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Family Card Option — Questions and Answers

Below are some answers to questions you may have about the Family Card Option. If need more information or assistance, please contact us.

1. What are the benefits of setting up the Family Card Option on an RBC Royal Bank Visa card?
2. What is an authorized user?
3. Who is responsible for paying the outstanding balance, fees and interest?
4. What is the difference between an authorized user and co-applicant?
5. Is there a minimum age limit to be an authorized user?
6. Are there any fees to add authorized users?
7. Do authorized users benefit from all the insurance coverages on the Visa card?
8. Is the Family Card Option available on all RBC Royal Bank Visa cards?
9. Is this a good way to help someone build a credit history?
10. Does the authorized user have to be a Canadian resident?
11. I have a card that earns RBC Rewards points. If I add authorized users, will their spending earn points too? Will they be able to redeem points?

1. What are the benefits of setting up the Family Card Option on an RBC Royal Bank Visa card?

This option allows a primary or co-applicant cardholder to provide funds to authorized users (up to nine) while setting limits and monitoring spending activity. It's an ideal solution for parents who want to ensure that their maturing children have funds to meet their needs — especially in an emergency. The Family Card Option can also be used with non-family members, for example to provide funds to caregivers or nannies. To monitor monthly spending on the card, the primary cardholder and co-applicant will receive a monthly Visa card statement showing all transactions itemized by each card user. As well, the primary and co-applicant cardholder can view all transactions in Online Banking.

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2. What is an authorized user?

An authorized user is a person to whom we have issued a Visa card on a Visa account at the request of the primary or co-applicant cardholder. Authorized users have the ability to charge purchases to and make cash advances on the Visa account.

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3. Who is responsible for paying the outstanding balance, fees and interest?

The primary cardholder and co-applicant (if applicable) retain full responsibility for any outstanding balances, fees or interest on the Visa card account. If an authorized user is responsible for any of these amounts, the primary or co-applicant cardholder would need to make their own arrangements with that authorized user for repayment.

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4. What is the difference between an authorized user and co-applicant?

An authorized user has no liability for any balances, fees or interest owing on the Visa card account. A co-applicant shares responsibility for all debt on the Visa card account with primary account holder.

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5. Is there a minimum age limit to be an authorized user?

Yes, authorized users with unlimited access to the card's credit limit must be the age of majority in their province or territory, typically 18 years of age. For authorized users with limited access to the accounts credit limit through assigned monthly card limits, the minimum age is 14 — the age that teens typically start to make purchases on their own.

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6. Are there any fees to add authorized users?

Each additional card would have the same annual fee as the co-applicant fee. See the Family Card Option page for a list of fees that apply to each card type.

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7. Do authorized users benefit from all the insurance coverages on the Visa card?

Yes, authorized users will have the same insurance benefits as a co-applicant.

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8. Is the Family Card Option available on all RBC Royal Bank Visa cards?

It is available on most of our Visa cards with the exceptions of the RBC Starbucks Duetto Visa card, US Dollar Visa Gold and our student credit cards. As well, the Family Card Option is not available to those who list their occupation as "student".

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9. Is this a good way to help someone build a credit history?

When adding an authorized user to your Visa card account, he or she is not ultimately responsible for any debt incurred. Therefore his or her credit history is not impacted.

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10. Does the authorized user have to be a Canadian resident?

Yes, an authorized user must be a Canadian resident.

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11. I have a card that earns RBC Rewards points. If I add authorized users, will their spending earn points too? Will they be able to redeem points?

Yes, authorized users' spending will earn RBC Rewards points. It's a great way to accumulate points faster. Please note, however, that RBC Rewards points may only be redeemed by the primary cardholder.

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