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You can close your Discover credit card account in two ways: online or over the phone. However, there are some things you should know before officially canceling your credit card, so you don’t cost yourself money or damage your credit score.
If you’re on the fence about deactivating your Discover account, there are alternatives you can explore.
What to know before canceling your Discover credit card
Closing a credit card account has some hidden consequences you should consider before you take steps to officially shut down your Discover credit card account. Here are some things to consider before ending your line of credit:
- You can’t transfer your points: According to Discover, you cannot transfer points to another card or partner account once you’ve cancelled your card. After you close the account, the cash value of your remaining rewards will be mailed to you as a check.
- You won’t get your annual fee back: If you’ve already paid an annual fee for your Discover credit card, you won’t get any of it refunded when you cancel—even if you still have most of the year left. Unless you’re also paying monthly fees, consider waiting to cancel until right before your next annual fee is due, so you can continue taking advantage of your Discover credit card’s benefits in the meantime.
- You’ll still get billed: If you leave an unpaid balance on your Discover credit card, the debt won’t disappear when you close the account. Instead, you’ll continue to be billed until the balance is paid in full, even if your Discover account is fully closed.
- Your credit score may drop: Canceling a credit card may affect your credit utilization ratio and your credit age (though the latter will only be affected in your VantageScore, not your FICO score). Both of these are factors in your credit score, so you may see a slight drop in points when you shut down your Discover credit account.
How to close a Discover credit card account
There are multiple ways to cancel a Discover credit card. Here’s how to close your Discover account using the best method for you.
How to cancel a Discover credit card online
To cancel your Discover credit card online, follow these steps:
- Go to www.discover.com
- Log into your online account
- Open the online chat option to message the customer service team
- Express your wish to close your credit card account
- Speak with an agent to verify your account and finalize the credit card closure
How to cancel a Discover credit card by phone
To cancel your Discover credit card by phone, call (800) 347-2683.
Tell the agent you want to cancel your card and provide them with your account information.
Alternatives to canceling your Discover credit card
If you’re not yet set on closing your Discover credit card for good, consider one of these alternatives.
Request a different card
If your current Discover credit card isn’t serving your needs well enough, consider requesting a credit card upgrade or downgrade.
If your card costs too much in fees that you don’t feel are offset by rewards, call the number on the back of your Discover credit card and ask if you can downgrade to a less expensive card.
If your current Discover credit card doesn’t offer enough rewards or benefits, call the number on the back of your card and request an upgrade to a better card. Note that whether they accept your request will likely be based on your Discover borrowing history and current credit standing.
Request a credit limit increase
Considering canceling your Discover credit card because you need more credit? Don’t pull the trigger until you’ve first tried requesting a credit limit increase.
To get a Discover credit limit increase, call the number on the back of your credit card.
Negotiate your interest rate
If a high interest rate is what’s giving you pause about your Discover credit card, consider calling the number on the back of the card and negotiating your credit card interest rate. You may be able to get a lower interest rate if your credit score has improved or if you’re facing unexpected difficulties (like job loss or divorce).
Freeze your card
You may want to cancel your card to resist the temptation of overspending on credit. If you’ve been purchasing past your limit, putting your card away for a while is a great idea. However, you may want to freeze your card rather than close your Discover account entirely.
Freezing, or locking, your Discover credit card renders the card unusable until you choose to unfreeze it. There are no charges or penalties for freezing a Discover credit card.
