We’ve had a couple of patrons complain recently about the $10 pre-authorization/hold placed on their accounts when using their credit card at the copier/printer. This hold disappears immediately when the transaction is completed–i.e. when the print job is paid for. The only time the hold will continue to show on their account for a period of time is when their card is declined, the machine times out, or the transaction is otherwise not completed. In those cases, the hold will remain on their account until a nightly process finalizes the days transactions. I’ve included some more information about pre-authorizations below.
An authorization or pre-authorization hold occurs when a merchant verifies that sufficient funds are available in your account for an electronic transaction. They put a temporary lock on a certain amount of your balance until you settle the payment. This appears as a pending charge on your account.
When you make a transaction with your credit or debit card, the funds are not transferred immediately. The transfer only occurs when the merchant submits a batch of transactions to the bank. This can take several days, meaning authorization holds are essential for merchants to protect against losses.
Preauthorizations are common with payments for hotel bookings, car rentals, and petrol purchases at self-pay pumps. The hold can sometimes be more expensive than the total amount due. Merchants can place multiple holds or hold a predetermined amount, which acts as a type of security deposit. For example, hotels may use them to cover potential damage or incidental costs like room service or mini-bar items.
-Source: https://www.brex.com/learn/corporate-card/what-is-credit-card-hold/