US Bank Lifetime
You are ineligible for the signup bonus on certain U.S. Bank cards if you previously had that same card.
Deep Dive into the US Bank Lifetime Rule
U.S. Bank uses lifetime-style signup bonus restrictions on a small number of its credit cards. On the affected cards, the terms say you are not eligible for the signup bonus if you have previously had that same card.
Unlike some other banks, U.S. Bank's language is very direct and does not include wording such as "may not be eligible." If you previously held the card, the published terms say you are not eligible for the bonus again.
Only two U.S. Bank cards currently use this language:
Here is the signup bonus language for the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card:
The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card uses similar language:
What does this mean?
- If you previously had one of these cards, you should not expect to be eligible for its signup bonus again, even if you closed the card years ago.
- The restriction appears to apply separately to each card rather than across a family of U.S. Bank cards.
- That means previously holding the Cash+ should not by itself make you ineligible for the Shopper Cash Rewards bonus, and vice versa.
This rule is separate from the U.S. Bank 5 Years Rule, which restricts bonuses on certain other cards based on whether you received a bonus within the previous five years.
Related Rules
How Does This Affect Your Credit Card Strategy?
This rule should have very little impact on most credit card strategies. It only applies to two U.S. Bank cards, and neither is typically a priority for someone focused on maximizing travel rewards.
The main takeaway is simply that if you do want either card, you should treat the signup bonus as a one-time opportunity. There is little reason to rush into either card solely for the bonus, especially if opening it would use a valuable 5/24 slot that could be used for a better card instead.
Importance of this Rule
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This is one of the less important credit card rules to build your strategy around. It affects only two U.S. Bank cards, and both are generally lower-priority options for travelers focused on maximizing signup bonuses and transferable points.
The rule is still worth knowing if you are specifically interested in one of these cards, but it should not meaningfully shape your broader application strategy.
Cards Subject to This Rule
FAQs
Are there exceptions to this rule?
Not in the published terms for the two affected cards. U.S. Bank states that you will not qualify for the one-time bonus if you have had that card before. Other U.S. Bank cards use different bonus eligibility rules and are not subject to this specific lifetime restriction.
How do I check my status?
If you add all of your credit cards to Points Navigator, we track this rule along with the other eligibility rules that affect your cards. For this rule specifically, the key question is simply whether you have ever held the affected card before.
Do business cards count for this rule?
No. This rule currently applies only to the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card and U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card, neither of which is a business card.
Do product changes on existing cards count for this rule?
Yes. Because the rule is based on whether you have had the card, product changing into either affected card could make you ineligible for its signup bonus in the future, even if you never earned a bonus on that card. Because of that, we generally would not product change into one of these cards before earning its signup bonus if that opportunity matters to you. But given the signup bonuses on each is rather small, it's probably not a huge deal either way.
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.