Approval Rules Chase Ink No Fee Lifetime Rule
The signup bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had any Chase for Business card with no annual fee
Deep Dive into the Chase Ink No Fee Lifetime Rule Rule
The Chase Ink Business Cash and Chase Ink Business Unlimited have long been favorites of points and miles hobbyists. They offer solid signup bonuses, no annual fees, and are business cards that do not count against your 5/24 status. Until November 2025, you could apply for each card multiple times and earn a signup bonus each time you were approved. Even as Chase tightened approvals, you were still able to earn the bonus on both cards even if you had held each before.
That appears to no longer be the case. Chase now includes the following language on both cards:
In practice, this means:
- If you have ever earned a signup bonus on a Chase business card with no annual fee, you may not be eligible for a bonus on the Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited.
- If Chase follows this rule, you will have to choose between one of these cards and won't be able to get both and earn the signup bonus on each.
- These are the only no annual fee Chase business cards that are not co-branded with a hotel or airline.
The good news is that the Chase may not be treating this as a black and white issue. Data points since the terms were added show mixed outcomes. Some people have been approved and eligible for the bonus even after earning a bonus on one of these cards in the past. Plenty of others have reported the opposite though, receiving the popup informing them they were ineligible for a bonus for one of the above the reasons.
Chase Popup
Chase has also added a popup similar to the one American Express uses. It alerts you that you are not eligible for the welcome offer before doing a hard pull on your credit, allowing you to abandon the application if you prefer not to proceed without earning the bonus.
Here is what the popup language looks like:
A quick update about your application. It looks like you’re not eligible for a bonus for a Chase Ink Business Cash credit card. This can happen if you currently have this card or have had it previously. Customers who are applying for a Chase Business card without an annual fee or who have held this card are also ineligible.
Related Rules
How Does This Affect Your Credit Card Strategy?
For anyone who has been in the hobby for a while, this new rule is likely a major blow to your overall card strategy. Chase has long been the standard bearer for collecting points. They have the strongest transfer partner list, the most cards for earning points, and the ability to earn signup bonuses on Ink cards over and over again has been central to collecting Ultimate Rewards points.
This No Fee Family Lifetime Rule, along with another Ink Lifetime Rule that restricts you from earning signup bonuses on the Chase Ink Business Preferred and Chase Ink Business Premier, will significantly affect how you collect Chase points. The good news is that the Ink Lifetime Rule for the two cards with annual fees still allows you to earn the signup bonus on each.
This does not mean the game is over. It is simply changing. Adaptation is the key to longevity in this hobby. It also does not appear to be a black and white issue, and it is still too early to know how strict Chase will be in enforcing the rule. Between these changes and restrictions on the Chase Sapphire cards, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are now harder to earn. Below are some tips for moving forward with Chase business cards that offer Ultimate Rewards.
Tips for those who have never opened an Ink card
- Only apply for a new Chase Ink card when the signup bonus is elevated.
- Choose one of the two no fee cards based on which multipliers will maximize your points, assuming you may not be able to get the other one later.
- Apply for each of the Chase Ink cards with annual fees. Choose the order based on elevated signup bonuses.
- Spread out your applications to avoid denials. Since you cannot earn these repeatedly anymore, there is no rush.
Think about which Chase partners you transfer to most and build a strategy around their co-branded cards:
- If you transfer to Hyatt, open the World of Hyatt and the World of Hyatt Business card, and use Ultimate Rewards points for top ups.
- If you transfer to United or Southwest, each has several co-branded cards. Use the same strategy and start building points in those systems, using Chase points as needed for top ups.
Tips for those who have opened Ink cards before
You may not be able to earn a welcome offer on either no fee Ink card again, but you can try. The new popup works in your favor because it warns you before a hard pull, giving you the chance to stop the application.
If you want to try applying even though you have owned one or both no fee Ink cards in the past, consider the following:
- Close any Ink cards you have held for more than a year and no longer use.
- Even before this rule went into effect, Chase had tightened Ink approvals, and data shows approval chances increase when you have fewer cards open.
If you get denied, regroup. Try other points systems like Amex, Citi, or Capital One. If you hold a large balance of Chase points and rely on their partners, apply for Chase co-branded cards. By building points directly with transfer partners like Hyatt, United, or Southwest, you can use your Ultimate Rewards for top ups, stretching your balance further now that they are harder to earn.
While this rule is frustrating, lasting in this hobby requires adapting and creating new strategies. The game is always changing. It has been a good run with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, but all good things come to an end. The good news is that there are hundreds of credit cards that earn points and miles. You may have to work harder now, but there is still plenty of free travel to be had.
Importance of this Rule
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The importance of this rule is directly correlated to how long you've been in the hobby. If you're just getting started and have never relied on Inks for Chase Ultimate Rewards points, then you will probably treat this rule like many others. It's just one you have to know, and you can apply for Ink cards based on the parameters. If you never strategized collecting Chase points via Ink welcome offers, then nothing is different for you.
But if you've been collecting Chase points through multiple Ink signup bonuses per year, and/or you've been playing the two player game with both of you doing this, you might be wondering how you're going to make up the hundreds of thousands of points you've earned from Ink bonuses. Follow the tips in our card strategy section above, and you'll continue to earn points to redeem for travel.
Cards Subject to This Rule
FAQs
Are there exceptions to this rule?
It's a pretty new rule, and the data points have been mixed, so it's hard to tell. For now, it's best to treat this as a black and white rule. If you've held either of these two cards before and want to try applying again, follow our tips and give it a shot. The Chase popup allows you to do this with no harm to your credit, so it's worth a try. Just make sure you have a backup plan.
How do I check my status?
Sign up for the Points Navigator, and we'll keep track of this rule, and all others, for you. There are over 30 rules among all the credit card systems out there, and it's very difficult to keep track of them all. Might as well let us do it for you.
Do business cards count for this rule?
Yes, this rule is solely about the two no fee Chase Ink business cards.
Do product changes on existing cards count for this rule?
This is not applicable as you won't want to do a product change to either of the two affected cards.
About Approval Rules
Collecting credit card points is largely driven by understanding and abiding by bank rules regarding approval (or disapproval) of cards. So here's what you need to know:
- Approval rules are rarely fully publicized by the banks
- We use our own research and data points from other users in creating the rules listing
- Our goal in sharing/using the rule listings is to provide you guidance to avoid getting declined
- There can sometimes be exceptions to the rules, but we try to take a more cautious approach in advising you.