When you're juggling multiple bills each month, it can be easy to forget when a credit card payment is due. And if you have more than one credit card, it can be even more difficult to keep track of all the different dates. Inevitably, we all miss a bill from time to time. But how much you'll be dinged for a late payment depends on the kind of credit card you have.
Below, Select breaks down when a credit card payment is considered late and how you can prevent late payments.
When is your credit card payment considered late?
Credit card payments are due the same day and time every month, often 5 p.m. or later. A credit card payment can't be considered late if it was received by 5 p.m. on the day that it was due, according to the CARD Act.
Some card issuers may set a later due date if you pay your bill online, giving you even more time pay. For example, if you have a Chase credit card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you have until 11:59 p.m. ET to make your payment online.
It's important to review the terms of your credit card to find out the exact cutoff time for when a payment is considered on time versus late.
Find out more about what happens when you miss a credit card payment.
Late payments vary by time zones
When you make a payment you'll often notice a time zone in the fine print. This is for cardholders who may not be in the same time zone as the credit card issuer. This is an important detail to pay attention to since it can potentially cause your payment to be considered late.
For example, if you're on the west coast, but your card issuer is based on the east coast, your late payment time is different. A 5 p.m. ET cutoff is equivalent to 2 p.m. PT.
If you're worried about time zone issues, pay your bill a few days before it's due.
What happens when your bill is due on a weekend or holiday?
If your credit card bill due date falls on a weekend or holiday, there are some circ*mstances where it can still be considered on time if your payment is received by the next business day.
According to the CFPB, if the due date is a day that the card issuer doesn't receive or accept mail, such as a Sunday or a national holiday, they can't consider a mailed payment as late if it was received by 5 p.m. on the next business day. Be aware that card issuers look at the day it was received, not postmarked. So even if you mail a payment before the due date, if it gets delayed in the mail, it will still be considered late.
If you make an online or phone payment, it must be done by the due date. Online and phone payments made the next business day will be considered late.
How to prevent late credit card payments
Follow the steps below to avoid late credit card payments in the future:
Set up autopay
The easiest way to prevent late payments is to set up autopay. It can take less than a minute, and you can benefit from peace of mind that your credit card payment is scheduled. Autopay can be set up for the minimum payment due, your total statement balance or another amount. We recommend setting it for your total statement balance so you avoid interest charges, but if that's not possible choose at least autopay the minimum due.
Set payment reminders
If autopay isn't for you, you can set calendar reminders or text and email alerts. Many card issuers let you opt into reminders for when your statement is available, when your payment is due in a set number of days, when your payment posts and more. Note that these options may vary by issuer.
Change your payment due date
If you have more than one bill to pay, odds are your due dates are spread out over the month. This may increase your chances of making a late payment, so it can be a good idea to adjust your payment due dates as needed. It may be beneficial to have them all on the same day or right after you get paid.
Sign up for a credit card with no late fees
There are a handful of credit cards that don't charge late fees, including the Citi Simplicity® Card and the Apple Card. And there are some cards that will waive your first late fee, like the Discover it® Cash Back. That said, you will be hit with interest charges if you don't pay your bill on time each month.
Read more
Recently miss a credit card payment? This is how long it may stay on your credit report
Credit card late fees can cost up to $41—here are 8 cards that don't charge them
Making only minimum payments on credit card debt could cost you thousands and take over a decade to repay
Here is the best time to pay your credit card bill
For rates and fees of the Discover it® Cash Back, click here.
Information about the Apple Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
FAQs
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a credit card payment is generally considered late if it's received after 5 p.m. on the day it's due, based on the time zone indicated on a billing statement.
How many days is a credit card payment considered late? ›
Credit card issuers don't report payments that are less than 30 days late to the credit bureaus. If your payment is 30 or more days late, then the penalties can add up. Common results of paying late include: Late payment fee: In most cases, you'll be hit with a late payment fee.
Does a 1 day late credit card payment affect credit score? ›
Even a single late or missed payment may impact credit reports and credit scores. But the short answer is: late payments generally won't end up on your credit reports for at least 30 days after the date you miss the payment, although you may still incur late fees.
What if a credit card payment is one day late? ›
You will have to pay a late fee if you pay your bill after the due date. The late fee would be charged by the bank in your next credit card bill. In a recent move, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed banks to charge late fee only if the payment has been due for more than three days after the due date.
What is a grace period on a credit card? ›
A grace period consists of the days between the end of your credit card's billing cycle and the payment due date, by which you can pay off the balance without any interest or late fees.
How long can you go without paying a credit card? ›
Around the 180-day point, the credit card issuer will likely assume it won't receive a payment on the account and will then charge off your account.
How do I ask for late payment forgiveness? ›
The process is easy: simply write a letter to your creditor explaining why you paid late. Ask them to forgive the late payment and assure them it won't happen again. If they do agree to forgive the late payment, your creditor should adjust your credit report accordingly.
Will I get charged interest if I pay the one day late? ›
Most credit cards provide an interest-free grace period of around 21 days starting from the day your monthly statement is generated, to the day your payment is due. However, if you don't pay it during that time, an interest charge will go into affect and you will end up with a balance that rolls over to the next month.
Can I pay my credit card the day after the due date? ›
If you make an online or phone payment, it must be done by the due date. Online and phone payments made the next business day will be considered late.
Will Capital One forgive a late payment? ›
Late payments can't be removed from a credit report unless they were reported in error. So if a late payment is correctly reported, no one can remove it from a credit report.
Paying your credit card one day late usually won't affect your interest rates immediately. However, if you consistently make late payments, your credit card issuer may raise your annual percentage rate (APR) as a penalty. A higher APR means that carrying a balance on your card will cost you more in interest charges.
What if I pay my credit card bill before the due date? ›
By making an early payment before your billing cycle ends, you can reduce the balance amount the card issuer reports to the credit bureaus. That means your credit utilization ratio—the total percentage of available credit you're using—will be lower as well. And lower credit utilization can boost your credit scores.
What is the grace period for Capital One? ›
Many credit cards have a grace period—between the end of a billing cycle and the bill's due date—when you may not be charged interest on your purchases. For example, Capital One's grace period is at least 25 days. Grace periods are usually between 25 and 55 days.
How many days late can a credit card payment be? ›
Late payments are typically reported to credit bureaus only after being at least 30 days past due. So, if your card payment was due yesterday or last week and you pay today, that missed payment won't immediately affect your credit. However, you should pay as soon as possible.
Does the 10 day grace period affect your credit? ›
The grace period duration varies depending on the contract and debt instrument but is usually 15 days. Satisfying a financial obligation during the grace period will not negatively impact an individual's credit score.
What happens if I pay my Chase credit card one day late? ›
You can get a late fee if you miss your payment by just 1 day, and the longer you go without making a payment, the more fees or penalties you could face (more on that later). Be sure to check with your bank's terms and conditions to see when your payments are due.
How many days after the due date for a credit card? ›
All Credit Cards provide a grace period of 15-20 days after the billing date, the last day of which is the due date. You should check the grace period or credit period of your Credit Card while applying for the same.
What is the grace period for credit one bank late payments? ›
The Credit One credit card grace period is at least 24 days, from the close of the billing cycle to the payment due date. Not all Credit One cards have a grace period, and applicants won't know if they have one until they check the terms and conditions after getting pre-qualified.
Will credit card forgive late payment? ›
If you miss a payment, don't panic — your credit card provider may be willing to work with you. Not all late payments will be forgiven, but it's always worth asking. Lenders are most willing to waive late payments for customers who have never missed a payment before, rather than for repeat offenders.
Can I pay my credit card bill on due date? ›
You can pay the bill on or before the due date at your convenience. However, paying the bill later will incur additional charges. What happens if I pay only the minimum amount due? If you pay only the minimum amount due, your card issuer will start levying interest on the remaining amount.
