How do I remove an additional cardholder?

You can cancel an additional cardholder at any time by calling your credit card provider and requesting the cancellation.

What happens if the supplementary cardholder’s card is lost or stolen?

Either you or your additional cardholder can report a lost or stolen card through online banking or by calling your credit card provider. Also note that any additional cards linked to your credit card account will get the same security features as your main credit card.

Will my additional cardholder need to know my credit card PIN?

No, additional cardholders will be issued with their own PIN or given the option to set a PIN for their cards.

Can additional cardholders see my transaction history?

This depends on the credit card provider. If your additional cardholder is able to access the account through their internet banking service, then they will probably be able to see all the account transactions.

Can you set a separate credit limit for an additional cardholder?

While there are business credit cards that offer customisable limits for employees with additional cards, personal credit cards don't offer this feature. But there are some personal credit cards that let you set a spending cap or put a limit on certain types of transactions – such as contactless or overseas payments. For example, you can set limits for international transactions on a CommBank credit card via NetBank or the CommBank App.

Credit Cards with a Free Additional Cardholder

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Purchase rate p.a.	Annual fee	Balance transfer rate p.a.	Amount Saved
Latitude Low Rate Mastercard - Balance Transfer Offer	13.99%	Annual fee $69	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 25 months with 3% balance transfer fee, then 29.99%	$1,414.54 over 25 months	Balance Transfer offer only available to new customers approved by 31 Jan 2027. Balance Transfer must be submitted by 31 Mar 2027. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Kogan Money Credit Card - Balance Transfer Exclusive Offer ExclusiveKogan Rewards Program	21.99%	Annual fee $0	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 18 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 22.74%	$1,235.99 over 18 months	Finder exclusive: Save with 0% p.a. for the first 18 months on balance transfers (with a one-time 2% balance transfer fee). T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard Flybuys	21.99%	Annual fee $0	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 5% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	$677.32 over 12 months	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
American Express Explorer Credit Card Most LovedAmerican Express Membership RewardsUncapped points	23.99%	Annual fee $395	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	No savings	Earn 75,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months and additional 25,000 points when you meet the same spend requirement in year 2. New American Express card members only. Ends 27 Apr 2027. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Coles Rewards Mastercard Flybuys	21.99%	Annual fee $99	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 5% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	$578.32 over 12 months	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
ANZ Low Rate - Credit Back Offer	13.74%	Annual fee $58	Balance transfer rate p.a. 23.49%	No savings	Get $400 back on your card when you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months from approval. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Westpac Altitude Velocity Platinum Velocity Frequent FlyerUncapped points	23.98%	Annual fee $175	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	No savings	Receive 30,000 bonus Velocity Points in year 1 when you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days of card approval and 20,000 points when you meet the same spend requirement within 90 days of card anniversary in year 2. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card Most LovedAmerican Express Membership RewardsUncapped points	23.99%	Annual fee $108	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	No savings	Earn 30,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend at least $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months. New American Express card members only. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Latitude GO Mastercard	28.99%	Annual fee $143.40	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 26 months with 3% balance transfer fee, then 29.99%	$1,250.17 over 26 months	Balance Transfer offer only available to new customers approved by 26 Feb 2027. Balance Transfer must be submitted by 31 Mar 2027. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
American Express Platinum Business Card Most LovedAmerican Express Membership RewardsUncapped points	N/A	Annual fee $1,750	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	No savings	Limited-time offer: Get 350,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend $12,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Only available to new card members who have not held any Amex card in the last 18 months. Ends 04 May 2027. T&Cs apply. ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading

Showing 10 of 32 results

Most credit cards let you add additional cardholders for free. The average fee is $59 if a charge applies.
As the primary cardholder, you are legally responsible for all transactions and repayments made on the account.
Additional cardholders can earn more points and help with credit card approval, but their credit history is unaffected.

Can I add an additional cardholder on my credit card?

Plenty of credit cards let you add a second cardholder. This is often called an additional cardholder.

Some card providers let you add someone for free, while others charge an additional cardholder fee.

How it works

An additional cardholder is another person, usually a spouse or family member, who can use your credit card account to make purchases.

This can be handy when you want to use one credit card account for household spending, travelling or earning more points (because you'll both be making purchases through the account).

They are issued with their own physical credit card, but the account is still yours. And you are legally responsible for managing the account and paying off the balance as the primary cardholder.

What can additional cardholders do?

It does vary depending on the credit card account, but here are some of the key things additional cardholders can do:

Make purchases
Earn points for eligible spending
Check the account balance and transaction history
Make payments towards the account balance
Report suspicious transactions and/or lost and stolen cards
Set up and change their own personal identification number (PIN)
Order a replacement card

Average additional cardholder fee

Of the 200+ credit cards in Finder's database, 158 let you add an additional cardholder for free. Of the cards that charge a fee to add a cardholder, the average fee is $59.

Source: Finder's credit card database

What’s the difference between an additional cardholder and a joint credit card?

An additional cardholder can make purchases with your credit card account but you remain responsible for managing it. The details of the account are only listed on your credit history. This structure also means it's possible to get an additional card for someone who is under 18 (like a teenager).
A joint credit card account has shared responsibility between both people. Joint accounts are listed on both of your credit files and both of you will need to meet the account's eligibility requirements, including being at least 18 years old. There are also fewer credit cards that offer joint applications compared to those that offer additional cardholders.

Our expert says

"I am an additional cardholder on my wife's Visa and she is an additional cardholder for my Amex. This allows us both to have two options available in case a retailer charges more for one brand or does not accept it at all."

Graham Cooke

Head of Consumer Research

What are the pros and cons to getting an additional cardholder?

The pros

Easier to manage spending. You and the additional cardholder can manage joint expenses easily with one card.
Share your credit card. If your partner or family member doesn’t have a credit card and may not be eligible to get one, adding them to your account could be a convenient alternative.
Earn more points. With two people spending on the one account, you could be able to earn more points and get rewards faster.
Simple process. It’s relatively easy to apply for an additional cardholder or to remove one from your account.
Increase your chance of approval. A second cardholder can improve your chances of getting a credit card approved. Two incomes are better than one!

The cons

Account responsibility. As the primary cardholder, you will be legally accountable for all transactions and repayments.
Credit history. Details of the credit card will be listed on your credit history, so any issues such as late payments could impact on your credit score. Note that additional cardholders won’t have details of the account added to their credit history.
Additional fees. Some credit cards charge an additional cardholder annual fee on top of the regular annual fee you’ll pay for the account. Make sure you check this cost before you request a secondary cardholder to help stay on top of fees.

How to add someone as an additional cardholder

Each credit card provider has its own process, but here are the basic steps you need to take:

Get an additional cardholder application form. This form is usually available through your credit card provider's website or online banking service. It may also be included when you apply for a new credit card. Some banks let you do this online but some (like CommBank) require you to complete a physical form and submit it at a branch.
Add the additional cardholder's details. This will include some key details, such as their name, date of birth, contact details and Australian residential status. They'll also need to agree to the terms and conditions and sign or agree to be added to the account.
Fill in your details as the primary cardholder. If you're applying online, this section may already be pre-filled but you'll typically need to sign a declaration or fill in a section that shows you agree to adding the person as a secondary cardholder.
Submit the form. Your credit card provider will assess the application. If it's approved, your additional cardholder should get their card within 5-10 working days.

Eligibility requirements

Additional cardholders don't have to meet the same eligibility criteria as primary cardholders – including income requirements and credit checks – but they do usually need to meet some key requirements. This typically includes:

Minimum age. Additional cardholders must be at least 16 years of age. Note that some credit cards have a higher minimum age of 18.
Identification. This includes the full name, date of birth, residential address and contact details for the person you want to add. They may also have to provide some personal financial details, such as employment status and income.

"I got rejected the last time I applied for a credit card. It was a fairly high end frequent flyer card. I ticked every box but my spending was way too high. All our bills come out of my bank account, so the card company thought I couldn't afford the card. I re-applied with my wife as the primary applicant and myself as the additional cardholder. We were approved in an hour!"

Richard Whitten

Senior Money Editor

Thinking about adding a second cardholder?

There are plenty of reasons why adding someone to your credit card is a good idea. It's an easy way to manage spending as a couple, giving you convenience and transparency.

Just keep in mind that the primary cardholder is ultimately responsible for the credit card. Imagine the worst case scenario: the secondary cardholder maxes the card out on frivolous purchases and then ghosts you.

Now you're on the hook for their debt.

As with any shared financial decision, trust and open communication are vital.

Frequently Asked Questions

While there are business credit cards that offer customisable limits for employees with additional cards, personal credit cards don't offer this feature.
But there are some personal credit cards that let you set a spending cap or put a limit on certain types of transactions – such as contactless or overseas payments. For example, you can set limits for international transactions on a CommBank credit card via NetBank or the CommBank App.

Finder writers are subject matter experts and use primary sources, in-depth research and interviews with other experts to ensure you're getting accurate, up-to-date information. Articles are fact checked in line with our editorial guidelines.
1. Can I add an additional cardholder to my credit card?, Commbank, accessed June 2025
2. Finder's credit card database, accessed June 2025

Thank you for your feedback!

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Richard Whitten as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Amy Bradney-George

Journalist

Add to Preferred Sources

Amy is an experienced journalist with over 16 years of experience, contributing to major publications like Money Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, and ABC News Australia. Specialising in personal finance, she frequently appeared in media outlets and on radio. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Drama from Griffith University and earned RG146 certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products, ensuring her expertise is grounded in current financial regulations. Amy was Finder's Senior Writer for Credit Cards from 2016 to 2024. See full bio

Amy's expertise

Amy has written 425 Finder guides across topics including:

Credit cards
Frequent flyer
Credit score
BNPL
Money management
Sustainability

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Credit cards with additional cardholders

Adding an additional cardholder makes it easier to manage credit card spending, earn more points and improve your chances of getting a card approved. These credit cards let you add one for free.

Key takeaways