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, while HSBC's My Card Controls lets you set a limit per transaction amount. With both these options, the limits you set would apply to both you and any other cardholders linked to the account.

Credit Cards with a Free Additional Cardholder

1 - 10 of 159

Name	Purchase rate p.a.	Annual fee	Balance transfer rate p.a.	Amount Saved
ANZ Low Rate - Credit Back Offer	Purchase rate p.a. 13.74%	Annual fee $58	Balance transfer rate p.a. 21.99%		Go to site More info Compare	Get $250 back on your card when you spend $1,500 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
Westpac Altitude Velocity Platinum Velocity Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Annual fee $250	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More info Compare	Get 75,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days.
American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card Membership Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $108	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More info Compare	Limited time offer: Offers 60,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend at least $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
Bankwest Breeze Platinum Mastercard Finder Award	Purchase rate p.a. 12.99%	Annual fee $59	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 24 months with 3% balance transfer fee, then 12.99%	Amount saved $1,443.89 over 24 months	Go to site More info Compare	Get 0% p.a. interest on balance transfers for 24 months (with a 3% BT fee). Plus 0% foreign fees and complimentary overseas travel insurance.
American Express Platinum Business Card Membership Rewards Ascent Premium	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $875 first year ($1,750 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More info Compare	Limited time offer: Get 250,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $12,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, a half off annual fee in the first year. ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue.
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card Finder Award Qantas Business Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $225 first year ($450 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More info Compare	Limited time offer: Earn 150,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, a $225 first-year annual fee. ABN holders w/ $75k revenue.
American Express Platinum Card Membership Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $1,450	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More info Compare	Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you apply through the link and spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Velocity Escape Plus Card Velocity Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $95	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More info Compare	Get 30,000 bonus Velocity Points when you meet the spend requirement, receive $50 statement credit and earn up to 1.75 Velocity Points per $1 spent.
Westpac Altitude Platinum Card Westpac Altitude Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Annual fee $99 first year ($175 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More info Compare	Up to 120,000 bonus Altitude Points (90,000 points in year 1 when you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days & 30,000 points after the first spend in year 2).
Virgin Money Anytime Rewards Credit Card Virgin Money Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Annual fee $149	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 0% balance transfer fee, then 20.99%	Amount saved $778.32 over 12 months	Go to site More info Compare	Offers 80,000 bonus Virgin Money Points (worth $400 in gift cards) when you spend $3,000 or more on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.

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What is an additional cardholder on a credit card?

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).

Also known as supplementary cardholders, they are issued with their own card but are not legally responsible for managing the account and paying off the balance. Even if it's from purchases they've made. This is because the account is in your name, making you liable for it.

Tip: Before you start sharing your credit card account, talk to them about managing the account and making repayments to work out a system that's fair for both of you. Just remember that the primary cardholder (or main account holder) is legally responsible for the account.

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
View 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) which is different from yours
Order a replacement card
Cancel their cards

Additional cardholders may also be able to access benefits such as complimentary insurance. Sometimes, they can also redeem reward points, but it does depend on the card and rewards program.

Check your credit card’s terms and conditions or ask your bank for specific details of what features an additional cardholder would get through your account.

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).

In comparison, 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?

Shared access to credit. 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.

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.
Add the additional cardholders 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.

Getting an additional cardholder for your account can be a convenient way to share your credit card benefits. But it’s important to carefully consider the risks and discuss financial management of the account with your additional cardholder so that you can make this option work for you.

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, while HSBC's My Card Controls lets you set a limit per transaction amount. With both these options, the limits you set would apply to both you and any other cardholders linked to the account.

Picture: Shutterstock

Thank you for your feedback!

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

Written by

Amy Bradney-George

Journalist

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 548 Finder guides across topics including:

Credit cards
Frequent flyer
Credit score
BNPL
Money management
Sustainability

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A supplementary card is an easy way to share your account with someone else and can double your points potential. Compare cards that offer this perk for free.