What does your credit score start at when you turn 18?

There isn’t a set score people begin with at 18, which is the legal age to open a credit card account. The score you start with depends on your credit history. If you don’t have a credit history, there is no credit report, and hence no score.

If you open your first credit account at 18, you need to have the account for at least six months to generate a FICO® credit score. VantageScore® can be generated as soon as your new account is reported to the credit bureaus.

Having no credit history does not mean you begin at 300, the lowest score on the scale, but you don’t start with a high score either. These are ways to build credit before you are 18 too so that you may have an edge over others in terms of a good credit score:

Authorized users on existing credit cards will receive a credit card in their name and can make purchases on it. Though this won’t impact your score too much, it offers a good starting point.

Another option is a secured credit card. These cards need a security deposit that usually acts as your credit limit. You make monthly payments against the deposit that you use. These are reported to the major credit bureaus and help you build credit.