# Create a Down Payment (/how-to/payments/create-a-down-payment)



A down payment authorizes a customer's card without collecting funds. You can later capture the hold to collect the money, or release it to void the hold. This guide walks through the full lifecycle.

Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

* An existing booking in any status.
* A connected Stripe account (see [Set Up Stripe](/how-to/payments/set-up-stripe)).
* Appropriate user permissions to add payments.

Authorize a Card (Place a Hold) [#authorize-a-card-place-a-hold]

1. Open the booking from **Dashboard > Bookings** or the calendar.
2. Click **Add Payment**.
3. Select **Card** as the payment type.
4. Enter the **amount** to authorize and click **Next**.
5. On the payment type screen, select **Authorize Only**. An amber banner confirms that funds will not be collected.
6. Choose **Use New Card** or **Use Saved Card**.
7. Complete the card details (or select the saved card).

On success, you will see a confirmation: "Authorization hold placed for $X.XX". The hold appears in the booking's payment history with an **authorized** status (amber badge).

What Happens on the Customer's Side [#what-happens-on-the-customers-side]

The customer sees a pending charge on their card statement for the authorized amount. This is a hold, not a charge. If released, the pending charge disappears (timing depends on the customer's bank, usually 1--5 business days).

Capture a Down Payment [#capture-a-down-payment]

Capturing converts the authorization hold into a real charge and collects the funds.

1. Open the booking and go to the **Payments** tab.
2. Find the transaction with the **authorized** status badge.
3. Click the **Capture** button (green dollar icon).
4. A confirmation dialog shows the amount. Click **OK** to proceed.

On success:

* The transaction status changes from `authorized` to `succeeded`.
* The booking balance is reduced by the captured amount.
* A `CardCaptured` event is logged in the booking's audit trail.

Partial Capture [#partial-capture]

You can capture less than the authorized amount. For example, if you authorized $500 and only need to charge $200, adjust the capture amount accordingly. The remaining $300 hold is automatically released by Stripe.

You cannot capture more than the original authorized amount.

Release an Authorization [#release-an-authorization]

Releasing voids the hold and frees the customer's funds without charging them.

1. Open the booking and go to the **Payments** tab.
2. Find the transaction with the **authorized** status badge.
3. Click the **Release** button (X icon).
4. A confirmation dialog asks you to confirm. Click **OK** to proceed.

On success:

* The transaction status changes from `authorized` to `released`.
* The booking balance is **not** affected (no money was ever collected).
* A `CardAuthorizationReleased` event is logged in the booking's audit trail.

Important: 7-Day Expiry [#important-7-day-expiry]

Stripe authorizations expire after **7 days** for most card networks. If you do not capture or release within that window:

* The hold is automatically released by Stripe.
* The customer's funds are freed.
* You will not be able to capture the payment.

If you need to collect funds after the authorization expires, you must create a new payment.

Authorize vs. Collect -- Which to Choose? [#authorize-vs-collect----which-to-choose]

| Scenario                                                        | Use                                          |
| --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Customer books and pays in full at checkout                     | **Collect Payment**                          |
| You want to hold a card for a reservation and charge on arrival | **Authorize Only**                           |
| Damage deposit that may or may not be charged                   | **Authorize Only**                           |
| No-show fee -- hold a card and charge if customer doesn't show  | **Authorize Only**                           |
| Customer pays a partial balance, rest is due later              | **Collect Payment** (for the partial amount) |

Tips [#tips]

* **Capture promptly.** Don't let authorizations sit for days. The 7-day window is a hard limit from Stripe and card networks. Capture or release as soon as you know the outcome.
* **Accidental authorization is low-risk.** If you accidentally authorize instead of collecting, simply capture the payment right away. No refund is needed.
* **Accidental capture is higher-risk.** If you accidentally capture when you meant to authorize, you will need to issue a refund, and excessive refunds can trigger Stripe review. Take care when selecting between Collect Payment and Authorize Only.
* **Check the status badge.** Authorized payments show an amber `authorized` badge in the transaction list. Captured payments show green `succeeded`. Released payments show gray `released`.

What to Do Next [#what-to-do-next]

* [Process a Payment](/how-to/payments/process-a-payment) -- Collect a standard card payment or record a manual payment.
* [Issue a Refund](/how-to/payments/issue-a-refund) -- Refund a captured payment if needed.
* [Create an Invoice](/how-to/payments/create-an-invoice) -- Send a payment link to collect the remaining balance online.