Can I apply for a card, get an offer, and then decline if the CL is too low?

[alocksley]

It's been a while since I've applied for a credit card with a credit limit, as opposed to a charge card.  If I were to apply, and be accepted, and the credit limit offered is too low to be worthwhile, can I decline the offer, and what would the effect be on credit age? Stated differently, is there a point in the process where I can say "no thanks" without it actually ending up on my credit report?  Last thing I want is a new card skewing my credit age if it's not helping lower me credit utilization.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

---

@alocksley wrote:

If I were to apply, and be accepted, and the credit limit offered is too low to be worthwhile, can I decline the offer?

No

[Yoshi1981]

---

@alocksley wrote:

It's been a while since I've applied for a credit card with a credit limit, as opposed to a charge card.  If I were to apply, and be accepted, and the credit limit offered is too low to be worthwhile, can I decline the offer, and what would the effect be on credit age? Stated differently, is there a point in the process where I can say "no thanks" without it actually ending up on my credit report?  Last thing I want is a new card skewing my credit age if it's not helping lower me credit utilization.

Thanks.

---

No above is correct. Once you accept, thats it. The only way I see this working is if you check one of the few cards offering pre-approvals with APR and SL details prior to accepting like Apple. But thats still not quite the same, you'd be declining terms of a pre-approval not submitting an application. 

[Kforce]

---

@alocksley wrote:

It's been a while since I've applied for a credit card with a credit limit, as opposed to a charge card.  If I were to apply, and be accepted, and the credit limit offered is too low to be worthwhile, can I decline the offer, and what would the effect be on credit age? Stated differently, is there a point in the process where I can say "no thanks" without it actually ending up on my credit report?  Last thing I want is a new card skewing my credit age if it's not helping lower me credit utilization.

Thanks.

---

It depends on issuer.

Some have a pre qualify that reports an approx CL you might receive.

No guarantee or last second "No Go" but a hint from there point of view.

(FNBO, and other's )

Most are just you get what they want to give and you can't stop the runaway car.

For the first time in my credit card history an issuer told me what my CL would be

and asked if I wanted the card or cancel the application.

They might have already done a hard pull, however gave option to not open.

This was one month ago with Alliant CU.

Hope you get a few other places for pre-aproval with limits, or issuers like Alliant

Good Luck

[Windchill92]

@Yoshi1981 same deal with Amex's "Apply with confidence" which does a SP. Can't remember if they show you your SL or not.

[Anonymous]

---

@Windchill92 wrote:
same deal with Amex's "Apply with confidence" which does a SP. Can't remember if they show you your SL or not.

---

---

No

[NoMoreE46]

Do you have a particular card in mind? 

As noted, some will give a sneak peak of your SL like the Apple Card from GS.   

[Lou-natic]

---

@alocksley wrote:

It's been a while since I've applied for a credit card with a credit limit, as opposed to a charge card.  If I were to apply, and be accepted, and the credit limit offered is too low to be worthwhile, can I decline the offer, and what would the effect be on credit age? Stated differently, is there a point in the process where I can say "no thanks" without it actually ending up on my credit report?  Last thing I want is a new card skewing my credit age if it's not helping lower me credit utilization.

Thanks.

---

As a matter of course assume the answer is no. There are pre-approvals that sometimes show starting limits and APR but those still aren't always 100% accurate unless the card issuer explicitly states otherwise.