How to Activate a SunTrust Card?

How to Activate a SunTrust Card, June 2021

Having SunTrust activate my card was a lot easier than I’d thought. You can activate yours in minutes, too. In this post, I discuss the SunTrust activation process.

If you’ve made an account at SunTrust bank, you must know that you won’t be able to use your debit or credit card right after getting it.

You will need to complete the activation process so you can access your funds. Luckily, activating your SunTrust card is a lot simpler than you’d expect.

There are two ways of doing it, and you can use the method you find most convenient. It’ll only take a few minutes.

But before I get into the details of how I had SunTrust activate my card, I will briefly discuss the details of the bank, so you know what type of experience to expect.

SunTrust Bank: Brief History And What To Expect

SunTrust Bank is one of America’s biggest bank holding companies, and its history in the country’s finance sector dates back to 1891. 

While making a checking account with them is easy, the bank doesn’t give out credit cards. 

If you want to get your hands on one of SunTrust’s credit cards, in addition to proving that you are a resident of the U.S., you will also need to show that you have an annual income of at least $50,000. 

Its credit cards are meant only for consumers that have a good credit score and have a proven track record of paying back how much they owe.

Cards SunTrust Bank Offers

If you create a checking account with the bank, you can get your hands on its debit card within seven days. 

The bank offers three credit cards: Cash Rewards Credit Card, Travel Rewards Credit Card, and Prime Rewards Credit Card.

The cards offer excellent benefits, and looking into getting your hands on one is worth it.

It’s important to note that in 2009, the company switched its credit card network from Visa to Mastercard.

All older cards were deactivated, and new cards were issued. This also means that customers that signed up with the bank after 2009 have only gotten Mastercard cards. 

Regardless of if you have a SunTrust debit or credit card, you will be able to pay any merchant that accepts Mastercard. Making purchases online is rarely a problem.

While using a credit card doesn’t require you to make a signature, you will either need to make a signature or use a PIN to authorize the transaction if you have a debit card. Most users typically use the latter option.

It’s also important to note that regardless of if you have a SunTrust debit or credit card, you will need to activate it before you use it. 

Having SunTrust activate my card was easy, and you can follow the steps below to activate your SunTrust debit card:

How To Activate SunTrust Debit Card

The first thing you should do is take a good look at your debit card. Make sure that your name is on it and that it’s spelled correctly. Also, make sure you look at the effective date to learn if it’s the right time to activate it. 

The effective date is typically in the month that you opened your account with the bank.

After you’ve completed the necessary checking, you can pick between these two methods of activation:


Activation Over The Phone

Most customers opt to activate their SunTrust card over the phone because it’s both quick and convenient.

All I needed to do to have SunTrust activate my card was call them at 1-800-337-1140, their debit card customer support number.

After you call the number, you will need to choose a language. You cannot skip this step.

Then, you will need to provide your details. 

Typically, customers are asked to only state their name, date of birth, and full address.

You will then need to dial in some details to complete the activation process. Make sure you keep the card handy since you will need to enter all 16 digits of the debit card number and also the CVV to proceed further. 

After you enter all the details correctly, the customer support representative will inform you that your card has been activated.

Online Activation

While I could have SunTrust activate my card online, I found the process slightly lengthy, so I opted to do it over the phone. However, if you find it more convenient, there’s no harm in activating your card over the phone.

Navigate to the SunTrust website, and enter your username and password. 

Post logging in, you will be asked to enter your name and address. You will also need to enter your date of birth.

On the next screen, you must enter your 16-digit SunTrust debit card number and its CVV. After you choose your card type, you must click on the “Card Activation” button.

And that’s it, your debit card will then be activated.

Post activating the card, make a purchase or withdraw some money from an ATM to ensure it’s working correctly. If you face any issues, you can call the same number and get them resolved.

Remember to peel off the activation sticker from the front of the card after you complete the process.

How To Activate SunTrust Credit Card

Activating a SunTrust credit card is also super easy. 

After you get your hands on your card, visit www.suntrust.com/activatemycard. You will need to enter both personal and card information, post which your card will be activated.

If you have any questions or run into any problems, you can call 1-800-SUNTRUST toll-free between 8 am to 6 pm on weekdays to request a resolution.

If you opened your account more than a week ago and haven’t received your card, make sure you call up SunTrust and report it. 

Alternatively, you could also visit your nearest SunTrust branch and report your issue.

If you have any other queries, you can reach SunTrust’s customer support team at 800.786.8787.

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