Kids can have debit cards in the United States, but a parent or legal guardian has to open the account jointly with them. Minors can’t sign binding financial contracts on their own, so banks require an adult co-owner who takes legal responsibility for the account. The minimum age varies by bank: some issue cards to children as young as six, others start at 13.
Minimum Age and Why a Parent Has to Be on the Account
No federal law sets a minimum age for a child’s debit card. Each bank picks its own threshold. Chase First Banking, for example, is open to children ages 6 through 17, with its features aimed mostly at the 6-to-12 range.1Chase. Chase First Banking Debit Card for Kids and Teens Other banks won’t open a youth account until the child is 13.
The parent’s role isn’t optional. Under common law, a contract signed only by someone under 18 is voidable, meaning the minor can walk away from it. That’s a risk banks won’t take, so they require an adult co-owner who can be held responsible for any negative balance, overdraft, or other account obligation. The adult stays on the account until the child reaches the age of majority.
Bank Debit Card or Prepaid Card
Cards for kids come in two shapes, and the choice mostly comes down to how much room you want the child to have.
A bank-issued debit card is tied to a joint checking account at a traditional bank or credit union. The card pulls directly from the account balance. You get standard checking features: direct deposit, online bill pay, FDIC insurance. Monthly fees on youth checking accounts range from $0 to about $15, and many banks waive the fee for minors entirely.
Prepaid and fintech cards, like Greenlight and FamZoo, don’t need a separate bank account. The parent loads money onto the card in advance from a bank, a digital wallet, or cash at a participating retailer. The card can only spend what’s been loaded, so there’s no overdraft risk. Many of these platforms bundle in allowance automation, savings goals, and chore tracking.
Both types let you set controls and see what your child is spending. The real difference is scope: a bank card connects to a full checking account with all that entails, while a prepaid card walls the child off to just what you’ve loaded.
What You Need to Open the Account
Federal Customer Identification Program rules require banks to collect four pieces of information from every person on an account: full legal name, date of birth, address, and a taxpayer identification number such as a Social Security number.2eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks Both the parent and the child have to provide these.
For the adult, the bank will want an unexpired government-issued photo ID, usually a driver’s license or passport. For the child, who probably doesn’t have a photo ID, banks commonly accept a birth certificate or the child’s passport to confirm identity and age. Some banks also ask for proof of the parent-child relationship or proof of address.
You can apply online or at a branch. Approval times vary; some banks turn it around in one or two business days, others take longer. Once approved, the physical card is mailed and usually arrives in seven to ten business days. The last step is activating it, typically through the bank’s app or an automated phone line, and setting a PIN.
Parental Controls You Can Set
The main reason parents choose a debit card over cash is oversight. Most youth accounts offer a set of controls through a mobile app.
- Real-time alerts when your child makes a purchase, withdraws cash, or sends money to someone new.
- Custom daily purchase caps and ATM withdrawal limits. Some platforms also allow one-time or weekly limits.
- Merchant category restrictions. Card networks tag every merchant with a category code, and some platforms let parents block whole categories such as gambling, alcohol, tobacco, or dating services, so the card is declined at those merchants even if funds are available.
- Card lock and unlock, so you can freeze the card instantly if it goes missing and turn it back on when the situation is resolved.
Which controls you actually get depends on the bank or platform. Check the specific feature list before you open an account.
If the Card Is Lost, Stolen, or Overdrawn
Unauthorized Charges
If someone else uses your child’s card, federal law caps your financial exposure based on how quickly you report it. Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act’s implementing regulation, reporting the loss within two business days of discovering it limits liability to $50 or the amount of unauthorized charges, whichever is less. Wait longer than two business days and liability can rise to as much as $500.3eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.6 – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
The exposure grows if fraudulent charges appear on a periodic statement and nobody reports them within 60 days. After that window closes, the account holder can face unlimited liability for fraudulent transfers happening beyond the 60-day mark.4Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers Kids don’t typically read bank statements, so this is on you to check.
Overdraft Fees
A bank can’t charge an overdraft fee on a one-time debit card purchase or ATM withdrawal unless the account holder has specifically opted in to overdraft coverage. Without opt-in, the bank just declines the transaction. No fee.5Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Requirements for Overdraft Services Leaving overdraft coverage off on a child’s account is the simplest way to prevent surprise fees and keep the child from spending more than what’s there.
Some transactions can still push the balance negative — recurring automatic payments, for instance, are processed differently than one-time purchases. On a joint account, the adult co-owner is on the hook for covering any shortfall. If that risk bothers you, a prepaid card sidesteps it entirely because it can’t overdraw.
What Happens When Your Child Turns 18
At 18, your child can enter contracts on their own. Most banks either convert the joint minor account into a standard individual account or ask the now-adult child to open a new account in their own name. Some banks handle this automatically, others send a notice and set a deadline for the family to act.
Check with your bank before the birthday. Ask whether the account number and card will change, whether the adult version of the account carries new fees, and whether your child has to visit a branch to finish the switch. A little planning avoids a gap where the card stops working.