Short answer
You are an active authorized user for two reporting cycles, which is about two months. After that, the tradeline appears as a closed account. Even so, it usually stays on your report as part of your permanent credit history, and many banks keep reporting the closed account for 7 to 10 years.
How long tradelines stay open: two cycles
We guarantee that you will be an active authorized user for two reporting cycles, which is about two months. During this time, the bank reports the tradeline as an open account.
After two months, the cardholder removes you from the account, and the tradeline then shows as closed. It will usually remain on your credit report as part of your permanent credit history. However, some banks drop it sooner.
Open accounts typically carry much more weight than closed ones, so think of a tradeline as a short-term move with possible longer-term benefits. That said, we have seen evidence in many scoring models that closed accounts continue to affect a person’s overall credit picture.
Real-world example
We once reviewed a credit report with a 720 score and no open accounts at all. In other words, the entire score came from closed accounts. They were very good accounts, most likely with significant age and perfect payment history. Still, the takeaway is clear: closed accounts count.
How long do tradelines stay useful after closing?
Closed accounts have less impact as time goes on, because scoring models give more weight to recent events. For example, a one-day-old collection account hurts a score far more than a five-year-old one.
In much the same way, the benefit of a positive closed account also fades over time.
Extensions: how long tradelines can stay open
If you need a tradeline to stay on your credit report for longer than two reporting cycles, you can buy extensions for as many cycles as you need.
Extensions are unlimited and sold one cycle at a time. Each cycle costs half of the original tradeline price.
Video: how authorized user tradelines work, from the day you are added to the day the account closes.