Why You May Not Get Approved for a Discover Card -- Even With an 800 Credit Score
by Lyle Daly | Jan. 12, 2021
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Excellent credit raises your chances of getting a Discover card, but there are other potential problems that could get in your way.
If you want to get a Discover credit card and you have an 800 credit score, you might think the application is a slam dunk. Even the best Discover credit cards are aimed at consumers with scores of 670 or above. A score of 800 is far beyond what you need.
That doesn't mean you're sure to get approved, though. There are several reasons Discover might deny your application despite a high credit score. Here's why this can happen and how to avoid it.
Discover's credit card application rules
Discover has a few credit card application rules that affect whether it will approve you for a card:
- You can have up to two Discover credit cards.
- If you're a student, you can have one Discover student card.
- You can only get one Discover card per year.
No matter your credit score, you can't get around these application rules. If you opened a Discover card three months ago, you need to wait another nine months before applying for a new one. And if you have two Discover cards, you can't get a new one. You need to cancel one to open another.
Other reasons you could be denied for a Discover card
Like all credit card companies, Discover looks at more than your credit score when you apply for a card. It could deny your application based on other factors. Here are some common examples:
- Insufficient income: Your income determines whether Discover will approve you for a credit card and the amount of your credit limit. What's especially important is your income compared to the credit you already have. If you make $45,000 per year, that would typically get you approved for a credit card. But if you already have $50,000 in total credit across other credit cards, your income-to-credit ratio could be a problem.
- Recent accounts opened: Another risk factor that can make card issuers wary is when you've opened multiple new credit accounts. Credit card companies will question why you need so much credit. If you've opened multiple cards with other card issuers in the last six months to a year, Discover may decide not to issue you a card.
- Recent credit inquiries: A high number of credit applications also makes you a riskier applicant. You could have trouble getting a Discover credit card if you've applied for multiple credit cards or loans recently, even if you weren't approved for some of them.
If your Discover credit card application is denied, you'll get a letter in the mail with the reasons for the denial.
What to do if Discover denies your credit card application
In some cases, you can get Discover to reconsider a denial. Whether this is an option depends on why you weren't approved.
If it's because of one of Discover's application rules, you're out of luck. Discover is strict about those, so you can't get around them.
For denials due to any other reason, it may be possible to get Discover to change its decision. Here's what to do:
- Call Discover customer service at 1-800-347-2683.
- Ask to speak to the reconsideration line about your recent Discover card application.
- Explain how eager you were to get the Discover card and ask if there is any way the representative could approve your application.
Since you have a great credit history, it can help to point that out during the conversation. Let's say the representative mentions that you already have quite a bit of credit compared to your income. You could mention that while that's true, you've also consistently paid on time and kept your credit utilization low, so you're clearly able to manage credit well.
With a high credit score, you'll have a high chance of approval for a Discover credit card. But that won't matter if you run afoul of Discover's application rules. If you don't and you're still not approved, then it's a good idea to see if Discover will reconsider.
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About the Author
Lyle is a writer specializing in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work has also appeared on MSN Money, USA Today, and Yahoo! Finance.
We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
