A growing number of customer datapoints suggest Chase may have tightened its application rules for some business credit cards, potentially moving from the familiar 5/24 threshold to a more restrictive 3/24 standard for business cards. Reports surfaced in mid-September from applicants who were denied for Chase business cards despite being under 5/24, with several saying reconsideration representatives specifically referenced a 3/24 rule. One report dates the apparent change to around September 16, although other datapoints suggest it may have been applied earlier.

For now, this should be treated as speculation based on customer datapoints—not an official Chase policy. The strongest evidence appears to involve people applying for Chase business cards as sole proprietors, and it remains unclear whether the same restriction applies to applicants using other business structures. There are also conflicting results: an applicant at 4/24 reportedly received approval after reconsideration on September 10, while multiple applicants at 3/24 or 4/24 subsequently reported denials in which representatives referenced the new threshold. There is currently no indication from these reports that Chase has lowered the threshold for personal card applications.

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Our Take

We wouldn’t overhaul your entire points and miles strategy based on these reports, but they’re significant enough to take seriously. Multiple customers independently hearing similar explanations from Chase representatives makes this more noteworthy than a single denial or isolated datapoint. At the same time, Chase application rules have historically been pieced together through customer experiences rather than clearly published requirements, so we’ll need more data before treating 3/24 as a firm rule.

If you’re currently at 3/24 or 4/24 and planning to apply for a Chase business card as a sole proprietor, factor this uncertainty into your strategy. It may make sense to avoid opening another personal card until we have a clearer picture, particularly if earning a Chase business card welcome bonus is a priority. For points and miles enthusiasts, a confirmed 3/24 restriction would make application order even more important—but right now, this remains an emerging pattern of customer datapoints, not confirmed Chase policy.