What Does a Pending Charge Mean on a Credit Card?

A pending charge on a credit card is a transaction that has been authorized but has not yet fully posted to your account. You may see the charge shortly after making a purchase, but the merchant and your credit card issuer still need to complete the transaction. Pending charges can affect your available credit even though they are not yet part of your final posted balance.

Why Do Credit Card Charges Show as Pending?

When you use your credit card, the merchant typically asks your card issuer to authorize the transaction. If approved, the amount may appear as pending while the merchant completes and submits the transaction for processing. Once that happens, the pending charge usually becomes a posted transaction.

How Long Does a Pending Credit Card Charge Take to Post?

Many pending credit card charges post within a few days, but the timing can vary depending on the merchant and type of transaction. Weekends, holidays and certain businesses such as hotels, restaurants, gas stations and rental car companies can sometimes result in charges remaining pending longer.

Does a Pending Charge Reduce Your Available Credit?

Usually, yes. A pending transaction can reduce your available credit because the card issuer has authorized that amount for the merchant. Your available credit may adjust again when the transaction posts, changes amount or disappears.

What Is a Credit Card Statement and How Do You Read It?

es. The final posted amount can be different from the pending amount. This commonly happens with restaurants when a tip is added, gas stations that place a temporary authorization on your card, and hotels or rental car companies that may authorize an amount for estimated or incidental charges.

Why Did a Pending Charge Disappear?

A pending charge can disappear if the merchant does not complete the transaction or if the authorization expires. In some cases, the pending charge disappears temporarily before the final transaction posts. A disappearing pending charge does not always mean the purchase was canceled or that you will not be charged.

Can You Pay a Pending Credit Card Charge?

You generally do not need to make a separate payment for an individual pending charge. Credit card payments are applied to your account balance rather than to a specific transaction. Once the charge posts, it becomes part of your account balance and will eventually be included in a billing statement.

Does a Pending Charge Affect Your Statement Balance?

A transaction that is still pending when your billing cycle closes generally is not included in that statement balance. If it posts after the statement closes, it will usually appear in the following billing cycle instead.

Can You Dispute a Pending Credit Card Charge?

In many cases, a transaction must post before a formal dispute can be opened, although issuer procedures can vary. If you do not recognize a pending transaction or believe it may be fraudulent, contact your credit card issuer promptly rather than waiting for it to post.

What if You See the Same Charge Pending Twice?

Seeing what looks like a duplicate pending charge does not always mean you will be charged twice. One authorization may disappear when the final transaction posts. However, if both transactions eventually post to your account, review the charges and contact the merchant or your card issuer if you believe you were charged twice.

Why Do Gas Stations Put Pending Charges on Credit Cards?

When you pay at the pump, a gas station may temporarily authorize an amount before it knows the final cost of your fuel purchase. That authorization can reduce your available credit until the actual purchase amount posts and the temporary authorization is released.

Why Do Hotels Put Pending Charges on Credit Cards?

Hotels may authorize more than the room charge to cover taxes, deposits or possible incidental expenses. The temporary authorization can remain pending during your stay and sometimes for several days after checkout before the final charge posts and any unused authorization is released.

Why Do Restaurants Show a Different Pending Amount?

A restaurant may initially authorize your card for the cost of the meal before your tip is added. The pending amount may therefore be different from the final amount that posts to your account after the restaurant processes the completed transaction.

What Should You Do if a Charge Stays Pending for a Long Time?

If a transaction remains pending longer than expected, check with the merchant first to see whether the transaction has been completed or canceled. If the merchant cannot resolve it, contact your credit card issuer and ask about the authorization and when it may be released.

Can a Pending Charge Cause Your Card to Be Declined?

It can. Because pending charges may reduce your available credit, a new purchase could be declined if you do not have enough available credit remaining. This can happen even though some of the transactions affecting your available credit have not fully posted yet.

Should You Worry About a Pending Credit Card Charge

Usually, no. Pending charges are a normal part of credit card processing and most either post or disappear within a few days. Pay closer attention when you do not recognize the transaction, the amount appears incorrect or the charge remains pending much longer than expected.

Do Pending Charges Count Toward Your Credit Utilization?

Pending charges can reduce your available credit, but they may not be included in the balance reported to the credit bureaus until they post. Credit utilization is generally based on the balance your card issuer reports, so a pending transaction does not necessarily affect your credit utilization immediately.

Bottom Line

A pending credit card charge is usually a temporary authorization waiting to become a completed transaction. It can reduce your available credit and the final amount may sometimes change before it posts. Most pending charges resolve on their own, but contact your card issuer promptly if you do not recognize a transaction or believe it may be fraudulent.