You’re standing there looking at your credit score, wondering why the needle won't budge. You pay your bills on time. You don't max out your cards. But that "Length of Credit History" section is still sitting in the yellow or orange zone, mocking you. Honestly, it’s frustrating. We live in a culture of "now," yet the credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—are obsessed with "then." They want to see your track record from years ago, back when you were maybe making questionable fashion choices or driving a car that rattled.
So, how long of a credit history is good? If you're looking for a magic number, FICO generally considers an "established" history to be at least six months, but "good" is a whole different animal. To see those elite, 800-plus scores, you're usually looking at a history that spans decades.
It's not just about the day you opened your first account. It’s a mix. A cocktail of ages.
Why 15% of Your Score Is Stuck in the Past
The Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) isn't exactly secretive about their formula, but they aren't handing out the source code either. We know that Length of Credit History accounts for roughly 15% of your FICO score. That might seem small compared to payment history (35%), but it’s often the "tie-breaker" between a 740 and a 780.
Think about it like hiring a contractor. Would you trust someone who’s been doing high-end renovations for 15 years, or the guy who started his business last Tuesday? Even if the new guy has a shiny truck and a clean record, the veteran has survived market crashes, difficult clients, and complex blueprints. Lenders feel the same way. Time is the only thing you can't hack.
There are three main metrics they look at here:
- The age of your oldest account.
- The age of your newest account.
- The average age of all your accounts combined.
If you have one card you've held for 10 years but you just opened four new ones to get travel points, your "average age" just plummeted. You're now a "thin file" risk in the eyes of some algorithmic models. It’s annoying, but it’s the reality of how risk is calculated.
The Myth of the Seven-Year Itch
People often get confused because negative marks—like late payments or collections—stay on your report for seven years. This leads to a weird misconception that seven years is the "peak" for credit age. It isn't.
According to data from Experian, the average age of accounts for "Super Prime" borrowers (those with scores above 780 or 800) is often 25 years or more. Does that mean you’re doomed if you’re 22? No. But it means you’re playing a different game. You have to be perfect in the other categories—utilization and payment history—to compensate for the lack of years.
What Happens When You Close an Old Account?
This is where people mess up. You have an old card from college. It has a $15 annual fee, or maybe the rewards suck. You think, "I don't use this, I'll just close it."
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Stop.
When you close a credit account, it doesn't vanish from your report immediately. FICO will actually continue to count that closed account toward your age for another 10 years (assuming it was closed in good standing). However, VantageScore—the other big player—might stop counting it sooner. More importantly, you lose the credit limit on that card, which can spike your utilization ratio. Basically, you're hurting yourself twice. Keep the old cards. Put a pack of gum on them once every six months so the bank doesn't close them for inactivity.
The "Average Age" Trap
Let's say you've had a solid credit card for 8 years. You’re feeling good. You decide to finance a new couch at a furniture store, get a new car loan, and open a "premium" travel card all in the same month.
Suddenly, your score drops 30 points.
You didn't miss a payment. What happened? You decimated your average age. By adding three accounts with "zero" months of history, you dragged that 8-year average down to 2 years. To a lender, this looks like "credit seeking behavior." It looks like you're desperate for liquidity, even if you’re just trying to optimize your miles.
High-scorers are boring. They don't open accounts often. They let their history sit and ferment like a fine wine.
Real World Example: The "Authorized User" Shortcut
Can you "buy" time? Sorta.
There’s a practice called "credit piggbacking." If your parents or a spouse have a credit card they've owned since 1998 with a perfect payment record, they can add you as an Authorized User. Most major issuers (Amex is a notable exception as they usually report the "open date" as the date you were added) will report the entire history of that account on your credit report.
I've seen people go from a 620 to a 740 in one billing cycle because they "inherited" 20 years of perfect history. It's a powerful tool, but it's a double-edged sword. If the primary cardholder misses a payment or maxes out the card, your score will tank right along with theirs. Choose your "benefactor" wisely.
How Different Lenders View Your Timeline
A mortgage lender looks at your history differently than a cell phone provider.
When you apply for a home loan, the underwriter is looking for "depth." They want to see that you've handled different types of credit over a long period. This is why "Credit Mix" matters alongside age. Having a 10-year-old credit card is great. Having a 10-year-old credit card and a 5-year-old auto loan that you paid off is better. It shows you aren't just good at revolving credit; you're good at structured debt, too.
For most people, a "good" history—one that won't hold you back from most competitive interest rates—is 7 to 10 years.
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If you're under the 5-year mark, you're likely still in the "building" phase. That’s okay. You just have to be more disciplined. You can't afford a single late payment because you don't have the "buffer" of time to soften the blow.
Why Your "New" Credit is Hurting You
Every time you apply for credit, a "hard inquiry" hits your report. This stays for two years but only impacts your score for one. But the bigger issue is the "New Credit" category, which is 10% of your score.
If you are wondering how long of a credit history is good, you also need to ask: "How long has it been since my last application?"
Lenders love stability. If you haven't opened an account in three years, you are a statistical "safe bet." If you've opened three accounts in the last six months, you're a wildcard. In the world of banking, wildcards get higher interest rates. Or denials.
Actionable Steps to Improve Your Credit Longevity
You can't go back in time and open a card in 2012. I wish we could. But you can manage what you have now to ensure your future self has an elite profile.
- Audit your "drawer cards." Find your oldest accounts. If they don't have an annual fee, never close them. If they do have a fee, call the bank and ask for a "product change" to a no-fee version of the card. This preserves the account age while killing the cost.
- The "One per Year" Rule. If you love credit card rewards, try to space out your applications. Opening one card every 12 to 18 months allows your "average age" to recover between hits.
- Check for "Zombie" Accounts. Sometimes old loans you paid off years ago fall off your report. While you can't always keep them there forever, ensuring your current active accounts are reporting correctly is vital.
- Micromanage Inactivity. Banks are aggressive about closing accounts that haven't been used in 12 months. Set a recurring calendar invite to buy a $1 Amazon balance reload or a coffee on your oldest, unused cards.
- Negotiate the "Open Date." If you're being added as an authorized user, verify with the issuer if they report the original account opening date or the date you were added. You want the original date.
The reality of credit is that it's a marathon disguised as a sprint. Everyone wants the 800 score today, but the system is fundamentally designed to reward those who have been "in the system" the longest. If you're young or new to the country, your best tool isn't a specific card or a trick—it's the calendar.
Keep your oldest lines open, stop chasing every new shiny sign-up bonus, and let time do the heavy lifting. Eventually, that "Length of Credit History" bar will turn green. And once it's there, as long as you don't do anything drastic, it stays there.
Next Steps for You:
Log into a free service like Credit Karma or your bank's app. Look for the "Average Age of Accounts." If it's under 5 years, commit to not opening any new accounts for the next 24 months. If you have an old card you haven't used in a year, go use it today for a small purchase to prevent an automatic closure that could shave years off your history.