Before you go
This site explains only how the system works, based on descriptions from Japanese payment services, as a starting point so you don’t get stuck on your trip (as of September 2026; it isn’t advice about money or contracts). The amount held and the number of days before it goes back to normal differ by card and by station, and they can change.
You paid by card at a self-service gas station, and got a notification for more than you put in.
That can happen.
The price isn’t set until you’ve finished filling up
At a gas station, the total isn’t known until you’ve finished filling up.
So there’s a system that holds a certain amount first, before you fill up. Once the real amount is set, the charge is corrected to it, and the rest of the hold is released.
If you get a notification for a large amount
According to one payment company, choosing a full tank reserves part of your card limit first, so you may get a notification.
According to the same company, only the amount you actually used is charged.
Check the final statement
Even after you see the notification, carry on with your trip.
When your statement comes later, check that it shows what you actually paid for the fuel you put in.
※ The amount held, the number of days before it goes back to normal, and how notifications appear differ by card, station and payment method.
