Understanding Debit Card Holds & Your Available Balance

A simple guide to how debit card holds work — and how to avoid surprises.

Debit Card Holds Explained

Your available balance can change when merchants place pre-authorization holds on your debit card.
These holds only apply to signature/“credit” transactions (when you don’t enter your PIN).
PIN-based “debit” transactions remove funds right away and do not create a hold.

Authorization holds show up as pending transactions in your online and mobile banking, helping you know how much money is truly available so you can avoid NSF or Courtesy Pay fees.

Below is a simple guide to help you understand how it all works.

What is a debit card authorization hold?

When you run your Pioneer debit card as credit (no PIN), the merchant asks us to verify the purchase amount. We temporarily place that amount on hold, and it’s subtracted from your available balance right away.

The hold typically releases in up to 72 hours, or sooner if the final transaction clears.

Do holds apply to every purchase?

No. Holds only apply when you:

• Choose “Credit”

• Tap to pay (Coming Soon)

• Sign for the purchase

• Make an online purchase

• Make a phone order

When you enter your PIN or make an ATM withdrawal, the funds are deducted immediately with no hold (except at gas stations, where some pumps still place a temporary hold).

Current Balance vs. Available Balance — What’s the Difference?

Current Balance

Your account total. This number can be misleading because it does not subtract pending holds.

Available Balance

The amount you can actually spend.
This subtracts:

• Authorization holds

• Deposit holds

• Pending transactions

Pioneer uses your available balance when determining whether a transaction can be paid/authorized.
If the available balance isn’t enough, the transaction may be covered by Overdraft Protection or Courtesy Pay.

Why are authorization holds used?

To help you avoid overspending.

For example:
If your current balance says $200, but a $100 online purchase is still pending, your actual available balance is $100. Without the hold, you might accidentally spend more than you have.

Holds give you the real-time picture of what’s safe to spend.

Will a hold always match my final purchase amount?

Not always. Some merchants use estimated amounts:

Gas Stations

May pre-authorize $1 to $150+ because they don’t know how much you’ll pump.
Final amount posts later.

Hotels

Often place large holds for room deposits and incidentals.
These can stay on your account for up to 72 hours, and sometimes up to 30 days depending on when the hotel finalizes the stay.

Restaurants

Sometimes hold a slightly higher amount to allow room for a tip.

Online Orders

Almost always run as signature (“credit”) and create a hold.

How can I reduce the impact of holds?

✔ Use your PIN (run as Debit)

PIN transactions deduct funds immediately and avoid most holds.

✔ Use a credit card for travel, hotels, and reservations

Your Pioneer Perks® Credit Card is ideal for purchases that tend to place large temporary holds.

✔ Track your transactions

Some holds fall off before the final amount posts, so tracking helps you avoid overspending. We always suggest to keep a register of all transactions. 

Gas & Fuel Holds

Signature/Credit:

• Typically $1 hold

• Final amount posts later

• $1 hold drops within 3 business days (VISA rule)

PIN/Debit:

• Merchant sets the hold amount (often $50–$150)

• Must send the final amount within 2 hours

• Hold drops when final amount posts

Travel Holds (Hotels, Rentals, etc.)

Hotels may:

• Place a hold for one night when you book

• Add a larger hold when you check in

These holds remain until the final bill posts or up to 30 days, depending on merchant timing.

Using your Pioneer Perks Credit Card helps avoid tying up funds in your checking account.

Do all transactions clear within 72 hours?

No. Some merchants wait longer to send the final charge.
If this happens:

• The hold may fall off

• Your available balance may appear higher

• The final charge will still post later and be deducted from your current balance

Pioneer does not control how quickly merchants finalize charges.

Can Pioneer remove an authorization hold?

Holds must expire or be replaced by the original merchant.

Overdraft Protection Options at Pioneer AFCU

To help avoid declined transactions, we offer:

• Automatic transfers from Primary Savings

• Courtesy Pay (when applicable)