How to delete a credit card from Amazon
To remove a credit card from your Amazon account, sign in, go to Account in the top right, select Your Account, then choose Manage Your Payments. Find the card you want to remove and click the Delete button next to it. Amazon will ask you to confirm — click Delete again, and the card is gone from your account within seconds.
The process takes less than a minute. You do not need to contact Amazon support unless the card will not delete, which happens rarely and usually means the card is linked to an active subscription or a recent order that has not yet shipped.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete any card from your Amazon account by going to Manage Your Payments and clicking Delete next to the card you want to remove.
- Amazon will ask you to confirm the deletion — you must click Delete a second time for the card to be removed.
- If a card will not delete, it is likely tied to an active subscription or a recent order; you will need to update or cancel those first.
- Deleting a card from your account does not affect past purchases or refunds — those remain tied to the original payment method.
- You can add a new card to replace the one you deleted at any time from the same Manage Your Payments page.
When you might want to delete a card
You may want to remove a card because it is expired, you are switching to a different card, or you no longer want that payment method on file. Some people delete cards after they have paid off a balance to reduce the temptation to use it again. Others remove old cards straightforward to keep their account clean and reduce the number of payment methods stored.
Deleting a card is different from disputing a charge or reporting fraud. If you believe a charge on the card is wrong or unauthorized, you should contact your bank or card issuer first, not Amazon. Removing the card from Amazon does not cancel the charge or start a dispute — it only stops Amazon from using that card for future purchases.
What happens to old purchases after you delete a card
Deleting a card does not change anything about orders you have already placed. Past purchases remain in your order history, and refunds will still go back to the original card you used to buy them. If you delete a card and then need a refund, Amazon will send the money back to that same card even though it is no longer on your account.
This is why you should not delete a card when ready after making a large purchase or if you think you might need to return something. Wait until the order has arrived, you have inspected it, and you are confident you will not return it. If you do need to return an item after deleting the card, the refund will still process — it just goes back to the card you originally used, not to a new card you have added since.
Why Amazon might not let you delete a card
If you click Delete and nothing happens, or you see an error message, the card is almost certainly tied to something active on your account. The most common reason is an active subscription — Amazon Prime, a magazine subscription, or a recurring delivery order all use a stored payment method. You cannot delete the card until you cancel or update the subscription to use a different card.
Another reason is a recent order that has not yet shipped. Amazon holds the card information for orders in progress. Once the order ships and the charge settles, you can delete the card. If you have a very recent order and the card will not delete, wait a few hours or a day and try again.
To find what is holding the card, go to Your Account, then Your Orders or Memberships and Subscriptions. Look for anything that lists the card you want to delete as the payment method. Update or cancel it, then return to Manage Your Payments and try deleting the card again.
Adding a new card after you delete one
If you delete a card and want to add a different one, you can do that from the same Manage Your Payments page. Click Add a Payment Method, enter the new card details, and save it. The new card will be available for your next purchase.
You can also set a default payment method — the card Amazon will use first when you check out. To do this, find the card you want to use by default in Manage Your Payments and click Set as Default. Amazon will use that card unless you choose a different one at checkout.
Deleting a card does not affect your credit
Removing a card from your Amazon account has no impact on your credit score or credit report. Your credit is tied to the card itself and your payment history with your bank or card issuer, not to which websites have your card on file. Deleting the card from Amazon is purely an account management step — it does not close the card, change your credit limit, or report anything to credit bureaus.
If you want to close the card entirely, you need to contact your bank or card issuer directly. That is a separate process from removing it from Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a card if I have a pending refund?
Yes. Pending refunds will still go back to the original card even after you delete it from Amazon. The refund is tied to the transaction, not to whether the card is currently on your account. Wait for the refund to process before deleting the card if you want to monitor it, but you do not have to.
What if I delete a card by mistake?
You can add it back when ready by going to Manage Your Payments and clicking Add a Payment Method. Enter the card details again and save it. There is no waiting period or penalty for re-adding a card you have deleted.
Do I need to delete a card if it is expired?
You do not have to, but it is a good idea. An expired card will not work for new purchases, and Amazon will ask you to update it if you try to use it. Deleting it keeps your account clean and prevents confusion about which cards are active.
Can someone else delete my cards if they have access to my account?
Yes. If someone else knows your Amazon password, they can delete your cards or add new ones. Change your password when ready if you think your account has been accessed without permission. You can also review your login activity in Account Settings to see where and when your account was accessed.