How do I set up pre-authorization for guests' credit cards?
Regulation changes
To comply with European consumer law, we’re asking all our partners to update their pre-authorization settings by September 1, 2019.
Under these laws, you’ll need to state whether or not you pre-authorize your guests’ cards – and if so, by how much and when.
For more info on all the changes you’ll need to make before September 1, take a look at our article on the new requirements.
Pre-authorization lets you hold a (usually small) amount on a guest’s credit card between booking and arrival. This also lets you check if the card is valid. If it isn’t, you can request new details from the guest (to be sent within 24 hours), or make any necessary changes to the booking.
Pre-authorization is also a good option to help reduce the chance of no-shows. It’s easy to set up – just take a look below:
- Log in to the Booking.com Extranet.
- Click the Property tab on the Extranet and select Policies.
- In the blue box, select Set pre-authorization preferences, fill out the necessary details, then click Save.
If the guest’s card is showing as invalid, please read this article.
Note: Pre-authorization is not the same as prepayment. Prepayment is when the guest is charged in advance. Pre-authorization is just a hold on their credit card.
To find out more about prepayment, check out this article.
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