ends, American Express will resume charging any applicable fees that were not charged while your account was eligible for relief under this Act.
When your relief ends, American Express will resume charging any applicable fees that were not charged while your account was eligible for relief under this Act. If you believe you were sent this letter in error, please contact American Express at the phone number on the back of your Card.
American Express handles all account active duty status in accordance with the Department of Defense and/or the military orders you previously provided. If you received this letter and your active duty period has been extended, please send within two weeks a copy of those military orders or other relevant documents establishing your active duty. This can include documentation prepared exclusively by a branch of the military, the Department of Defense, or your commanding officer which indicates that you are on active duty (e.g., active duty orders, change of station orders, DD-214 forms, letters from commanding officers, etc.). You may upload the documentation to us at americanexpress.com/documentcenter and/or call 1-800-253-1720 with any questions. Providing this documentation to us will ensure that your account continues to be handled in accordance with the Servicemember Civil Relief Act. If we do not receive new military orders as requested, we will rely upon the information in our records.
You probably received this letter because we were not able to verify your active duty status by looking you up on the Defense Manpower Database Center (DMDC) website or with the documentation you may have provided. To help us determine your eligibility we need you to send us a copy of active duty orders or a letter from your executive or commanding officer on official letterhead that includes:
- Servicemember’s name and Social Security Number
- Active duty start date
- Branch of service
SCRA requests are generally declined for one or more of the following reasons:
- The account was opened after the active duty start date
- The active duty period ended more than 180 days before relief was requested
- The account was settled or paid in full before the active duty start date
Refer to your decline letter for the specific reason your account was declined.
The annual membership fee for your card is typically billed on the first billing statement of your account and annually thereafter. The annual membership fee is nonrefundable 30 days after being billed as referenced in your Card Member Agreement. (This policy does not apply to residents of Massachusetts.) You will be responsible for paying the annual membership fee if your account is deemed not eligible for SCRA or if the fee was billed outside a period of SCRA eligible active duty.
No. Decisions for SCRA relief are made separately on each account, not on the individual level. Card accounts are eligible for relief based on when the account was opened with American Express. SCRA relief is available only on accounts opened prior to active military duty. For any accounts that are opened while on active military duty, MLA coverage will be determined at the time of application and those accounts will be ineligible for SCRA relief.
You can visit militaryonesource.mil for more information about the SCRA. Military OneSource is a Department of Defense-funded program that has policy and program information, helpful resources, products, articles, and tips on numerous topics related to military life.
The Military Lending Act (MLA)
MLA is a federal law that provides important protections to members of the Armed Forces and their dependents relating to extensions of consumer credit they obtain while they are serving on active duty.
To be eligible for MLA relief, the loan/account must be acquired on your consumer American Express account while on active duty. Relief is given to members of the Armed Forces and/or their dependents for the duration of active duty. No action is required from you for MLA relief. If you are eligible for MLA relief, it will be applied to your account without you having to request it. American Express determines eligibility based on data received from the Department of Defense at the time of application. Please ensure your information is up to date with the Department of Defense.
Relief provided by MLA:
In general, the MLA limits the cost of consumer credit to members of the Armed Forces and his or her dependents to an annual percentage rate that may not exceed 36%. This rate must include, as applicable: the costs associated with credit insurance premiums; fees for ancillary products sold in connection with the credit transaction; and any participation fee (other than certain participation fees for a credit card account).
If your Consumer account is eligible for MLA relief, the relief will be applied immediately to your account when it is opened and you will receive notification through your Card Member Agreement. Please refer to your Card Member Agreement to determine if you have been identified as a “covered borrower” and entitled to MLA relief.
Who is eligible for MLA relief:
The following parties are eligible to receive relief through the Military Lending Act:
- A regular or reserve member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, serving on active duty under a call or order that does not specify a period of 30 days or less, or such a member serving on Active Guard and Reserve duty as that term is defined in 10 U.S.C. 101(d)(6)
- Spouse or child of an Active Duty member of Armed Forces defined in 38 USC 101(4)
- An individual for whom the member of the Armed Forces provides more than one-half of the individual's support for 180 days immediately preceding an extension of consumer credit covered by 32 C.F.R. Part 232.
No. Only an account that you or your dependent(s) obtain with American Express while you are on active duty is eligible for MLA relief.
There is no action required to obtain MLA relief. If you are eligible for MLA relief, it will be applied to your account as soon as it is opened with American Express.
American Express verifies MLA eligibility with the Department of Defense during the application process to determine if the account is eligible for relief.
You can determine if you are a “covered borrower” at the bottom of Part 1 of your Card Member Agreement.
Unfortunately, the Department of Defense does not currently include service academy cadets, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Public Health Service in the MLA Database.
No. SCRA relief is available only on accounts opened with American Express prior to active military duty.
If you believe you were not correctly identified as a covered borrower, please contact customer service within 12 months of opening your account. You can do this by either calling the number on the back of your card or by logging on to your account and utilizing the click to chat option.
Your account will continue to receive relief for the duration of your active duty military service. American Express periodically reviews accounts with the Department of Defense to determine if the account is no longer eligible for relief. If you are no longer eligible, you will receive a notification letter at least 45 days prior to the date relief ends on your account. When your relief ends, American Express will resume charging any applicable fees that were not charged while your account was eligible for relief under this Act.
When your relief ends, American Express will resume charging any applicable fees that were not charged while your account was eligible for relief under this Act. If you believe you were sent this letter in error, please contact American Express at the phone number on the back of your Card.
To learn more about MLA relief through American Express, please call 855-531-0379 or visit militaryonesource.mil.