What It Means
The cardholder agreement is the binding document that governs how your credit card account works. It spells out APRs, fee schedules, dispute procedures, grace-period rules, and how the issuer may change terms. Federal law requires issuers to provide this document and to file copies with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, where consumers can review them publicly. Reading the cardholder agreement helps avoid surprises around penalty APRs, foreign-transaction fees, and arbitration clauses.