How Can I Check if a Credit Card Is Active?
7 Min Read | Published: June 20, 2025
This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services. Similar products and services offered by different companies will have different features and you should always read about product details before acquiring any financial product.
Ensure smooth transactions by checking if your credit card is active. Learn how to check if a credit card is still in use, and what to do if it’s closed.
At-A-Glance
- To see if your credit card is active, try using your credit card or calling the number on the back to ask the issuer if the card is in use or if the account was ever activated or used.
- You may also be able to log in to your credit card issuer’s app or online banking account to check for a balance, review any recent activity, or see if there’s an upcoming billing cycle.
- Reopening your account after the issuer deactivates or closes your card may not be possible, but you could try opening a new credit card.
You may have recently fished out an old retail credit card from the bottom of your bag or found a forgotten card while leafing through your wallet. You may be wondering if the credit account was ever validated or active. If you can’t remember, don’t worry, there are several ways to see if your credit card is still in use.
What Is Credit Card Activation?
Credit card activation is the process of receiving and validating a new credit card.
This allows you to start using your new credit card and lets the credit card issuer know that you’ve received your new card and are ready to use it. Activating your card can also be a fraud-prevention measure, as fraudsters could get hold of inactivated cards, follow the activation process, and then use the card.
How to Check if Your Credit Card Is Still in Use
You can take a few steps to determine if your credit card is still in use. Some could be more complex than others.
You can try any of the following:
- Call the number on the back of your card.
You may never have activated your card, and calling the credit card issuer directly could clarify if that’s the case. They can also check whether the account is already in use. Alternatively, you can use any chat support or email messaging provided on the company’s website or the card to contact a customer service representative who can help. - See if your credit card is active online.
If you have your login credentials handy, you can navigate to the card company’s website and check out the status of your online profile. You may also be able to see the card’s balance, limit, and available transaction history, if it has one. - Open up the app.
You may already have the card issuer’s app downloaded on your phone. If not, use your login info to find the card’s transaction history and next billing cycle. If you encounter problems, it could be a sign that the card is deactivated or outdated. You can check with your credit card issuer to make sure. - Test out a transaction.
You can simply try to use the card and see if it declines. If it’s rejected, it could be expired or inactive. Declined cards could also be at their limit, with no available credit left to use. Once again, be sure to check with your credit card issuer if you’re not sure.
Troubleshooting Inactive Cards
Realizing your issuer deactivated your old credit card can be concerning, especially if maintaining credit scores and credit reports is important to you. Reopening a closed card isn’t always possible, but there are ways to address and help minimize any potential negative impacts on your credit profile:
- Contact your card company immediately.
Contact your credit card issuer and ask them to assess whether you can reopen the account. Keep in mind that sometimes, it will not be possible to reopen a closed account. In this case, you may need to submit a new credit card application. - Check out your credit report regularly.
Looking over your reports can help you catch closed accounts, which may appear on your credit report alongside open accounts. In this case, if the card appears closed, it may be because the issuer closed it due to inactivity, a drastic credit score drop, or missed payments.1 - Consider submitting a new application.
You can submit a new application if you want to use the same card from the same issuer or another card that appeals to you more. Just be mindful that new credit applications often come with a hard credit check that could pull down your score slightly for a short time.
Did you know?
See personalized Credit Card offers from American Express® with no initial hard credit check and no initial impact to your credit score. A hard inquiry only occurs if you apply, get approved for, and choose to accept an offer.
- Weigh the benefits of a product change.
If you no longer want to use the card you’re troubleshooting, you may be able to request a product change and switch from one card to another from the same issuer. Product changes that involve credit card upgrades usually don’t require a hard credit inquiry.2 - Practice good borrowing habits.
A closed or deactivated credit account may decrease your total available credit, which could negatively impact your credit score. Staying mindful of all credit accounts, making your payments on time, and keeping your credit utilization ratio low are all healthy credit habits, and over time, could help to offset any negative effects that may come with a closed credit card.
How to Activate a Credit Card
If your credit card has not been activated yet, then you may be able to activate it. Learning how to activate a new credit card is fairly straightforward. You may want to follow the steps below to activate your card, but keep in mind that the exact process will vary depending on the credit card issuer:
- Read and follow any papers or directions that came with the credit card in the mail.
- Call the number on the back of the card or visit any webpages that the issuer specified on the card or in the instructions.
- Follow the prompts.
- Listen for confirmation over the phone or check your inbox for an activation email.
- Try out the new credit card.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can call the number on the back of your card to confirm if the issuer has placed a block on your account and see if there is a way for you to lift it. From suspicious activity to travel and merchant holds that might reduce your credit limit temporarily until you pay a bill, there could be many reasons for a credit card block.
Should you cancel a credit card account, there are several ways to verify to make sure your credit card is closed. You can call the issuer to confirm with them and check your latest credit report to see if the account appears as closed. In fact, you may want to check your reports closely in the months following the closure to ensure everything appears as it should.
Reopening a closed credit card may have negative credit score consequences, like a lowered credit limit that increases your credit utilization rate. However, you may benefit from a reinstated account if the card increases your credit limit. Remember that your interest rate on revolving balances could increase, and there may be new annual fees and other term changes upon reopening.
The Takeaway
Card companies might close your card, particularly after longer periods of inactivity or stark changes in your credit score or borrowing behaviors. If you’re unsure whether your old credit card is still in use, you can try to use it or check its status by contacting your credit card issuer.
1 “What Does “Closed Account” Mean on Your Credit Report?,” Experian
2 “Does Upgrading Your Credit Card Hurt Your Score?,” Experian
Liv Gillespie is a Philadelphia-based writer with a double M.A. in English Linguistics & Literature and Secondary Education. Her work focuses on personal finance.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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