Key takeaways
- Printed on a credit card, you’ll find the card number, the cardholder’s name, when the card expires, and the card’s security code — all the details you need to make purchases online or in person.
- To learn your credit limit, what you currently owe, and the interest you’ll accumulate if you don’t pay by your due date, check your paper billing statement or online account.
- It’s also important to understand the key terms you might encounter on bills when using rewards or when performing certain kinds of transactions.
Whether you’re paying for groceries or shopping online, using a credit card is an integral part of everyday life for many people. But how well do you know and understand your credit card’s terms — and what do they even mean?
Understanding this basic information, as well as how to use your credit card, is essential if you want to get the most out of all your card has to offer while avoiding debt and mistakes detrimental to your credit. Whether you’re just starting to build credit or you’re a seasoned cardholder, this glossary can help you understand some basic terms that you may come across when using your credit card.
Credit card information
Credit cards are financial tools, and knowing how they work will help you maintain and build upon your experience while using them.
There is important information found on the card itself that you’ll be asked for when making purchases, logging into accounts, or adding cards to digital wallets. Here are some of the key pieces of credit card information you may be asked to provide and where to find each one:
Information that’s printed on your credit card
- Credit card number:
- Your credit card number is a 15- or 16-digit number that is usually embossed or printed on the front of your credit card toward the bottom, though it’s becoming increasingly common for credit card issuers to print the card number on the back.
- Cardholder name:
- The cardholder name is also embossed or printed on either the front or the back of the credit card toward the bottom. Because some merchants will ask for ID when a customer makes a purchase, the name on the card should match the name on a cardholder’s government-issued ID. Most often it’s a complete name, but it may appear as the first initial and the last name or the first name, middle initial, and last name.
- Expiration date:
- The expiration date is generally found between the card number and cardholder name, either on the front of the card or the back. Expiration dates display the month and year the credit card expires, but the actual expiration date is usually the final day of the month listed.
- CVV or security code:
- A Card Verification Value (CVV), also called a security code, is the three-digit number located on the back of your credit card near the signature box, typically under the magnetic strip. If you have an American Express card, the CVV is a four-digit code located on the front of your card.