What an Authorized User Gets With Chase Sapphire Reserve

What an authorized user can do with a Chase Sapphire Reserve card

An authorized user on a Chase Sapphire Reserve account gets a physical card linked to the primary cardholder's account. They can make purchases anywhere the card is accepted, and those purchases count toward the primary account's rewards and spending thresholds. The authorized user does not have to pay the bill — that responsibility stays with the primary cardholder — but their spending does affect the account's credit limit and monthly statement.

The key difference from a co-applicant is that an authorized user has no legal obligation to pay and typically no access to the account online. They straightforward use the card. Chase does report authorized user activity to the credit bureaus under the primary cardholder's name, which can help or hurt the authorized user's own credit score depending on how the account is managed.

Key Takeaways

• An authorized user receives a physical card and can make purchases, but the primary cardholder remains responsible for all payments.
• Authorized user spending counts toward the primary account's annual spending threshold for benefits like the $300 travel credit and the 3x points multiplier on travel purchases.
• Chase reports the account's payment history and credit limit to the authorized user's credit report, which can improve their credit score if the account stays in good standing.
• The primary cardholder can set spending limits on the authorized user's card through Chase's online portal, though this is optional.
• Adding an authorized user does not increase the card's annual fee — the $550 fee applies only to the primary account.

How authorized user purchases affect rewards and credits

When an authorized user makes a purchase, the points go to the primary cardholder's account. The Sapphire Reserve earns 3x points per dollar on travel and dining purchases, and 1x point per dollar on everything else. An authorized user's $200 dinner purchase counts as $200 toward the primary cardholder's rewards, just as if the primary cardholder had made the purchase themselves.

Authorized user spending also counts toward the $300 annual travel credit. If the primary cardholder has spent $150 on travel and the authorized user spends $200, the account has now used $350 of the credit. The credit applies to flights, hotels, rental cars, taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and cruise lines — so an authorized user's Uber ride or hotel booking will trigger the credit the same way the primary cardholder's would.

The same logic applies to other account-level benefits. If the Sapphire Reserve offers a bonus for spending $8,000 in the first three months, both the primary cardholder's and authorized user's purchases count toward that threshold. This can be useful if the primary cardholder wants to reach a spending goal faster, but it also means the authorized user's spending affects when the account hits its limits.

Credit reporting and the authorized user's credit score

Chase reports the Sapphire Reserve account to all three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — under the primary cardholder's name. The authorized user's credit report will also show the account, including the credit limit, payment history, and current balance. This means an authorized user can benefit from the primary cardholder's responsible payment habits: a perfect payment record and low balance will help the authorized user's credit score.

The reverse is also true. If the primary cardholder misses a payment or carries a high balance, that negative information appears on the authorized user's credit report too. The authorized user has no control over the account's payment or balance, so they are taking on credit risk they cannot manage themselves. For this reason, adding a family member or friend as an authorized user is a decision that affects both people's credit profiles.

An authorized user cannot remove themselves from the account — only the primary cardholder can do that. If the relationship changes or the authorized user wants to protect their credit, they need to ask the primary cardholder to call Chase and remove them. This process usually takes one business day.

Spending limits and account controls

The primary cardholder can set a spending limit on an authorized user's card through the Chase mobile app or website. For example, a parent might set a $500 monthly limit on a teenager's card. Once the authorized user reaches that limit, their card will be declined until the next month or until the primary cardholder raises the limit.

Spending limits are optional — the primary cardholder does not have to set one. If no limit is set, the authorized user can spend up to the full credit limit of the account. The primary cardholder can also change or remove the limit at any time, and they can set different limits for different authorized users on the same account.

The primary cardholder has full visibility into the authorized user's purchases on the account statement and in the online portal. There is no separate login for the authorized user, so the primary cardholder sees every transaction. Chase does not offer a separate app or portal for authorized users to view their own activity.

Travel and dining perks that authorized users can use

The Sapphire Reserve includes several travel and dining benefits that an authorized user can access with the physical card. The $300 annual travel credit covers most travel-related purchases, as mentioned above. The card also includes trip cancellation insurance, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and emergency medical and dental coverage while traveling outside the United States.

For dining, the card provides access to Chase's dining program, which offers discounts and special experiences at participating restaurants. An authorized user can use these benefits the same way the primary cardholder can — by presenting the card at checkout or booking through the program's website.

The card's concierge service, which helps with travel bookings, restaurant reservations, and other requests, is available to authorized users as well. They can call the concierge number on the back of the card and request information. However, some premium benefits like airport lounge access may have restrictions — it is worth checking with Chase about which specific perks extend to authorized users versus the primary cardholder only.

When adding an authorized user makes sense

Adding an authorized user is most useful when the primary cardholder wants to share the card's benefits with someone they trust completely. Common scenarios include a spouse or long-term partner who will use the card for household travel and dining, a parent adding a responsible adult child to help them reach spending thresholds, or a business owner adding an employee to cover company travel expenses.

Adding an authorized user does not increase the annual fee — the $550 fee applies only once, to the primary account. This makes it cost-effective to add multiple authorized users if the primary cardholder wants to spread the card's benefits across a household or small team.

However, adding an authorized user is not the right choice if the primary cardholder is uncomfortable with the authorized user having access to a high credit limit, or if the primary cardholder cannot monitor the account regularly. Because the authorized user's spending affects the primary cardholder's credit and the account's rewards, the primary cardholder should only add someone they are willing to be financially accountable for.

How to add or remove an authorized user

To add an authorized user, the primary cardholder logs into their Chase account online or opens the mobile app, navigates to the card's settings, and selects "Add an authorized user." Chase will ask for the authorized user's name, date of birth, and address. The primary cardholder can also set a spending limit at this time if they choose to.

Chase will mail a physical card to the authorized user's address within 7 to 10 business days. The authorized user can begin making purchases as soon as the card arrives. The primary cardholder can also request a digital wallet version of the card (for Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay) to be set up when ready, so the authorized user does not have to wait for the physical card to start using the account.

To remove an authorized user, the primary cardholder calls Chase or uses the online portal to request removal. The card is deactivated when ready, though it may take a few business days for the account to stop appearing on the authorized user's credit report. The primary cardholder should keep the physical card or ask the authorized user to destroy it to prevent accidental use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does adding an authorized user hurt the primary cardholder's credit score?

Not directly. The new account does not trigger a hard inquiry on the primary cardholder's credit report, so there is no when ready dip. However, if the authorized user's spending increases the account's balance or causes the account to approach its credit limit, that could lower the primary cardholder's credit score temporarily. Once the balance is paid down, the score typically recovers.

Can an authorized user see the primary cardholder's other accounts or personal information?

No. An authorized user has access only to the Sapphire Reserve card itself — they cannot see other accounts, statements, or personal information through the Chase portal. The primary cardholder can see all of the authorized user's transactions on the Sapphire Reserve, but the authorized user cannot see the primary cardholder's other financial activity.

What happens to the authorized user's card if the primary cardholder closes the account?

The authorized user's card is deactivated when ready when the primary cardholder closes the account. Any remaining balance on the account becomes the primary cardholder's responsibility. The account will stop appearing on the authorized user's credit report within a few billing cycles.

Can an authorized user change the spending limit or account settings?

No. Only the primary cardholder can change spending limits, add or remove authorized users, or modify account settings. An authorized user can only use the card to make purchases and view their own transactions on the statement.

Is there a fee to add an authorized user?

No. Chase does not charge a separate fee to add an authorized user to the Sapphire Reserve. The $550 annual fee applies only to the primary account, regardless of how many authorized users are added.