• Common Reasons For Payment Failure
• Do You Accept Payment by Check?
• What Is a Credit Card Authorization Hold?
• How To Update Your Payment Method
• Payment Methods We Accept
• "What is this tiny charge on my credit card statement?"
• Why We Place Credit Card Authorization Holds
• When to Expect Your Credit Card to Be Authorized
• If Your Credit Card is Authorized but Your Order Fails
• "Does receiving an invoice mean I've been charged?"
• If You Receive An Email Saying Your Credit Card Could Not Be Authorized
• If an Item in Your Invoice Says "Domain Renewal Failed"
• "Can I still pay if I get an email saying my payment failed?

FAQ: What Is a Credit Card Authorization Hold?

Like many other merchants, United Domains uses credit card authorization holds to ensure that your credit card is active and has sufficient funds. 

After you place an order, we request an authorization hold for that order's amount, which temporarily holds those funds before we charge your card. We also request an authorization hold about five days in advance of either your domain name's scheduled Auto-Renew date or your pre-ordered domain's launch date.

If An Authorization Hold Fails

If we cannot place an authorization hold on your credit card for your order, the order will be halted and our authorization request will remain active for about five more days before it "falls off". If you update your payment method before the request falls off, we will automatically try to authorize your updated credit card for the requested amount again. If the hold succeeds, the order will resume processing.

When We Release An Authorization Hold Request

Authorization hold requests expire after five days, whether your credit card is successfully authorized or not. We will release an authorization hold request automatically once it is charged to your card. If for any reason an authorized order is canceled before you are charged, the authorization hold will be released within five days and the charge will be canceled.

After Release

Once we release an authorization hold request, most financial institutions will clear the hold within a few days. The exact timeframe depends on your financial institution's policies. The authorization hold may appear on your bank statement until your financial institution clears it.

If you have questions about the way your card issuer handles authorization requests, or if a hold has not cleared on your statement after 30 days, please contact your financial institution for assistance.