How long is the hold period on a rolling reserve?
The hold period on a rolling reserve usually runs from 30 to 180 days. Providers set it according to how long refunds and chargebacks can arrive after a sale. Visa cardholders can generally dispute a service not received up to 120 days after the expected delivery date, which is why periods of 90 to 180 days are common.
In detail
There is no single rule. The hold period is a contract term, set by the provider according to the merchant’s exposure.
What drives the length
- Dispute windows: Visa’s window for services not received runs 120 days from the expected service date, and cannot exceed 540 days from the processing date.
- Delivery time: the longer the gap between payment and delivery, the longer the exposure. Pre-orders, events, travel and annual plans extend it.
- History: a merchant with years of stable processing gets shorter periods than a new business.
Typical values
Stripe’s guide mentions 30 to 90 days for lower-risk businesses and 180 days or more for riskier ones. Adyen’s documentation uses a 30-day cycle in its example. Worldline’s UK acquiring terms allow settlement to be deferred for up to 180 days when agreed thresholds are breached.
The hold period should not be confused with the settlement delay, which applies to all funds and lasts a few days. The difference is explained in settlement and payout, and the reserve mechanism in What is a rolling reserve?. Release dates should be visible to the merchant in reconciliation and settlement reports.