Clearing windows for advanced authorisation

This reference provides detailed information about clearing windows and capture deadlines for pre-authorisation and incremental authorisation across different card schemes.

What are clearing windows​

A clearing window (also called "authorisation validity period") is the time period during which a payment authorisation remains valid for capture. After this period expires, the authorisation is automatically cancelled and funds are released back to the customer's card.

Revolut sets a capture deadline for every pre-authorisation: one day before the card scheme's authorisation validity expires, to allow time for payment clearing. This gives you capture deadlines of 29 days (30-day clearing window), 9 days (10-day window), or 6 days (7-day window), depending on your card scheme and Merchant Category Code (MCC). The capture_deadline in your order response is the authoritative deadline. Always capture before it expires.

Clearing windows are relevant across all advanced authorisation features, with different behaviour and durations:

• Capture later: Separates authorisation from capture with a standard 7-day window
• Pre-authorisation: Extends capture deadlines up to 29 days (depending on card scheme and Merchant Category Code)
• Incremental authorisation: Increases authorised amounts during service, with different window behaviour per scheme

Understanding clearing windows is essential for ensuring successful payment capture and avoiding expired authorisations.

Mastercard clearing windows​

Mastercard provides extended clearing windows for pre-authorisation and supports clearing window extension through incremental authorisation.

Pre-authorisation capture deadlines​

* Capture deadlines are intentionally set one day before the card scheme's authorisation validity expires, to allow time for payment clearing.

Clearing window extension​

Each successful incremental authorisation extends the clearing window by 30 days from the date of the increment (except for special MCCs 5542 and 5552). The capture deadline recalculates with each extension: it always falls one day before the new window end.

Example progression:

Final authorisation and Maestro​

For Mastercard and Maestro final authorisation orders, the standard clearing window is 7 days. For details, see Capture later.

Maestro cards only support Card Not Present (CNP) transactions with a 7-day clearing window for all MCCs (except 5542, 5552). Clearing windows do not extend with incremental authorisations. For Maestro pre-authorisation, use the capture_deadline from your order response.

Visa clearing windows​

Visa capture deadlines are Merchant Category Code (MCC) dependent and do not extend with incremental authorisations. If you perform incremental authorisations, a fixed 4-day clearing window applies instead (a 3-day capture deadline), regardless of MCC.

Pre-authorisation capture deadlines​

* Capture deadlines are intentionally set one day before the card scheme's authorisation validity expires, to allow time for payment clearing.

Clearing window extension​

Example (Visa MCC 7011 - Lodging, 29-day capture deadline):

MCC category details​

30-day clearing window​

These MCCs receive the longest Visa clearing window (30 days):

10-day clearing window​

These rental-related MCCs receive a 10-day window:

7-day clearing window​

Default window for most other merchant categories not listed elsewhere.

Key differences between Mastercard and Visa​

What's next​

Explore related guides:

• Advanced authorisation introduction - Overview of advanced features
• Pre-authorisation - Learn how to implement pre-authorisation
• Incremental authorisation - Learn how to increase authorised amounts

API references:

• Create an order
• Capture an order
• Increment authorisation

Related resources:

• Order and payment lifecycle
• Work with webhooks