---
title: "What is a Credit Card Pre-authorization Transaction"
description: "Pre auth transactions usually lock customer funds by merchants. When the merchant makes Sale transaction, the amount will be adjusted. Read more."
url: https://srinimf.com/2019/01/05/pre-authorization-to-lock-customer-funds/
date: 2019-01-05
modified: 2026-10-12
author: "Srini"
image: https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/pexels-photo-4968633.jpeg?fit=1880%2C1253&ssl=1
categories: ["Credit Cards Domain"]
tags: ["Authorization hold real meaning", "Credit Card Domain Knowledge", "Pre authorization in credit cards"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# What is a Credit Card Pre-authorization Transaction

It is the case that you went to a hotel, but you didn’t know the number of days you would stay. Then hoteliers (**merchants**) block some amount from your [credit card](https://srinimf.com/2018/04/07/timeout-transactions-in-credit-cards-domain/). So it is called pre-Authorization. And Banks will approve these types of transactions with a status of hold.

Related[Split Shipment Transaction How Does It Work](https://srinimf.com/2018/08/11/split-shipment-in-credit-cards-processing-real-theory-you-need/)

Related[Real Story of Offline Vs Online PIN in Card Payments](https://srinimf.com/2016/04/14/credit-card-domain-offline-pin-and-on-line-pin-and-cvm/)

## Pre-authorization.

After completing the authorization(sale), the blocked amount will be adjusted by the bank during **settlement** to the merchant. Then the bank credits the balance funds to the cardholder.

Related[MCC multi currency card transaction real concept you need to know](https://srinimf.com/2015/12/26/complete-information-on-mcc-multi-currency-cards/)

In a scenario, suppose a merchant cancels a pre-auth transaction; in turn, the bank will release held funds to the cardholder.

A distributed ledger is a shared database that allows institutions to directly send and receive money in a trustworthy fashion without a middleman.

### Here is a list of business areas where pre-authorization is possible

- Hospitals
- Lodges
- Hotels
- Entertainment hubs

**Note:** Pre-auth is done, but the sale is not done. The locked funds will be released by the bank automatically after a certain time has passed. *Pre-authorization is also called an authorization hold*.

### Pre-auth Receipt

![Pre authorization to lock customer funds](https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/pre-authorization-receipt.jpg?resize=768%2C400&ssl=1)*Courtesy|chargebacks911.com*

**According to the wiki**, when a merchant swipes a customer’s credit card, the credit card terminal connects to the merchant’s acquirer, or credit card processor, which verifies that the customer’s account is valid and that sufficient funds are available to cover the transaction’s cost.

At this step, the funds are “held” and deducted from the customer’s credit limit (or available bank balance, in the case of a debit card), but are not yet transferred to the merchant.

At the time of the merchant’s choosing, the merchant instructs the credit card machine to submit the finalized transactions to the acquirer in a “batch transfer,” which begins the settlement process, where the funds are transferred from the customers’ accounts to the merchant’s accounts.

Related[PCI DSS: Top Guidelines to Store Card Details](https://srinimf.com/2020/03/14/7-pci-dss-top-methods-to-protect-cardholder-data/)

#### References

- [Top Books on Credit card domain knowledge](https://srinimf.com/2017/02/03/the-best-5-highly-informative-cards-domain-knowledge-books/)

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