Many a times an unsolicited credit card is issued, even without any application request. While some of these cards are issued on opening a savings or a salary account with a bank, others are issued under the pretext of pre-approved card offers (based on your relationship value with the bank or the provider). Often we tend to ignore the issuance and delivery of such cards under our name, and thus, never take them out of the kit. However, have you ever thought of how such inactivated credit cards are impacting your credit score and your finances. If not, read on and understand what happens if you don’t activate your credit card?
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Impact on credit score by a credit card you never activated
Earlier, as soon as you get approved for a card, the first thing that the issuers did was to create your new credit card account. Based on this new account, your physical card was created and then linked to it. Now, credit card issuers can create your credit card account only after the activation of your credit card, which is only authenticated via an OTP based process. Thus, now the card issuer cannot create a credit card account, on the issuance of a credit card, unless a card is activated. Thus, in-activated credit cards have no impact on your credit score.
Additionally, the issuers cannot share your information with the credit bureaus if you don’t activate your card. Even if they do, the issuers need to inform the cardholders about any information that is being shared with the credit bureaus regarding repayment records, credit history, etc. That ways, cardholders can keep a check on what is being reported to the bureau, and if any false credit card account is part of the report. You are not liable for a maintaining a card account for a credit card you never activated.
Credit Card Activation Guidelines as per RBI- In activated Credit Cards to be closed after 30 days
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| You are required to activate your credit card within 30 days, if you fail to do so, you will get a grace period of 7 days. After 37 days, your credit card will be closed by your issuer if you don’t activate it through an OTP-based process. Thus, if you do not activate your credit card, within the required time period, the issued credit card will be closed. |
Will closing an inactive credit card affect your credit score?
As we have mentioned above that you are required to activate your credit card within 37 days of card issuance, including a grace period of 7 days. If you do not activate your card, your credit card will be closed by your issuer and you cannot use it for any kind of transactions. Therefore, even if your card comes with an annual fee, you do not have to pay it as your account will be closed. Hence, closing your inactive credit cards will not harm your credit score as no charges will be levied on it.
Fees and charges on your inactive credit card
You would be annoyed at the thought of paying fees on a card you have never used. If you do not activate your credit card within 37 days, then your credit card will be closed by your card issuer. Hence, there will be no fees and charges applicable to your card. So, you don’t have to worry about paying the charges even if you are not using your card.
How to activate your credit card?
The procedure for card activation may differ from one card issuer to another. You are required to activate your credit card through an OTP-based process which will allow you to use your card for online as well as offline transactions. Here are ways to activate top credit cards by popular banks:
| HDFC Credit Card Activation | SBI Credit Card Activation |
| Axis Credit Card Activation | ICICI Credit Card Activation |
| Kotak Credit Card Activation | RBL Credit Card Activation |
34 Comments
I have a SBI credit card, it has joining fees attached to card and received a sms on same, but the card is still in the package,not opened, can the card be closed if I don’t use for 37 days or do I need to pay?
You are only liable to pay the joining fee on your credit card, if you have activated the card or have generated your card PIN. If you do not activate your card within 37 days (30 days + 7 days of grace period), the card account will be automatically closed by the issuer. Thus, unless you activate your card, you do not need to pay the card fee.
I have SBI Octane Credit card. It’s a duplicate card of which I was using before but as I lost that card so I have to apply for new duplicate card.But when it was received at my home in my absence and it got deactivated after 37 days. Can I get reactivated? How to proceed for activating my Card?
Yes, you can reactivate your SBI Octane Credit Card. To do so, you can contact SBI credit card customer care at 1860 500 1290, 1800 180 1290 or 1860 180 1290. Besides this, you can also drop an email to SBI Card requesting to reactivate your credit card. You can contact SBI Card through email by visiting this link: https://www.sbicard.com/en/contact-us/personal.page#title.
Axis bank issue one credit card. In my wife name . But credit card not yet activated.
But bank send amc charges.
If you did not activate your credit card within 37 days (30 days and a grace period of 7 days), your card is deemed inactive and no charges should be applicable. If you have been charged a joining/annual fee, the same should be reversed by the bank. Please contact your card issuer to get more clarity on this.