Pre-authorisation FAQsPre-authorisation FAQs
What is a pre-authorisation?
A pre-authorisation is a temporary hold of funds on your bank account or credit car. This is used to ensure that the payment method is valid, and that there are sufficient funds available to pay for the service requested. The pre-authorisation is not a charge, but a temporary hold, meaning that the funds held will be released after a short period of time.
Why does FREE NOW pre-authorise my payment method?
At FREE NOW we use pre-authorisations to ensure that customers have a valid payment method and sufficient funds available when placing an order for a trip. This helps us to ensure we can pay your FREE NOW driver for the service they provide. This is common practice on all ride-hailing apps.
When will my payment method be pre-authorised?
If you are paying via Apple Pay every order you make will be subject to a pre-authorisation. This is to prevent failed payments. If you are paying using a Credit or Debit Card you will only be pre-authorised on your first 3 orders with a card, or after an extended period without ordering.
How much will I be pre-authorised?
The amount pre-authorised depends on the type of trip you are trying to book and your payment method:
If ordering using a Credit or Debit Card:
Vehicle Type Ordered | Specific Destination Entered | No Destination Entered |
Black Cab or Black Cab Eco | The Estimated Fare or a minimum | Flat £25 pre-authorisation |
Ride or Ride EV | Quoted Fixed Fare is | Option not available |
If ordering using Apple Pay or a prepaid card:
Vehicle Type Ordered | Specific Destination Entered | No Destination Entered |
Black Cab or Black Cab Eco | Flat £25 pre-authorisation | Flat £25 pre-authorisation |
Ride or Ride EV | The quoted Fixed Fare | Option not available |
Why is there a flat £25 pre-authorisation on some Black Cab orders?
Unlike our Ride fleets, Black Cab fares are not fixed and are based on the meter in the vehicle. Therefore to ensure payments are successful we set a flat pre-authorisation based on average ride prices.
When will the pre-authorisation be released?
FREE NOW will automatically release a pre-authorisation after 15 minutes. However, it may take longer than this for the funds to be available for you to spend again.
This will depend on who you bank with:
Bank or Card Provider | Estimated Time taken for funds to become available (based on experience - this is not a guarantee) |
Monzo | < 1 hour |
Barclays | < 1 hour |
RBS | < 1 day |
NatWest | < 1 day |
Lloyds | < 1 day |
HSBC | 3 - 5 days |
If you complete the trip then the pre-authorisation will be released, and the final fare amount will appear as a charge to your account. If the trip is cancelled, then the pre-authorisation will just be released to your account.
Who should I contact about pre-authorisations?
FREE NOW will automatically release pre-authorisations after 15 minutes, but it may take longer for your bank to make the funds available for you to spend. If it is longer than 2-3 days since the order and the funds are still not available in your account, we recommend that you contact your bank directly.