Sometimes a charging session may not go as planned — for example, if no energy is delivered or a session ends immediately. In these cases, you may see a temporary hold on your payment method and wonder when the funds will be released.
Here’s how refunds and temporary holds work in Cariqa.
1. When refunds happen automatically
Refunds for unsuccessful or incomplete sessions happen automatically.
This includes situations where:
No energy is delivered
The session is cancelled quickly
The operator does not confirm the session
A session fails to start and is not billed
In these cases, no actual charge is made, and any pre-authorised amount will be released back to you.
2. What a “temporary hold” (pre-authorisation) means
Before each charging session, Cariqa places a temporary hold — also known as a pre-authorisation — on your payment method.
This is not a charge. It simply reserves an estimated amount to ensure there are sufficient funds to cover the expected cost of the session.
After your session is processed:
The final amount is charged
Any unused portion of the temporary hold is released automatically
You can learn more in the article: Why does Cariqa place a temporary hold before charging starts?
3. How long it takes for the hold to be released
Cariqa releases the reserved funds immediately, however release times depend on your bank or payment provider.
Typical timelines:
Usually within a few minutes to a few hours
In some cases, it can take 1–3 business days
PayPal releases are usually quick, but timing still depends on your PayPal settings
If the session did not start or no energy was delivered, the hold is usually released very quickly.
4. Important: When refunds do not apply
Please note that charging infrastructure, time limits, pricing rules and other fees are entirely defined by the charging point operator, not by Cariqa.
This means that we unfortunately cannot issue refunds for cases such as:
Blocking fees applied by the operator
Time limits or overstay policies
Operator-defined session or service fees
Pricing differences between operators, locations or time periods
These fees are set by the operator.
To avoid unexpected costs, we always recommend reviewing the full price breakdown in the app before starting a session.
👉 What you see in the app is exactly what you pay.
5. How to contact support
If you believe a charge is incorrect or a temporary hold has not been released after several days, our team is here to help.
You can reach us via:
In-app support, or
Email: [email protected]
Please include the station, date, and (if available) session ID to help us assist you faster.