# Refund or void a payment

> When to void and when to refund a card payment, who can do it, what you are asked to confirm, and what happens to the invoice and your customer.

Source: https://support.billingmart.com/payments/refunds-and-voids
Updated: 2026-10-17 · Applies to: Web · Section: Payments & payment links

To give a customer's money back, open the payment and choose **Void** or **Refund**. A void cancels a card payment before it has settled. A refund returns money after it has settled, all of it or part of it. Only owners and admins can do either, and you are asked to confirm it's you first.

## Void or refund

| | Void | Refund |
| --- | --- | --- |
| When | Before the payment settles | After the payment settles |
| How much | All of it | All or part of it |
| Card fee the customer paid | Goes back with the payment | Is not returned |
| Customer is emailed | No | Yes, with a receipt that shows the refund |

The **Void** button shows while a payment is **Authorized**, or **Paid** and without a **Settled** date on its page. The **Refund** button shows on a **Paid** payment with something left to refund. Both work on card payments and on older bank-account (ACH) payments. If you refund a payment that has not settled yet, the gateway may refuse, and then nothing changes. The message says to refund it once the payment has settled. A partly refunded payment cannot be voided, even though the button is still drawn. Refund the rest instead.

## Before you start

> **Before you start:** You need to be an owner or an admin. Staff can see a payment and send its receipt again, but cannot void or refund it.

Every void and refund needs a recent sign-in. If yours is older, a **Confirm it's you** window opens, where you choose how long the confirmation lasts. Confirm, and the action runs.

It also needs a second step. If your account has one, you are asked for the code. If it has none, BillingMart may let the action through for now and notes that your account would be refused once two-step verification is required. After that, an account without one is walked through turning it on in a window, and then the action runs.

## Refund a payment

1. Open **Payments**, then select the payment's date to open its page. You can also use the buttons in the list.
2. Select **Refund**.
3. Read **Refundable**. This is the amount minus anything already refunded.
4. Leave **Amount** empty to refund everything that is left. Or type a smaller amount for a partial refund.
5. Write a **Reason**, at least three characters. Then select **Refund**.

You see "Refund submitted". Pressing the button twice does not refund twice. If the gateway declines, the window says so and nothing changes.

## Void a payment

1. Open the payment and select **Void**.
2. Write a reason, at least three characters, and select **Void payment**.

## What happens next

- **The payment.** A full refund moves it to **Refunded**. A partial refund leaves it **Paid** with a **Refunded** amount. A void moves it to **Void**.
- **The invoice.** Voiding an authorization that was never captured changes nothing on the invoice. Otherwise the amount comes off what was paid. With nothing else paid, the invoice goes back to **Sent**. If part is still paid, it shows **Partially paid**. An invoice that was already **Overdue** stays **Overdue**.
- **The books.** The ledger is never edited. A refund adds a **Refund issued** entry. Voiding a payment that was paid adds a **Payment voided** entry and takes the card fee back. Voiding a mere authorization adds no entry. Entries show on the payment's page.
- **Your customer.** A refund sends an email with the updated receipt attached. It goes to the client's verified email only. A payment taken through a payment link has no invoice, so it gets no refund email. A void sends nothing.

## When it does not go through

- **Open dispute.** A payment with an open card dispute cannot be voided or refunded until the dispute is resolved.
- **The processor does not answer.** The payment is held and shows **Refund not confirmed** or **Void not confirmed**. Do not repeat it. See [Settlement and daily reconciliation](https://support.billingmart.com/payments/settlement-and-reconciliation.md).
- **Recorded by hand.** Cash, check and bank-transfer payments you recorded yourself have no card to reverse, so they have no Void or Refund button.

To lower a balance that is not yet paid, use a credit note. See [Credit notes and adjustments](https://support.billingmart.com/invoices/credit-notes.md).