## Overview

Authorization and capture is a two-step process available for card payments only; every other payment method captures at the time of payment. Use it when you need to verify that funds are available before charging the customer, such as for pre-orders or hotel reservations.

## Two-step process

1. **Authorization:** Reservepay verifies that the customer has sufficient funds and places a hold on the amount. The funds are not yet transferred to your account.
2. **Capture:** You confirm the transaction and the funds are officially transferred from the customer to your account.

## How to use authorization and capture

To use this two-step process, you must set the `capture` parameter to `false` when initiating a payment flow.

### Step 1: Authorize a payment

When calling the `merchants/initiate-payment-flow` endpoint, set `capture: false`.

```ts
await fetch('https://api.reservepay.com/merchants/initiate-payment-flow', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Api-Version': '2025-04-01',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    amount: '10000',
    currency: 'THB',
    payment_session_id: 'sess_1234567890',
    capture: false, // Set to false for authorization only
    return_url: 'https://example.com/return'
  })
})
```

Once the customer completes the payment flow, the payment status will transition to `AUTHORIZED`.

### Step 2: Capture the payment

To complete the transaction and transfer the funds, call the `merchants/capture-payment` endpoint with the `payment_id`.

```ts
await fetch('https://api.reservepay.com/merchants/capture-payment', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Api-Version': '2025-04-01',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    payment_id: 'pay_1234567890'
  })
})
```

## Releasing an authorization

If you decide not to proceed with the transaction, you should release the hold on the customer's funds by reversing the authorization. Use the `merchants/reverse-payment` endpoint for this purpose.

## Important considerations

- **Capture window:** You have 7 days from the payment's `created_at` to capture or reverse it. This is the same on test and live accounts. The card issuer can release its hold sooner, so a late capture can still fail. Check `capturable` and `reversible` on `merchants/find-payment` for the current answer.
- **`expires_at` is not the capture deadline:** `expires_at` is when an unfinished payment expires if the customer doesn't complete it. Once a payment is `AUTHORIZED`, `expires_at` no longer matters, and the 7-day capture window applies.
- **Full capture only:** Capture the full authorized amount. You can't increase or extend an authorization, so a longer hold needs a new payment from the customer.
- **When the window closes:** The payment stays `AUTHORIZED`, but `capturable` and `reversible` become `false` and no webhook is sent. `merchants/capture-payment` then returns `NOT_CAPTURABLE` and `merchants/reverse-payment` returns `NOT_REVERSIBLE`. Reverse any payment you won't capture while you still can, so the customer's funds are released quickly.

For payment statuses, see [Payment lifecycle](/guides/payment-lifecycle#statuses).