Finance glossary
Pre-Authorisation
Also known as: Auth hold, Card hold
In simple terms
A pre-authorisation is a temporary hold a merchant places on your card — like a hotel or petrol station — to check funds are available, before the final amount is taken.
On this page
What does pre-authorisation mean?
A pre-authorisation (or “auth hold”) is a temporary reservation of funds on your card. Businesses such as hotels, car hire firms and petrol pay-at-pump use it to confirm your card is valid and has enough available balance before the final charge.
It is a hold, not a completed payment.
How pre-authorisation works
The merchant asks your bank to ring-fence an estimated amount, which reduces your available balance but is not actually taken. When the final bill is known, the real amount is charged and the hold is released — though release can take a few days.
On debit cards especially, the held amount is money you temporarily cannot use.
How could this affect me?
Pre-authorisations can catch people out — a petrol hold or hotel deposit can briefly tie up more than you expected, which matters if you are near your balance or limit.
If a hold does not drop off after a reasonable time, contact the merchant and, if needed, your card provider.
Things to watch out for
- A hold reduces your available balance even though nothing is taken yet.
- Releases can take several days, especially on debit cards.
- Petrol and hotel holds can be larger than the final bill.
General information, not personal advice
Consumer Credit is an independent information service. We do not provide regulated financial advice or sell financial products. For advice on your own situation, speak to an appropriately authorised firm or a free service such as MoneyHelper. About Consumer Credit.
Sources
We checked this page against these official and authoritative sources.
- MoneyHelper, How debit and credit cards work (opens in a new tab). Accessed 22 Aug 2026.