It’s a credit card that offers you an opportunity to build or rebuild your credit with responsible use. A secured credit card also requires a refundable security deposit, which is held as collateral for the account. No interest is applied to the security deposit.

Once you’re approved, all it takes to get started is a minimum required security deposit, which you can pay all at once or over time. You can make your security deposit online or over the phone. When you’ve made your minimum required security deposit, your account will be opened. The security deposit is refundable if you close your account and pay your balance in full. Your card status will be regularly reported to the three major credit bureaus.

Unlike a prepaid card, a secured card is an actual credit card that reports to the three major credit bureaus—providing the opportunity to build your credit, with responsible use. Prepaid cards are more like debit cards and cannot help you build your credit because they do not report to the major credit bureaus.

No. Your Capital One Secured Credit Card will not have the word “secured” on it. It will look just like other Capital One credit cards.

Yes. As with any credit card, there are certain conditions that could cause your application for this credit card to be declined. For example—because a bank account is needed in order to fund your card, you will be declined if you don’t have one.

Your security deposit is refundable. Though, because it is held as collateral against your credit line, it will be refunded if you close your account and pay your balance in full.

If you are approved, you will be given a customer number, which is your unique identifier that you’ll need to include when you pay a required security deposit online or over the phone. All deposits must be at least $20 and in whole dollar increments and funded through an electronic funds transfer from a bank account—cash, checks, and other money transfer methods are not accepted. You can make your required deposit on our .

Yes. You can make partial payments but need to make sure you’ve made your full, required deposit within 80 days of being approved. Once we've received your required deposit, your card will be on its way. All deposits must be at least $20 and in whole dollar increments.

You must make your required security deposit payment within 80 days of being approved. If you do not meet this deadline, the offer will expire and we will not be able to open an account for you.

No, you must still make at least your minimum monthly payment each month. Paying your credit card balance in full each month instead of carrying a balance is a good idea.

Yes. If your application is approved and you provide the minimum required security deposit prior to the expiration date, your account will be opened, and you will receive the minimum initial credit line of $200. To increase your initial credit line, simply deposit more than your minimum required security deposit within 80 days of being approved and before you activate your card. You can raise your initial credit line by the amount of your additional deposit, up to $1,000.

If you make your first 5 monthly payments on time, you’ll get access to a higher credit line with no additional deposit needed. You may also earn credit line increases based on your payment history and creditworthiness.

Capital One reports your credit standing to the three major credit bureaus. Credit standing includes information like whether you make your minimum payment in full and on time every month. A history of good credit standing can help build your credit. However, not making your minimum payments on time each month can damage your credit.

Yes. gives you unlimited free access to your credit score, as well as tools to help you track and manage your progress. It’s free and available to anyone, even if you’re not a Capital One cardholder. You can also find many other free financial tools and information on our Financial Education site.

We generally apply payments up to your minimum payment first to the balance with the lowest APR (including 0% APR), and then to balances with higher APRs. We apply any part of your payment above your minimum payment to the balance with the highest APR, and then to balances with lower APRs.