Stop an automatic payment by contacting your credit card company directly
The fastest way to stop an automatic payment is to call the customer service number on the back of your credit card and ask them to cancel the recurring charge. Have your account number ready. The representative will ask which payment you want to stop — give them the name of the company being charged (your car loan servicer, for example) and the amount. They can usually stop it the same day, though it may take one to two business days to show in your account.
You can also log into your online account or mobile app, find the "Payments" or "Manage Payments" section, and look for a "Cancel Recurring Payment" or "Stop Autopay" button. The exact wording varies by card issuer — Chase calls it "Manage Automatic Payments," while American Express uses "Manage Recurring Payments." If you cannot find it online, the phone call is your backup.
Write down the date you called and the name of the representative who helped you. If the payment goes through again after you cancelled it, you will have proof you asked to stop it.
Key Takeaways
- Call the number on the back of your credit card and tell the representative which recurring payment to cancel — they can stop it the same day in most cases.
- You can also cancel through your online account or app by finding the "Manage Payments" or "Manage Recurring Payments" section and selecting the payment to stop.
- Contact your car loan servicer separately if you want to confirm the payment has stopped on their end, since cancelling with your card company does not automatically notify them.
- If a payment goes through after you cancelled it, dispute it as an unauthorized charge with your credit card company within 60 days.
Why you should also notify your car loan servicer
Stopping the payment with your credit card company does not automatically tell your car loan servicer that you no longer want to pay automatically. They may still expect the payment and could report it as late if it does not arrive. Call or log into your loan servicer's website and ask them to remove your credit card from their system or cancel the automatic payment on their end as well.
This step matters because your servicer controls whether a missed payment gets reported to the credit bureaus. If they are still expecting the payment and it does not come through, they may mark your account as delinquent even though you cancelled it on purpose. Having both sides — your card company and your servicer — aware that the payment is stopping protects you.
What to do if a payment goes through after you cancelled it
If the automatic payment processes after you cancelled it, contact your credit card company within 60 days and dispute it as an unauthorized charge. The card company will investigate and, if they confirm you cancelled the payment, will refund the amount and remove the charge from your bill. This is different from a regular dispute — you are not saying the charge was fraudulent, but that you revoked permission for it.
Keep records of when you cancelled (the date and representative's name) and any confirmation number the card company gave you. If the servicer tries to charge you again after the refund, you have documentation that you cancelled multiple times.
Cancelling autopay does not stop your loan payments
Stopping the automatic payment means the money will no longer be withdrawn from your credit card. It does not mean your car loan is paid off or that you no longer owe the payment. You will need to pay your car loan another way — by check, bank transfer, or a one-time credit card payment — or your loan will fall behind.
If you are cancelling autopay because you cannot afford the payment right now, contact your loan servicer to discuss your options. Many servicers offer temporary payment reductions, payment deferrals, or loan modifications that let you pause or lower payments for a set period. These are different from straightforward not paying, and they protect your credit while you get back on track.
When to cancel autopay before switching cards or accounts
If you are getting a new credit card or closing the card you use for autopay, cancel the automatic payment at least one week before the card expires or closes. When a card expires, the payment may fail and be reported as late, even though you did not intend to miss it. Your servicer may also charge you a returned-payment fee.
After you cancel, set up autopay with your new card or a different payment method so your loan does not fall behind. Some servicers let you set up the new payment right away, while others ask you to wait until the old one fails. Ask your servicer which approach they recommend.
Using a bank account instead of a credit card for autopay
If you find yourself cancelling credit card autopay repeatedly, consider setting up automatic payments directly from your bank account instead. Bank transfers are usually free, whereas some servicers charge a fee to process credit card payments. You can still cancel a bank account autopay the same way — by calling your servicer or logging into their website — but the lower cost may make you less likely to need to.
To set up bank account autopay, you will need your routing number and account number, both of which appear on the bottom left of a check. Your servicer will verify the account with one or two small test deposits before the full payment starts. This process usually takes three to five business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will cancelling autopay hurt my credit score?
Cancelling the automatic payment itself does not hurt your credit. However, if you cancel autopay and then miss the payment because you forget to pay manually, that missed payment will be reported to the credit bureaus and will lower your score. Make sure you have another way to pay set up before you cancel.
Can my car loan servicer keep charging my credit card after I cancelled?
If you cancelled with your credit card company but not with your servicer, the servicer may still try to charge the card. The charge will fail because the card company rejected it, and your servicer may report the payment as late. Always cancel on both ends — with your card company and with your servicer.
How long does it take for a cancelled autopay to stop showing up?
It usually takes one to two business days for the cancellation to process. If the payment was already scheduled for the next day or two, it may still go through because the transaction was already queued. Call your card company to confirm the cancellation date and ask if a pending payment will still process.
What if I want to restart autopay later?
You can set up automatic payments again at any time by calling your servicer or logging into their website. They will ask for your payment method (credit card or bank account) and the amount and date you want to be charged. There is no penalty for stopping and restarting autopay.