What is a provisional credit from Wells Fargo?
Jessica Wood
Updated on January 16, 2026
Provisional credit is a temporary credit issued from a financial institution into your bank account. It's often used in situations where a transaction has not been verified or is being disputed.
Do I have to pay back provisional credit?
The issuer claws the funds back from the merchant's acquiring bank, who then debits the cost from the merchant's account. Banks might offer provisional credits to cardholders because a transaction has not yet been verified. Most often, though, they're issued due to a chargeback.What happens if you use provisional credit?
A provisional credit is a temporary credit that may be applied to your account during the dispute investigation if we aren't able to reach a decision within 10 business days, or 20 business days if your account is new and the disputed transaction happened within 30 days of the first time you funded the account, and the ...Should I spend provisional credit?
For prepaid card issuers, offering immediate provisional credit is not recommended because it exposes issuers to loss. A customer could file a dispute, use provisional credit to immediately make a purchase, and then close their account.How long does it take for a provisional credit to clear?
Handling of Electronic TransactionsIf you report a fraudulent transaction, your bank has to investigate the charges and refund your money within 10 days. Your bank can extend the investigation timeline to 45 days if you receive provisional credit of a refund within 10 days of making your claim.