How long can a pending charge stay on your card?
Asked by: Corine Schmeler I | Last update: November 28, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (34 votes)
A charge can be pending on your account for up to five days. There are several factors that affect how long a pending charge will appear on your credit card. These include when you made the transaction and how long it takes the merchant to process it.
What's the longest a transaction can be pending?
Usually, a pending charge will show on your account until the transaction is processed and the funds are transferred to the merchant. This could typically take up to three days but may stretch longer depending on the merchant and the type of transaction.
How long is too long for a pending transaction?
Generally, pending transactions clear within one to five business days, but the exact timing depends on the type of transaction, the payment network, and the bank or credit card issuer.
How long does a charge stay pending on a debit card?
Debit card holds: In instances where you can't use your PIN for a debit card transaction, your debit card issuer will label the transaction as pending for up to 4 business days. Credit card holds: Credit card payments take less time to clear than debit card payments.
What happens if a pending charge never posts?
Sometimes, a pending transaction will never post. A common example of this scenario is canceled and/or voided transactions. When this happens, your available balance is restored and your list of transactions will not include that specific transaction.
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How long can a merchant hold a pending transaction?
A charge can be pending on your account for up to five days. There are several factors that affect how long a pending charge will appear on your credit card. These include when you made the transaction and how long it takes the merchant to process it.
Do pending transactions expire?
Many pending charges disappear in around 5 days or less. Though some institutions may have a longer period. It ultimately depends on the type of transaction, the processor settings for the credit card program, and what's stated in your agreement.
Can a merchant charge my card months later?
Generally speaking, credit card issuers don't have a time limit for charging a customer's credit card. The issuing banks, however, will often impose a limit on merchants for charging. These limits can range anywhere from three to 30 days.
Can I spend money that is pending?
A pending transaction can place a hold on your account balance and count toward your credit limit until it is processed. That doesn't necessarily mean you can't use your credit card or bank account. But it can affect your available balance—or the funds you're able to access.
What happens if a pending transaction is expired?
What does that mean? All transactions start as pending charges, and merchants have 7-10 days to settle the transactions and collect the funds (it is up to 16 days for car rentals and hotel reservations). If they don't settle the charge, the pending transaction expires and the funds are returned to your account.
How long does a pending payment take to expire?
How long will a transaction remain in pending? Generally it takes about 3 to 5 business days to process a transaction, although it can take up to 10 business days or longer.
What happens if a transaction stays pending?
It's also common to see this when online shopping, as some merchants may hold off on processing the payment until your order has shipped. This includes international purchases too. Essentially, pending transactions mean the money has been committed to a specific purchase, but it's still moving between accounts.
Can a pending charge be cancelled?
Yes. To cancel a pending credit card transaction before it's complete, start by calling the merchant directly. Ask the merchant or retailer to reverse the charge, cancel the sale or release the hold for the confirmed amount. The sooner you contact the merchant, the more likely the pending transaction can be canceled.
Why is my payment stuck in pending?
When a payment is marked as “pending” it means that the payment process still needs to be completed. In most cases, this simply means that you need to wait for this to happen. In some cases, however, the merchant may need to take action.
How long does it take for a pending transaction to fail?
Pending transactions are payments that would normally go into or out of your account within 7 days. When you use a debit card to pay for something, it reduces the available balance in your current account.
How long can a bank keep money pending?
Pending transactions are debits or credits that have been authorized but not yet processed. These placeholders affect the amount of money available in the account. Pending transactions typically take between one and five business days to process.
Will a pending transaction definitely go through?
You may have bought something in a shop or online. Either way, the word 'pending' shows that the payment is still being processed by the retailer and is waiting to leave your account. It means your bank has approved the payment, but the retailer needs to finish collecting it.
Can a transaction be stopped while pending?
Unfortunately, canceling a pending transaction isn't always simple. If you're trying to remove a hold or a pending transaction before it posts, you'll need to contact the merchant and ask them to remove the authorization. Once your transaction is finalized, however, you have more power in reversing the charge.
Does pending mean you have the money?
A pending transaction on your bank account means your bank is processing a purchase you made, a bill you paid, or a deposit that's heading your way, but it hasn't been completed yet. Either the payment hasn't been sent to the vendor yet or the incoming funds haven't cleared, although they are in process.
How long does a merchant have to settle a transaction?
Settlement: Settlement typically occurs within one to three business days. Funding: The business can access funds within two to three business days of the initial transaction.
Can I dispute a charge from 6 months ago?
However, there's a catch: you need to dispute charges within 60 days from when the purchase appeared on your statement. Since that's a relatively small timeline, make sure you regularly review your credit card account for signs of billing errors.
How long does a company have to process a payment?
In the US, payment processing times vary by method. Credit and debit card transactions are often processed instantly, but funds can take a few days to clear. ACH or Direct Debit transactions typically take 1-3 business days, while wire transfers are usually processed the same day.
Can I dispute a pending transaction?
Only posted transactions can be disputed (pending charges are temporary and may change). If you have any immediate concerns about a pending charge, contact the merchant directly. The merchant's contact information is typically found on your receipt or billing statement.
Does freezing your card stop pending transactions?
In general, locking your debit card won't stop transactions that were made and authorized before you locked it but are still pending. In other words, if you made a purchase that's pending, then locked your debit card before it completed, that transaction should still go through.
What does "pending charges" mean?
A pending charge means that the person who has been arrested for an alleged crime is still having their case reviewed by the prosecutor. Prosecutors are responsible for deciding the charges a person might face and do not always have to follow through with the charges referred by the police.