topic Re: Discover (it) CLI denial in Credit Card Applications

Discover (it) CLI denial

DONZI — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:07:25 GMT

Final CLI attempt today for my Discover it card.

existing CL $11k

previous CLI Oct. 2022 $6k (5k CL to 11k CL)

I mainly use this when it's for groceries (now) and dining (next qtr) but often forget about using since I forget or don't check what is currently 5%.

Over a year I will also use it for this or that just to post some use.

I like the card, CS and website I just seem to think more of the other cards since the spend perks are constant and I remember that.

I'd probably use balance transfers to bring up spend with it and other cards to pass around my spend but the % fee just turns me away.. when I actually look at a BT offer for some reason -- which is usally to find and shread the paper check type approach to doing a BT.

Anyhow, I'll edit this post or make new msg once I get the reason. My first guess is use/spend not higher.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

just1morecard — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:53:31 GMT

@DONZI They seem to be more stingy with CLIs lately, but that could just be my imagination. So sorry for your denial. With your minimal spend on this card, are you just looking to decrease your overall credit utilization % through the CLI?

Side note: I noticed you have question marks for your TU FICO 8 score. One thing I like about my Discover card account is that they provide my TU FICO 8 score every month. You can check there for free if you're interested. For those that don't know, Barclays also provides TU FICO 8 once a month for free.

Actually, I'll paste the list of sources where you can get scores for free (assuming you have an account with the issuer) and which score model they use/provide. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but might help some users out there!

Source	Bureau	Type
American Express	Experian	FICO 8
Bank of America	Experian	FICO 8
Barclays	TransUnion	FICO 8
Chase	Experian	VantageScore 3.0
Credit Karma	Equifax	VantageScore 3.0
Credit Karma	TransUnion	VantageScore 3.0
Discover	TransUnion	FICO 8
Equifax	Equifax	VantageScore 3.0
Experian	Experian	FICO 8
FNBO	Experian	FICO 9
myFICO	Equifax	FICO 8
SoFi	TransUnion	VantageScore 3.0
Synchrony	TransUnion	VantageScore 4.0
TransUnion	TransUnion	VantageScore 3.0
U.S. Bank	TransUnion	VantageScore 3.0
Wells Fargo	Experian	FICO 9

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

DONZI — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:40:02 GMT

Hi @just1morecard ,

yeah.. utilization & for ref when / if I app with chase in the future. Really the utilization isn't a problem for me either. But instead of dodging that factor by using the plat or gold some of those I'd rather get better rewards elsewhere than 1 MR per $1.

I didn't notice the TU on the disco site.. it's a bit old yet, but will add that to the sig now. Thanks for the heads-up on that. Used to have the myFico reports but kind of pricy and I went into gardening... actually went to sleep! for a long time. Doing gardening now with CLI.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

just1morecard — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:54:30 GMT

@DONZI Yes, that's my only minor complaint about the issuers is they typically only update once a month. Going into any credit application, it's nice to know (obviously) where you stand today... not 28 days ago. Fortunately, my TU FICO 8 from Discover updates on the 4th of each month and my Barclays updates on the 18th of each month, so I'm not usually more than 15 days stale.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

DONZI — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:21:35 GMT

I've not watched my scores as much for the past couple years.

I've been using the cards and allowing all to post, paying typically on the due date (manually at that), so watching scores was like watching the stock market over the last month.

I raked up a $40 late fee @ amex during a gaming binge. Paid the BCE $20 balance + late fee a day after due date.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

1lifeisworthit — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:36:11 GMT

USAA has started showing FICO 10T, but I do not know which bureau's report it is based on.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

Vinjints — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:52:50 GMT

The USAA 10T is based on Experian.

Without Disco/Cap1 cards, they also offer the TU scores through Credit Wise for free.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

DONZI — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:26:13 GMT

@DONZI wrote:

Anyhow, I'll edit this post or make new msg once I get the reason. My first guess is use/spend not higher.

..forgot edit window is short. Denial letter arrived yesterday.

Reason for denial is as expected: "LOW USAGE ON EXISTING LINE OF CREDIT IN PREVIOUS MONTHS"

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

Vinjints — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:09:51 GMT

in previous months... I wonder if you run through the grocery and dining months, that will show higher usage "in recent months" and will allow you an increase. Did you max last quarter?

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

RobertS2 — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:11:51 GMT

I'm not a big fan of the rotating categories either.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

BoujeeBetty — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:25:51 GMT

I got a lot or rejections from Discover before Cap1 bought them. Someone encouraged me to do a balance transfer to my Discover card and sure enough they gave me 3 consecutive CLIs. So I paid it off and several months later, after the Cap1 takeover, I did another BT to Discover and NADA.

Guess I'll just have to be satisfied with $22.2k.

During the pandemic, both Cap1 and Chase gave me CLD's from $10k to $5k due to lack of use. I called them both and cancelled because I took HPs to get them to that point.

Hopefully Cap1 allows Discover to run that side of the business and they don't CLD me again.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

DONZI — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:21:46 GMT

@Vinjints wrote:
in previous months... I wonder if you run through the grocery and dining months, that will show higher usage "in recent months" and will allow you an increase. Did you max last quarter?

I don't think that I maxed it for groceries last QTR and probably won't on dining this QTR.

Given the DP history for disco and my normal organic spend, I generally only would approach maxing a QTR if I were shopping for something specific and reviewed all the cards to see best how to max savings on the purchase.

At least once I intentially used it much more to prep for a CLI .. which I didn't do this time.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

DONZI — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:37:55 GMT

@RobertS2 wrote:
I'm not a big fan of the rotating categories either.

I got the disco primarily for payment network diversity and the way it (DP) worked into my initial card application 'spree'.

As it were, it also was a nice extension to categories since usually something across the year offered %5 in a category non of my other cards were capable of directly.

At this point, I wait and see how Capitol One handles discover.

I'm not a fan of Cap1 as a company. Discover I felt was kind of like buying local.. thus, I had some satisfaction doing business with them and liked the free card image options. I've come to realize having disco payment network (or not) is trivial.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

BrutalBodyShots — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 02:05:16 GMT

Hey @DONZI! I just wanted to give you my take on Discover CLIs. I think much of it comes down to your overall credit profile and how Discover views it, going back to the time they initially approved you. I've seen countless data points over the years that seem conflicting when it comes to Discover CLIs. I've seen what most would consider weak/fair credit profiles that are able to garner strong CLIs, and similar profiles that never see growth or minimal growth. Conversely, I've seen rock solid, established profiles that have the same mixed results. I've received that same CLI denial reason you were provided with "recent usage too low" over 100 times. Yes, I literally have over 100 denial letters from Discover with that reason cited There are times when I've been provided with that denial reason and literally don't use the card AT ALL for several months because the 5% categories didn't align well for me and I've received a CLI when asking right after. Literally with no usage. So, I don't think "usage" is really all they go by when it comes to that statement. A lot of it I believe simply has to do with an element of time metric being satisfied. Some profiles I think are "bucketed" to receive strong CLI results, where others I think are "bucketed" to not for whatever reason. It's definitely a fact though that strong limits can be had from Discover without any significant spend. I personally place them right up there on the list probably #2 to Amex when it comes to being giving for CLIs on relatively little spend.

Re: Discover (it) CLI denial

DONZI — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 03:13:45 GMT

@BrutalBodyShots wrote:
..how Discover views it, going back to the time they initially approved you.

.. ala, buckets as mentioned below I presume.

A lot of it I believe simply has to do with an element of time metric being satisfied.

.. that's a big brush. Assuming you mean more than just acct age.

How about annual income shifts if provided to them?

In 2020 and into early 2021 I provided ~$30k for income (no loans or rent) as a 'safe' amount.

Prior to 2020 I was off the radar and hadn't filed 1040s for some years due to low income.

Since I opened the door in 2019-2020 by taking a paycheck for ~12-13mo, I feed all my stuff to a tax lawyer to handle things in case I had made a mistake.

..after the green light from the tax lawyer I began manipulating my finances so I could provide useful income docs moving forward.

Some profiles I think are "bucketed" to receive strong CLI results, where others I think are "bucketed" to not for whatever reason.

If they do in fact bucket, I suppose that I would do better just cancel (or not) the current disco and apply for a new one.

I personally place them right up there on the list probably #2 to Amex when it comes to being giving for CLIs on relatively little spend.

Interesting. Buckets certainly could align/account for some of the voodoo witnessed.