Does the bank have to give me advance notice of changes to my credit card?

It depends. The bank must provide a written notice when

• there are changes to terms that the bank is required to disclose up front (such as rates and many fees), or
• the required minimum payment is increased.

The notice must be mailed or delivered at least 45 days before the effective date of the change.

If you already agreed to the change, the bank does not have to provide 45-day advance notice, but it must provide notice before the change becomes effective.

However, no notice at all is required in the following cases:

• If you have a variable rate that is tied to an index and the index goes up, the bank does not have to provide you a notice of the increased rate.
• The bank does not have to provide you advance notice if your rate is increasing because a promotional rate no longer applies, and the bank already gave you information about the terms of the promotion.
• The bank does not have to provide you notice if it closes your account, suspends your credit privileges, or reduces your credit line.
• The bank does have to provide you a 45-day advance notice before it imposes a fee or penalty when the fee or penalty is being imposed because you exceeded a new, lower credit limit.

Review your account agreement for policies specific to your bank and your account.

Last Reviewed: April 2021