As of August 1, 2023, travel and entertainment transactions on SDCCU Visa® Debit and Credit Cards are subject to holds of up to three days for purchases such as gas, airfare, car rentals, hotels, restaurants, performances, amusement parks and other recreational activities. Read on to learn more about this change and how it may affect your funds availability.

As it takes up to three days for most signature based card transactions to clear your account, merchants place holds on your available funds at the time of the card swipe to ensure there are enough funds when the transaction is fully processed. The amount of hold will vary depending on the merchant. Some merchants hold more than the final purchase amount to ensure there are enough funds to account for gratuities or if the final total is unknown, such as when using a card to pay at the pump for gas.

When paying at the pump, gas stations will place a larger than necessary hold to ensure the card is working, and to also make sure there are enough funds in the account for a variety of vehicle types as the gas station does not know if you have a hybrid vehicle with a small tank, or if you have an RV that requires 100 gallons or more. In rural areas, it is not unusual for hold amounts to be up to $500, as vehicles with large gas tanks are common. To try and help reduce this burden on your available balance, you can choose to walk into the gas station and request a specific amount, such as $50, $75 or $100, be charged against your debit or credit card. If you are using a debit card, you can also choose to pay with your PIN versus running the card as credit, as the hold times are typically reduced with a point-of-sale transaction.

Remember, holds may cause your funds to be held for up to three business days or until the final transaction amount posts to your account (whichever comes first). If the hold is for a different amount than what was charged, the system will release the original hold with the final amount that posts. Please note, SDCCU is unable to release these holds or reverse non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees due to pre-authorized holds.

If you have any questions regarding these holds or anything else on your account, please contact SDCCU at (877) 732-2848.