What is the CIRCLE K #XXXX charge?

Why you see a high pending charge from Circle K

CIRCLE K #XXXX on your statement is a pending charge from a Circle K gas station, owned and operated by Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. What you're seeing is almost certainly a pre-authorization hold, not the final charge. When you swipe or tap your card at a Circle K pump before fueling, the gas station sends a temporary hold request — typically between $100 and $150 — to confirm your card is valid and has available funds. The hold amount is set by the network, not by how much gas you actually pump.

Once you finish fueling, Circle K submits the actual dollar amount to your bank, and the original hold is supposed to release. The problem is that your bank controls how quickly that happens. On credit cards, the hold just reduces your available credit temporarily and usually clears within 1 to 3 business days. On debit cards, the full hold amount freezes your liquid cash balance and can trigger overdraft fees if you don't have a buffer. In some cases, banks take up to 7 business days to release a gas station hold — even after the correct amount has posted.

The best thing to do right now is wait for the charge to fully post. Once it does, the amount will update to reflect what you actually spent on fuel. Do not attempt to dispute a pending hold — disputes on pending transactions are almost always rejected. If the hold hasn't released after 7 business days, call your bank with the Circle K store number from your receipt and ask them to manually release it. To avoid holds entirely in the future, go inside and prepay at the Circle K register for an exact dollar amount.

How to handle authorization holds

Holds are harmless on credit cards, but on debit cards, they freeze your liquid funds and can trigger overdraft fees.

1. Wait for the charge to post Do not attempt to dispute a pending charge. Once it posts, the amount will update to the actual cost of your fuel.
2. Contact your bank if the hold sticks If the hold remains on your account longer than 7 business days, call your bank. Circle K cannot manually drop the hold; your bank controls it.
3. Pay the cashier directly To circumvent holds entirely, go inside the Circle K and prepay at the register. The cashier will only authorize the exact dollar amount you request.

Verified sources

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

• Circle K Contact https://www.circlek.com
• CFPB: Bank Holds https://www.consumerfinance.gov