Issuing refunds and voids
This guide explains how to return money to a customer, the difference between a refund and a void, the rules that apply, and how to fix the problems that come up most often.
Refund vs. void
- Refund — returns money on a payment that has already gone through. Use this for completed card payments.
- Void — cancels a bank-transfer (ACH) payment that hasn't settled yet. Nothing is returned because the money never actually left the account. Voids are only available for unsettled ACH payments.
In practice: a completed card payment is refunded; a still-pending bank transfer can be voided. A successful card charge can't be voided — refund it instead.
How to issue a refund
- Open the payment (or its transaction) in your dashboard.
- Choose Refund.
- Enter the amount — full, or a partial amount.
- Select a reason (Duplicate, Fraudulent, Requested by customer, or Other).
- Confirm.
Partial refunds are supported, and you can refund partially more than once, up to the original amount.
What you can and can't refund
- Only payments that have succeeded can be refunded.
- You can't refund more than was charged (including any earlier partial refunds).
- A reason is required on every refund.
- Boleto payments can't be refunded here — they're handled separately.
- A successful card payment can't be voided — use a refund.
Refund & payment statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Succeeded | Payment completed — eligible to refund. |
| Pending | Not settled yet. A pending bank transfer can be voided; wait for a card payment to complete before refunding. |
| Refund Pending | Refund submitted and on its way; settlement is in progress. |
| Partially Refunded | Some of the amount has been returned; more can still be refunded up to the total. |
| Refunded | Fully refunded — no further refund possible. |
| Void | An unsettled payment was canceled before any money moved. |
| Failed | The payment (or refund) did not go through. |
Common problems
"Invalid refund amount"
-
Cause
The amount is zero or negative, it's more than the remaining refundable balance, or two refunds were submitted at the same time.
SolutionCheck the payment's remaining refundable balance (original amount minus any earlier refunds) and submit an amount at or below that. If two refunds raced, try once more.
"Invalid payment status"
-
Cause
The payment isn't in a refundable state — it may still be pending, already refunded, or failed.
SolutionIf it's still pending, wait for it to complete before refunding. If it's a pending bank transfer, use void instead. If it's already refunded, no further refund is possible.
The refund is stuck on "Refund Pending"
-
Cause
Refund settlement is handled by the bank/processor and isn't instant.
SolutionAllow the full 5–10 business days. If it's still pending well beyond that, contact support — don't submit the refund again, as that can cause confusion or duplicates.
The processor declined the refund
-
Cause
The card processor refused the refund — for example, the original card is closed or expired.
SolutionResolve the underlying issue (e.g. obtain alternate payment details from the customer) and retry. If it persists, contact support.
"Refund reason not found"
-
Cause
No valid reason was selected.
SolutionPick one of the available reasons (Duplicate, Fraudulent, Requested by customer, Other) and resubmit.
You can't void a completed card charge
-
Cause
Voids only apply to bank-transfer (ACH) payments that haven't settled yet.
SolutionFor a completed card payment, issue a refund instead.
Error message reference
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid refund amount | Amount is zero/negative or exceeds what's refundable | Submit an amount within the remaining balance |
| Invalid payment status | Payment isn't in a refundable (completed) state | Wait for it to complete, void if pending ACH, or it's already refunded |
| Payment not found | The payment reference couldn't be located | Re-open the payment from the dashboard and retry |
| Customer payment method not found | No stored payment method to refund to | Contact support |
| Refund reason not found | No valid reason selected | Choose a reason and resubmit |
| Order cannot be canceled | The order is already canceled, void, or paid | Refund the underlying payment instead of cancelling |
Still having trouble?
Contact Arca support and include:
- The payment or transaction ID
- The refund amount attempted and the exact error
- Whether the payment was a card or bank transfer