What is the BUC-EES #XX charge?

Why did Buc-ee's place a $125 hold on my card?

A line item formatted as BUC-EES #XX on your banking or credit card statement represents a transaction at a travel center operated by Buc-ee's, Ltd. The double letters or digits at the end designate the specific store location, such as BUC-EES #12. If you see an even dollar amount like $125.00 listed as pending shortly after visiting the pumps, this entry is almost certainly a temporary Buc-ee's fuel hold rather than a completed charge. Depending on how your financial institution logs transactions, the descriptor may appear as BUC-EES, BUCEES, or BUC-EES GAS.

When you swipe or tap your card directly at an automated Buc-ee's fuel dispenser before pumping, the automated payment network cannot know in advance how many gallons you plan to pump. To ensure your account has sufficient funds, the station terminal submits an automated pre-authorization request for a preset amount, typically between $75 and $125. Once you hang up the nozzle, the pump records your actual purchase amount, say $42.15 for fuel, and transmits the final total to your card issuer. While the fuel retailer submits the actual total right away, banks and credit unions can take anywhere from two to five business days to clear the pending hold and update your ledger.

If you see a pending $125.00 charge after fueling up, you do not need to call Buc-ee's or file a dispute immediately. Monitor your online banking account for three to five business days while the transaction settles. The temporary authorization will drop off automatically, leaving only the exact dollar amount of fuel you pumped. However, if the full $125.00 posts as a settled charge, or if you never visited a Buc-ee's travel center, contact your card issuer to dispute the unauthorized charge and obtain a replacement card.

How to manage Buc-ee's pending holds

Debit card cardholders notice fuel holds much more quickly than credit card users because the pre-authorization temporarily reduces your available checking balance. If your account balance is close to zero, a $125 hold can cause other debit transactions or scheduled bill payments to bounce until your bank finalizes the ledger.

To avoid pump holds entirely on future road trips, walk inside the store and pay the cashier at the counter before fueling. When you prepay inside for a specific dollar amount, the register charges only that exact sum without triggering a pre-authorization hold on your card.

1. Wait for the charge to finalize Do not dispute a pending hold. Once the charge posts to your statement, it will reflect the exact amount of fuel you purchased.
2. Contact your bank if delayed Buc-ee's releases the hold immediately, but if it takes longer than 3-5 business days to disappear, your bank is responsible for the delay.
3. Prepay inside to avoid holds If you wish to avoid authorization holds at Buc-ee's entirely, go inside and pay the cashier for a specific dollar amount.

Verified sources

Every claim on this page is checked against official sources — open them to confirm before you call your bank.

• Buc-ee's Contact https://buc-ees.com
• CFPB: Bank Holds https://www.consumerfinance.gov