Do You Have to Use Your Credit Card Every Month?
You don't have to use your credit card every month, but staying inactive can cause problems
No law requires you to swipe your credit card regularly. You can leave it in a drawer for months without penalty. However, card issuers can close inactive accounts without warning, and a closed account can hurt your credit score even after it's gone. The real cost of not using your card isn't a fee — it's the damage to your credit history and the loss of available credit you might need later.
Most card issuers define inactivity differently. Some close accounts after six months of no charges. Others wait a year or longer. The card's terms and conditions spell out the exact timeline, though many issuers don't advertise this clearly. Even if your issuer doesn't close the account, they may lower your credit limit or stop sending you statements, which can make you forget the account exists entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Card issuers can close inactive accounts without notice, and this closure stays on your credit report and lowers your credit score.
- Inactivity timelines vary by card issuer — some close accounts after six months, others after a year or more of no activity.
- A small recurring charge, like a streaming subscription, keeps an account active without requiring you to remember to use it.
- Closing a credit card yourself (or having it closed for you) reduces your total available credit, which can raise your credit utilization ratio and hurt your score.
- If you want to keep a card but rarely use it, checking your statement quarterly ensures you notice if the account has been closed.
What happens when a card issuer closes your account for inactivity
When an issuer closes your account due to inactivity, the closure appears on your credit report. This is different from you closing the account yourself — the report will note that the issuer closed it, which signals to future lenders that you weren't using the card. The account remains on your report for up to seven years, even after it's closed.
The immediate damage is to your credit utilization ratio. This ratio compares how much credit you're using to how much is available to you. If you had a $5,000 credit limit and never used it, that $5,000 was part of your total available credit. Once the account closes, that $5,000 disappears from the calculation. If you have $2,000 in charges on other cards, your utilization jumps from 20 percent to a higher percentage, which lowers your credit score.
Your credit score also takes a hit because the account's payment history stops building. Active accounts with on-time payments strengthen your score over time. A closed account stops contributing to that positive history.
How long you can go without using a card
The timeline depends entirely on your card issuer. American Express, for example, has been known to close accounts after 12 months of inactivity, though this varies by card type. Discover typically closes accounts after a longer period of non-use. Visa and Mastercard don't set the rules themselves — the banks that issue their cards do.
Your card's terms and conditions should state the inactivity policy, but many issuers bury this information in dense legal language. The safest approach is to assume that six months without any activity is risky. Some issuers are more lenient, but you won't know which category yours falls into unless you call and ask directly.
Even if your issuer doesn't close the account, they may reduce your credit limit or stop sending statements. A reduced limit lowers your available credit and raises your utilization ratio. A stopped statement means you might not notice the account exists, which defeats the purpose of keeping it open.
The easiest way to keep a card active without thinking about it
Set up a small recurring charge on the card and pay it off automatically each month. A streaming service, a subscription box, or a monthly software tool works well. The charge should be something you already pay for anyway — not an extra expense just to keep the card alive.
This approach solves two problems at once. First, it keeps the account active in your issuer's system, so they won't close it. Second, it creates a small monthly payment history, which continues to build your credit score. You're not spending extra money; you're simply redirecting an existing charge to a card you want to keep.
Make sure the recurring charge is small enough that you won't notice it if the card is lost or stolen. A $10 to $15 monthly charge is typical. Also verify that the merchant will accept the card if it expires — some subscriptions require you to update your payment method manually, which defeats the purpose.
When you might want to keep a card active even if you don't use it
A card with a high credit limit and a long payment history is valuable to your credit score, even if you never touch it. Closing it removes that value. If you have a card with a $10,000 limit that you've held for five years, keeping it open — even unused — protects your available credit and your credit history length.
You might also want to keep a card active if it has no annual fee and offers benefits you might use later. Some cards include travel insurance, purchase protection, or extended warranties that activate only when you use the card. If you travel occasionally, keeping the card active means you can use these benefits without reapplying for a new card.
Cards with rewards programs are another reason to keep an account open. Even if you don't use the card regularly, you might earn rewards on that small recurring charge. Over a year, a 1 percent cash-back card earning on a $120 annual charge generates $1.20 — not much, but it's a bonus for doing nothing.
The difference between inactivity and non-use
Inactivity means the card hasn't been charged at all. Non-use means you're not actively shopping with it, but you might still make occasional purchases. Most issuers care about inactivity — a card that sits completely dormant — rather than one you use once every few months.
If you use your card once every three months, you're almost certainly safe from closure. The issuer sees transaction activity and knows the account is being monitored. If you haven't touched it in a year, you're in danger. The gray zone — three to six months of no activity — depends on your specific issuer.
What to do if your card has already been closed
Call your card issuer and ask if they closed the account and why. If it was due to inactivity, ask if they can reopen it. Some issuers will reopen an account if you request it within a certain window, usually 30 to 90 days after closure. You may need to make a small purchase to reactivate it, or you may simply need to confirm you want the account open.
If the issuer won't reopen it, the account will remain on your credit report but won't affect your score as severely over time. The damage is greatest in the first few months after closure. After two years, the impact diminishes. After seven years, the closed account falls off your report entirely.
If you want to rebuild your available credit, opening a new card is an option, though this triggers a hard inquiry on your credit report and temporarily lowers your score. Waiting for the closed account to age off your report is slower but doesn't create new damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get charged a fee if I don't use my credit card?
Most cards don't charge inactivity fees. However, if your card has an annual fee, you'll owe it whether you use the card or not. Check your card's terms to see if an annual fee applies. If it does and you're not using the card, you might consider closing it to avoid the charge — though this will lower your credit score.
Can I use my credit card just once a year to keep it active?
Once a year is risky. Most issuers expect activity at least every six months. A single annual charge might not be enough to prevent closure. A small recurring monthly charge is much safer because it creates regular, predictable activity that shows the account is being monitored.
Does paying off my credit card balance count as activity?
No. Activity means making a purchase or charge on the card. Paying your balance doesn't trigger activity — it's just paying what you already owe. You need an actual transaction (a purchase or charge) to show the card is being used.
If my card is closed, will I still owe the balance?
Yes. Closing an account doesn't erase what you owe. You'll still need to pay any remaining balance, and the issuer will continue to charge interest on it until it's paid off. The account closure only stops new charges from being added.
How do I know if my card has been closed?
The most reliable way is to log into your online account or call the issuer directly. You might also notice if a charge is declined, but this doesn't always mean the account is closed — it could be a fraud hold or a temporary issue. Checking your statement quarterly is the best way to catch a closure early.