There's no single fixed deadline for refunding a card payment, but the sooner you refund, the smoother it goes. Here's what to know.
✅ Best Practice: Refund Within 30 Days
Refunding within about 30 days of the original payment is the safest approach. It:
Lowers the chance your customer files a chargeback while waiting
Makes it more likely the refund goes back to an active card without problems
Keeps your records and deposits easy to reconcile
⏳ Refunding Older Payments
You can usually still refund older payments from the ValPay Portal or your terminal. The further back the original payment, the more likely something gets in the way:
The card was closed or replaced. Refunds to a replaced card usually still reach the customer's account, but if the account itself is closed, the customer's bank may send the refund back.
The refund is rejected. If a refund can't be completed, you'll need to pay the customer back another way, such as by cheque or bank transfer.
A chargeback is already open. If the customer has already disputed the payment, don't refund it separately. Handle it through the dispute instead, or you could end up paying twice. See Chargebacks in the ValPay Portal.
💵 Refunds Need an Available Balance
Refunds are paid out of your ValPay balance. If your refunds are bigger than your sales for the day, you may not get a deposit until future sales cover the difference. See Missing a Deposit?
🔁 How to Refund
In the ValPay Portal: see How to Refund a Transaction in the ValPay Portal.
On your terminal: use a referenced refund from the terminal's transaction history whenever possible.
Refunds typically show on the customer's statement within 3–5 business days, depending on their bank.
Having trouble refunding a payment? Contact your support team. That's the team that set up your account or the one you normally contact for help.