---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1665e"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1665e"
heading: "Consideration of ability to repay"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1665e"
units:
  - "Chapter 41 — Consumer Credit Protection"
  - "Subchapter I — Consumer Credit Cost Disclosure"
  - "Part C — Credit Advertising and Limits on Credit Card Fees"
---

# §1665e. Consideration of ability to repay


A [card issuer](/usc/15/1602.md?p=o) may not open any [credit card](/usc/15/1602.md?p=l) [account](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=r-4) for any [consumer](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) under an [open end consumer credit plan](/usc/15/1602.md?p=j), or increase any [credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f) limit applicable to such [account](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=r-4), unless the [card issuer](/usc/15/1602.md?p=o) considers the ability of the [consumer](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) to make the required payments under the terms of such [account](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=r-4).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–321, title I, § 150, as added Pub. L. 111–24, title I, § 109(a), May 22, 2009, 123 Stat. 1743.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 9 months after May 22, 2009, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 3 of Pub. L. 111–24, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 1602 of this title.