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# How to Authorize and Capture Credit Card Holds

# 💳 Master Credit Card Holds for Secure Rentals!

Running a rental business? **Credit card holds** are your secret weapon for managing security deposits without tying up funds. With Fleetwire’s Stripe integration, you can authorize holds, capture payments, or release funds in a snap — all from your dashboard. Let’s dive into how to use holds to keep your rentals smooth and secure!
---

## 🎯 Why Use Credit Card Holds?

Credit card holds temporarily reserve funds on a customer’s card without charging them, making them perfect for security deposits. Here’s why they rock:

* **Protect Your Business**: Ensure funds are available for incidentals without upfront charges.
* **Flexible Payments**: Charge only the rental amount if the vehicle is returned in good shape.
* **Customer-Friendly**: Holds don’t hit the customer’s wallet until you capture the payment.

|| **Note**: Fleetwire uses Stripe for credit card holds. Make sure you’ve connected Stripe in [Settings > Payments](/en/article/integrating-with-stripe-747u5f/) before starting.
---

## 🛠 How Credit Card Holds Work

Imagine a customer rents a car for $200 with a $300 security deposit:

1. At pickup, you **authorize** $500 (rental + deposit).
2. If the car is returned undamaged, you **capture** only the $200 rental fee.
3. The $300 hold is **released**, freeing up the customer’s funds.

Here’s how to manage this process in Fleetwire:
---

### Step 1: Authorize a Credit Card Hold

Secure funds at the start of a rental with an authorization.

1. In your Fleetwire dashboard, open the order in [Orders](https://tenant.fleetwire.io/orders/).
2. Click **Add Payment** and select **Credit Card** as the payment method.
3. Enter the **amount** to hold (e.g., rental + deposit) and the customer’s **credit card details**.
4. Toggle the switch to **Authorize** (not Charge).
5. Click **Authorize** to reserve the funds.

![Authorizing a Credit Card Hold](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/d85c74fa8dfdb000/2023-02-16-131632_103ayeh.gif)

| **Pro Tip**: Save the customer’s card details in Fleetwire for faster future authorizations!

||| **Warning**: Stripe authorizations expire after **7 days**. For rentals longer than 7 days, re-authorize the card or capture the full amount early to secure funds for incidentals.
---

### Step 2: Capture an Authorization

When the rental is complete, capture the amount you need to charge.

1. Open the order and navigate to the **Payment** section.
2. Find the authorized hold in the list of past authorizations.
3. Click the **authorization item**.
4. Choose **Capture Full** to charge the entire amount or enter a **partial amount** (e.g., just the rental fee).
5. Click **Confirm** to process the payment.

![Capturing a Payment Authorization](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/d85c74fa8dfdb000/2023-02-16-131928_1kg0ryh.gif)

||| **Important**: You can capture an authorization *only once*. If you capture less than the full amount, the remaining funds are released and cannot be captured later.
---

### Step 3: Release a Hold

If you don’t need to charge the full amount (e.g., no damages), release the hold to free up the customer’s funds. You have three options:

* **Wait It Out**: Authorizations automatically expire after 7 days, releasing funds.
* **Release in Fleetwire**:
  
1. Open the order and find the authorization in the **Payment** section.
  
2. Click the **authorization item**, select **Cancel Authorization**, and click **Confirm**.
* **Release in Stripe**: Log into your [Stripe Dashboard](https://dashboard.stripe.com/) and cancel the authorization manually.

![Cancelling a Payment Authorization](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/d85c74fa8dfdb000/2023-02-16-133039_16s2kc1.gif)

| **Quick Tip**: Releasing holds promptly builds customer trust and avoids confusion over pending charges.
---

## 🎉 You’re a Credit Card Hold Pro!

With Fleetwire, managing credit card holds is a breeze, keeping your rentals secure and your customers happy. Monitor your holds in the [Orders dashboard](https://tenant.fleetwire.io/orders/) and watch your business run like a well-oiled machine!
---

## 🚀 Next Steps

Keep your payment process smooth with these tips:

* **Check Stripe Setup**: Ensure your Stripe integration is active in [Settings > Payments](/en/article/integrating-with-stripe-747u5f/).
* **Track Payments**: Monitor transactions with [E-commerce Tracking](/en/article/e-commerce-tracking-11iijjl/) via Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel.
* **Learn More**: Explore [Charging and Refunding Credit Cards](/en/article/charging-and-refunding-credit-cards-1lpjz8v/) for direct charges.
* **Need Help?** Contact us at [hi@fleetwire.io](mailto:hi@fleetwire.io) or via the in-app chat.

Happy renting! 🌟