How many days can a charge be pending?

Asked by: Joaquin Emmerich  |  Last update: November 14, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (18 votes)

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 can charges stay pending?

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. Card pre-authorizations may also show on your account for longer.

How long is too long for a pending transaction?

Pending transactions are charges that have been initiated but not yet fully processed or settled. They can take anywhere from a few hours to five business days to clear, depending on the charge.

What's the longest a transaction can be pending?

The duration varies. It can range from a few hours to several days or more, depending on factors such as the merchant's processing time, weekends, holidays, and the policies of your bank or credit card issuer.

How long does a merchant have to take a payment?

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.

How long does it take for a pending transaction to go through?

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How long can a merchant keep a charge pending?

Pending charges on credit cards are temporary holds to ensure payment for potential damages or incidental expenses. Pending charges typically take up to three days to clear with the merchant, but can take longer. Issues with pending charges should be resolved with the merchant, not the card issuer.

How long after a purchase can a company charge you?

You can be charged up to 120 days after the transaction has been debited or from when the goods or services were due to be received.

How many days can a payment be pending?

A pending transaction is a recent authorised card transaction that is waiting to be processed by the merchant and can take up to 28 days but normally takes 2/3 days to clear onto your balance. Once a pending transaction has cleared, it will appear below in your list of cleared transactions.

Why is a charge pending for so long?

A pending credit card transaction is a purchase or charge that hasn't been fully processed. This happens when the credit card issuer has confirmed that you have the available balance to pay for the purchase but has not fully processed it yet.

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.

What happens if a transaction stays pending?

This could happen for various reasons, such as the merchant needing time to confirm the transaction details or your bank conducting a security check. A transaction may also be pending due to a temporary hold placed on certain types of transactions until the merchant determines the final charge.

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.

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.

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.

Can a pending charge be declined?

A pending credit card purchase might be declined if another merchant has placed a hold on your credit card. A pending purchase made with your bank account or credit card could be declined if your account doesn't have enough funds or the merchant won't accept payment from your bank.

Can a pending transaction be refunded?

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.

How long does pending last?

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 merchant have to finalize a transaction?

The short answer here is, it depends. The vast majority of credit card transactions are finalized within five days. However, there are two parties involved in any pending transaction — the merchant and the credit card issuer.

Can you dispute a pending charge?

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.

Why is my transaction pending for 4 days?

Pending transactions can happen when the money needed for the transaction is still moving between accounts, like after using your credit, ATM or debit card to purchase gas at the pump, get cash or add a tip at a restaurant. In a bank account, pending transactions include: Cash, check and direct deposits.

Does "pending" mean "approved"?

A pending sale means a seller has accepted a buyer's offer. Compare this to a contingent sale, which means the seller has accepted an offer with contingencies to resolve before finalizing the purchase.

Can you pay off a pending transaction?

Can you pay off pending transactions on a credit card? Because pending transactions are not officially posted to your account, you won't be able to make payments against them.

How long can a company wait to charge you?

And there is no legal maximum amount of time a merchant has to place an authorized charge to something you agreed to pay. Some cards may have a 7 or 30 day restriction on conversions of authorizations to charges, but that is not a legal requirement.

How long can a business wait to bill you?

Although the legal time limits for invoicing are usually forgiving, you should send invoices within 30 days to maintain a steady cash flow.

What are my consumer rights?

Satisfactory quality – your goods shouldn't be faulty or damaged, and of at least satisfactory quality. For example, second-hand goods aren't held to the same standards as new. Fit for purpose – you should be able to use it for the purpose they were supplied for.