A pending transaction is a purchase or payment that your bank or card issuer has authorized but that has not yet settled, so the money is set aside from your available balance without being permanently moved, as the CFPB's overdraft circular explains. The CFPB describes pending debits as "authorized but not yet settled," and once the merchant submits the final amount, the pending entry is replaced by a posted transaction.
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Pending items explain most of the "why is my balance lower than I expected" questions people ask about checking accounts and credit cards. They matter most at gas pumps, hotels, rental counters and restaurants, where the approved amount can differ from the amount you end up paying. This page covers how pending and posted entries differ, why authorization holds exist, how long they tend to last according to regulators, and what to do when one will not drop off.
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Pending means a merchant has asked your bank to approve a charge and the bank agreed, but the merchant has not yet sent the final transaction for settlement. The bank reserves that money so you cannot spend it twice. Your available balance drops right away, while your ledger balance changes only when the transaction posts.
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The CFPB's Circular 2022-06 sets out the two balances most banks show. The ledger balance is the account balance "not reduced by any holds from pending transactions." The available balance is generally the ledger balance plus deposits made available but not yet cleared, less any pending debits.
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The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance gives a worked example: with $200 in checking and a $100 hotel hold, your account balance is still $200, but your available balance may show $100 until the hold is released or replaced by the final charge.
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A pending transaction is an approval waiting for settlement; a posted transaction is the settled charge that actually moves money and appears on your statement. Pending amounts can change, disappear, or be replaced. Posted amounts are final unless you dispute them or the merchant issues a refund.
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The gap between the two stages has real consequences. The CFPB's 2022 circular describes "authorize positive, settle negative" transactions, where a debit card purchase is approved against a positive available balance but settles after other debits have pushed the balance negative. The bureau's view is that charging overdraft fees in that situation can be an unfair practice, and it notes that once an institution authorizes a debit card transaction, it is obligated to pay it.
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Some merchants do not know the final amount when you hand over your card. A gas pump cannot know how much fuel you will buy, a hotel cannot know your incidentals, and a restaurant does not yet know the tip. They request approval for an estimated or higher amount to make sure the card can cover the final charge.
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According to the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance, businesses place holds to verify a card is valid, sometimes with a $1 or other temporary amount, to cover a final total that is not yet known, and to reduce the risk that the final charge is declined. Restaurants, gas stations, hotels and car rental companies are its main examples.
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A Connecticut General Assembly research report from 2015 gives a gas station example: a $50 hold placed when the driver intends to buy $20 of fuel, with the hold remaining until the transaction clears, which can take 48 to 72 hours. The same report says gas stations set the hold amount while card issuers set its length, and that stations do not keep the difference.
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Holds affect debit and credit cards differently. With a debit card, the hold ties up money in your checking account; with a credit card, it reduces available credit instead, per the Nebraska regulator. The Connecticut report adds that PIN-based debit transactions at the pump generally clear almost immediately, while longer holds tend to occur when a debit card is run without a PIN.
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There is no single federal deadline for authorization holds. The length depends on the merchant, the card issuer and the type of purchase. State regulators describe typical ranges of a few days for most purchases and longer for hotels and car rentals, where holds can last through the stay or rental.
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The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance says a debit card hold typically remains for 1 to 7 days, with these common timeframes:

If the merchant submits the final charge before the hold expires, the pending entry is replaced by the completed transaction. If the merchant never completes it, the hold eventually falls off and the funds return to your available balance, according to the Nebraska regulator.
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Start with the merchant, because only the merchant can confirm whether it completed or canceled the charge. Then contact your bank or card issuer to ask when the hold is scheduled to expire. If the charge is one you never made, treat it as an unauthorized transaction and report it promptly.

For debit card point-of-sale disputes, resolution can take longer than standard cases. The CFPB says a bank must generally resolve an investigation in 45 days, but debit card point-of-sale purchases, foreign transactions and transactions within 30 days of account opening can take up to 90 days.
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Pending transactions are governed more by card network rules and bank policy than by a single consumer regulation. That leaves gaps: timeframes vary, the hold amount is up to the merchant, and the protections that apply depend on whether the card is debit or credit.

Usually only the merchant can cancel or reverse an authorization. Contact the merchant first, then your bank, which can tell you when the hold expires; some banks need a release from the merchant, according to the Nebraska DBF.
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Merchants such as gas stations, hotels and restaurants often authorize an estimate before the final total is known. The posted amount replaces the pending one once the merchant settles, per the Nebraska DBF.
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They reduce your available balance but not your ledger balance, as defined in CFPB Circular 2022-06. Spending based on the ledger balance can lead to declines or overdrafts.
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A credit card hold reduces available credit rather than cash in checking, which is why the Nebraska DBF suggests credit cards for hotels, car rentals and pay-at-the-pump purchases if holds are a problem.
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Yes, but deposits follow different rules. Check and cash deposit holds are governed by Regulation CC, and the CFPB explains the maximum times a bank can hold deposited funds.
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All figures on this page come from regulator or legislative sources fetched on October 5, 2026. Card networks and individual banks set their own hold rules, so check your account agreement for issuer-specific timing.