How to change your payment method on Amazon
To change the credit card Amazon charges for purchases, log into your Amazon account, go to Account & Lists, select Your Account, then click Manage Your Payments. From there, you can add a new card, delete an old one, or set a different card as your default. Amazon will use whichever card you mark as default for future orders unless you pick a different one at checkout.
The process takes about two minutes. You do not need to contact Amazon support or wait for approval — the change takes effect immediately. If you are changing cards because your current one is expiring, you can add the new card before the old one stops working, then delete the expired card once the transition is complete.
If you have multiple cards saved, Amazon remembers which one you used last and may suggest it at checkout, but you can override that choice every time you order. This is useful if you want to use different cards for different purchases without making one your permanent default.
Key Takeaways
- Access your saved payment methods through Account & Lists > Your Account > Manage Your Payments, where you can add, remove, or reorder cards.
- Amazon uses your default card for all purchases unless you select a different one at checkout.
- Changes to your payment method take effect immediately and do not require Amazon approval or a waiting period.
- You can keep multiple cards on file and switch between them at checkout without changing your default.
- If your card is expiring, add the replacement card before the old one stops working to avoid payment failures on subscriptions or recurring orders.
Adding a new card to your Amazon account
Click Add a payment method in the Manage Your Payments section. Enter the card number, expiration date, CVV (the three-digit code on the back), and the cardholder's name and billing address. Amazon will verify the card by processing a small temporary charge — usually $1 — that appears and disappears within a few days. You do not need to do anything to complete this verification; it happens automatically.
Amazon accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Some regional cards and business cards may not work. If you see an error message when you try to add a card, check that the number, expiration date, and CVV are correct, and that the billing address matches your bank's records exactly. If the card still will not add, contact your bank to confirm the card is active and has not been flagged for fraud.
Once the card is added, it appears in your payment method list but will not be used for orders unless you set it as default or choose it at checkout. You can add as many cards as you want.
Setting a different card as your default payment method
In Manage Your Payments, find the card you want to use most often and click the radio button or checkbox next to it to mark it as default. Amazon will then charge this card for all future orders unless you manually select a different card when you check out. The default card also applies to Amazon subscriptions like Prime Video, Kindle Unlimited, and Subscribe & Save orders.
If you change your default card, any active subscriptions will start charging to the new card on their next billing date. You do not need to update each subscription separately. If you want to keep a subscription on an old card while using a new card for regular purchases, you will need to manage that subscription's payment method individually through the subscription settings, not through Manage Your Payments.
Removing an expired or unused card
To delete a card, go to Manage Your Payments, find the card you no longer want, and click Delete. The card is removed from your account immediately. You cannot delete your default card — you must set a different card as default first, then delete the old one.
Removing a card does not affect past orders or refunds. If you have a refund pending to a deleted card, Amazon will hold the refund until you add a valid payment method, or it may return the refund to your bank account if the card issuer allows it. Check with your bank if a refund does not arrive within the expected timeframe.
If you delete a card that is linked to an active subscription, that subscription will fail on the next billing date unless you update its payment method separately. Amazon will send you an email warning before this happens, giving you time to add a new card or update the subscription.
What happens if your default card is declined at checkout
If Amazon tries to charge your default card and the charge is declined, you will see an error message at checkout. You can then select a different card from your saved payment methods and complete the order. The declined charge does not go through and does not count against your card's transaction limit.
Common reasons for a decline include insufficient funds, the card being expired, the card being reported lost or stolen, or the billing address not matching your bank's records. If your card keeps getting declined, contact your bank to find out why. Do not try to add the same card again — fix the underlying issue with your bank first, then add it to Amazon.
For subscriptions and recurring charges, a declined payment can pause your service. Amazon will retry the charge a few times over several days. If all retries fail, you will receive an email asking you to update your payment method. Update it as soon as you see the email to avoid losing access to your subscription.
Updating your card information without deleting and re-adding
If your card number stays the same but the expiration date or CVV changes, you can edit the card directly in Manage Your Payments. Click the card, then click Edit, and update the fields that have changed. You do not need to delete the old entry and create a new one.
If your card number changes entirely — because your bank issued a replacement card or you switched to a different card — you must delete the old card and add the new one as a separate entry. Amazon does not have a way to transfer a saved card to a new number.
If your billing address changes, update it in the card details. This is important because Amazon and your bank both verify that the address you enter at checkout matches the address on file. A mismatch can cause a decline even if the card is active and has funds.
Using a different card for a single purchase
You do not have to change your default card to use a different payment method for one order. At checkout, before you click Place Your Order, look for the payment method section and click Change or the card details. A list of your saved cards will appear. Select the card you want to use for that order only, then proceed. Your default card remains unchanged for future orders.
This is useful if you want to use a rewards card for most purchases but a different card for a specific order, or if you want to split a large purchase across two cards. The card you choose at checkout applies only to that single order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a debit card on Amazon instead of a credit card?
Yes. Debit cards with a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover logo work the same way as credit cards on Amazon. Add it to Manage Your Payments like any other card. The main difference is that the charge comes directly from your bank account rather than creating a bill you pay later.
What if I want to use a different card for Prime membership than for regular purchases?
Prime membership charges to your default payment method. To use a different card for Prime, set that card as your default, then change your default again for regular purchases. Alternatively, go to Account & Lists > Your Account > Prime Membership and look for an option to update the payment method for Prime specifically, though this varies by region.
Does changing my card on Amazon affect my card on other websites?
No. Your Amazon payment method is separate from your card information on any other website. Changing your card on Amazon does not change anything on your bank account, your credit card company's records, or any other service.
What if Amazon keeps declining my new card even though my bank says it is active?
Check that the billing address you entered matches exactly what your bank has on file — including spelling, abbreviations, and capitalization. Call your bank and ask them to confirm the address. Also verify the card number, expiration date, and CVV are correct. If those are all correct, ask your bank if they have flagged Amazon transactions for fraud, and ask them to allow the charge.
Can I add a card that is not in my name?
Amazon requires the cardholder name to match the name on the account or to be an authorized user on the card. If you want to use someone else's card, they should either add it to their own Amazon account or authorize you as a user on their card with your name. Using a card without permission from the cardholder is not supported by Amazon.