How to Get a Credit Card Limit Increase in Canada

• You can ask your card company to raise or lower your limit (FCAC, How credit cards work).
• The company has to get your permission before it raises your limit, in writing or by phone. After you agree, it must confirm the change in writing no later than your next statement.
• The FCAC's guidance says the bank must get your consent for each increase, at the time of the offer. Using the card does not count as consent, and a yes you gave in advance for future increases does not count either.

So a surprise higher limit should not appear on its own. If you see one you did not agree to, ask the company about it and keep the answer in writing.

Scotiabank says you can request an increase in online banking, by calling the number on the back of your card, or at a branch. RBC says to sign in to online banking, pick your card and choose "Change credit limit". Other card companies set their own steps. Look for a "change credit limit" or "increase your limit" option in your account, or call the number on your card.

Before you ask:

• Ask if it needs a hard credit check. Scotiabank says pre-approved increases usually involve only a soft check. RBC says a pre-approved increase involves a soft inquiry, but a request you make yourself may involve a hard inquiry. The FCAC says hard inquiries show up on your report and can lower your score, and soft ones do not.
• Know what they look at. Scotiabank lists income, payment history, credit score and credit history. RBC lists income, credit history, existing debts and your overall financial picture.
• Check your own report first. The FCAC says checking your own report does not affect your score. Our free credit report guide shows how.

The FCAC says to try to use less than 30% of your total credit limit, and that lenders may see heavy use as risky. A higher limit makes the same balance a smaller share. The tool below does the math. It only helps if you do not spend more.

For more, see our credit utilization guide and credit utilization calculator.

The FCAC says several credit applications close together can suggest you are in urgent need of credit, and that you should apply only when you need credit. For limit increases specifically, Scotiabank suggests waiting four to six months, or ideally a year, between requests (article dated October 16, 2023). We found no official rule on how often you may ask, and each company sets its own policy.

RBC says to skip an increase if you tend to spend up to your limit, carry balances on several cards, or cannot always pay more than the minimum. If you use credit for everyday costs, RBC suggests looking at lower-interest borrowing instead. The FCAC says it is your responsibility to watch your balance and stay within your limit, and that going over can bring an over-the-limit fee.

If your limit is too high for your budget, you can ask to lower it. See our guide on lowering your credit limit.

Scotiabank says approval is based on a formula, so a decline says nothing about you as a person. Ask the company why. Then work on that reason before you ask again. Our guide to credit card denials covers what lenders check.

We could not confirm how every card company treats a limit request. Some may use a soft check and some a hard one, and the two bank articles we read are dated 2023 and 2025. We found no official source on how many points a hard inquiry takes off a score, or on how long to wait between requests. We left those claims out. General information, not financial advice. See our Editorial Policy.