You might have a couple of them hiding out in your wallet, usually tucked behind cards you presently use. If you get rid of them, your credit score probably won't take a hit. But it could.
Canceling an unused or inactive credit card doesn't do much harm. Particularly if the card has a small credit limit, the impact on your credit score is "small and temporary," according to Ken Chaplin of TransUnion.
On the other hand, writing in USA Today, Chaplin says keeping the old cards active doesn't hurt your financial profile and may actually help it. Length of credit history is one of the main factors influencing your credit score, so keeping your oldest card open is usually a good idea. It shows you have access to credit and have managed it well, which makes you look good when shopping for a mortgage or a car loan.
Accounts in good standing stay on your credit report for 10 years after you close them. If you have another card you plan to use for a long time, or a card that's nearly as old, closing the oldest account is not a big deal, says Matt Schultz, senior analyst for CreditCards.com.
The largest impact a cancelled card could have is on your credit utilization. That's the percentage of available credit you're using. You want the rate to be about 20 percent or lower.
Closing an account also reduces your amount of available credit and raises your debt-to-credit ratio, which would affect your credit score.
If you are going to keep an old card around, make sure to use it occasionally or card issuers could end up closing it for you.