Remove a card in three steps from your account settings
To remove a credit card from Amazon, go to Account & Lists in the top right, select Your Account, then choose Login & security. Scroll down to Manage your payment methods and click the card you want to remove. Select Delete, confirm your choice, and the card is gone from your account.
The card stays deleted even if you've used it before. Amazon won't charge it again once you remove it. If that card was set as your default payment method, Amazon will ask you to pick a different one before the deletion goes through — you can't delete your only payment method on file.
The whole process takes about two minutes and doesn't require you to contact Amazon support. You can remove as many cards as you want, whenever you want.
Key Takeaways
- You remove cards from Your Account > Login & security > Manage your payment methods, then click the card and select Delete.
- If the card is your default payment method, you must choose a different card before Amazon will let you delete it.
- Removing a card from your account does not cancel any active subscriptions or recurring charges tied to that card — you'll need to update those separately.
- Deleted cards cannot be used for future purchases, but Amazon keeps a record that you once used the card for past orders.
What happens to subscriptions and recurring charges
Removing a card does not automatically stop subscriptions or recurring charges. If you have Amazon Prime, a Subscribe & Save order, or a monthly service tied to that card, those will keep trying to charge it — and they'll fail, which may trigger late fees or service interruptions.
Before you delete a card, check what's attached to it. Go to Your Account > Memberships and subscriptions to see active subscriptions. For each one, update the payment method to a different card or cancel the subscription entirely. The same applies to Subscribe & Save orders — you can find those under Your Account > Manage Your Subscriptions.
If you delete a card without updating these first, the charge will fail and Amazon will send you a notice. You'll then have to go back and fix the payment method anyway, so it's faster to do it upfront.
When you need to remove a card because it's compromised
If you believe the card has been stolen or used fraudulently, removing it from Amazon is a good first step, but it's not enough. Contact your card issuer (your bank or credit card company) directly and report the fraud. They can freeze the card, issue a replacement, and dispute any charges you didn't make.
Amazon's removal only stops future charges on your account. Your bank handles the actual fraud investigation and can reverse charges that already went through. Don't wait for Amazon to act — call your card issuer right away, because they have time limits on how long you can report fraud.
After you've reported fraud to your bank, you can remove the card from Amazon. If you're worried about your account security overall, change your Amazon password and check your login activity under Login & security > Login activity to see if anyone else has accessed your account.
Removing a card that's linked to other Amazon services
Some cards are connected to more than just your shopping account. If you use the card for Amazon Business, Audible, Kindle Unlimited, or other Amazon services, removing it from one service doesn't remove it from the others. You have to delete it from each service separately.
Log into each service with your Amazon account and go to its payment settings. For example, in Audible, go to Account Settings > Membership & Billing > Payment Method. Remove the card there too. If you don't, that service will still try to charge the card you just deleted from your main account, and the charge will fail.
What to do if you can't find the card in your payment methods
Sometimes a card doesn't show up in your payment methods list even though you've used it before. This usually means Amazon has already removed it — either because it expired, the bank closed the account, or there were too many failed charges.
If you're looking for a card to delete and can't see it, check Your Account > Login & security > Login activity to see recent purchases. If a charge went through on a card that's no longer listed, the card was already removed from your account automatically. You don't need to do anything else.
If you see a charge you don't recognize, report it to your bank, not Amazon. Your bank can reverse unauthorized charges and investigate where they came from.
Removing a card without access to your email or phone
If you can't log into your Amazon account because you've lost access to the email or phone number on file, you won't be able to remove a card through the normal steps. Amazon requires you to verify your identity before making account changes.
Contact Amazon Customer Service through the Contact Us page on Amazon.com. Explain that you need to remove a payment method and can't access your account. They'll ask you to verify your identity using information from past orders, your name, address, or the last four digits of the card. Once verified, they can remove the card for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing a card cancel my Amazon Prime membership?
No. Removing a card does not cancel Prime. However, if that card was the payment method for your Prime membership, your next renewal will fail unless you update the payment method first. Go to Your Account > Memberships and subscriptions > Prime Membership and change the payment method before you delete the card.
Can I remove a card if I have an unpaid balance on it?
Yes, you can remove the card from your account at any time. But if you have an unpaid balance, removing the card doesn't erase the debt. You still owe Amazon the money. Pay the balance through a different payment method or contact Amazon Customer Service to arrange payment.
Will Amazon notify me after I remove a card?
Amazon does not send a notification when you delete a card. You'll only see confirmation on the screen when you complete the deletion. If you're concerned about unauthorized account access, check Login activity under Login & security to see who has logged in and when.
What if I accidentally deleted the wrong card?
You can add the card back to your account anytime. Go to Your Account > Login & security > Manage your payment methods and select Add a payment method. Enter the card details again. Amazon will recognize it as a card you've used before.