What is Credit & Debit Card Authorization Hold?
The following explanation of banking terms and processes is meant to assist you in understanding the charges associated with your OrderTree.com purchase(s) in general terms. For specific information on how your account has been affected, you must contact your financial institution. Authorization hold (also card authorization, pre-authorization, or preauth) is the practice within the banking industry of authorizing electronic transactions done with a debit card or credit card and holding this balance as unavailable either until the merchant clears the transaction (also called settlement), or the hold “falls off.” Debit card authorization holds can fall off the account (thus rendering the balance available again) anywhere from 1–5 days after the transaction date depending on the bank’s policy. Credit card holds may last as long as 30 days, depending on the issuing bank. Signature‐based (non‐PIN‐based) credit and debit card transactions are a two‐step process, consisting of an authorizati
