Finance

Best Gas Stations That Only Hold $1 | Complete List

If you’ve ever paid for gas with a credit or debit card, you may have had a large hold placed on your card for a particular amount, stating that a debit card must be “approved” for purchasing up to a certain amount. Whereas some gas stations may hold up to $500, others only hold $1!

What Will We Talk About Here?
  • Some prominent gas stations that only hold $1 include Chevron, BP, 7-Eleven and Costco.
  • The exact amount that they hold may vary.
  • Majority of these also offer reward points on purchases.

…and Much More!

Best Gas Stations That Only Hold $1

It is important to know which petrol outlets hold just $1 for authorization. The following is a list of gas stations that have been reported to have the lowest amounts as low as $1.

You might be interested in reading: Gas Stations That Take Apple Pay.

7-Eleven

  • Customers will enjoy an 11-cent-per-gallon discount on all gasoline grades for the first seven fill-ups if they register with 7-Eleven rewards.
  • The hold amount varies by card issuer/bank, ranging from $1 to $100.
  • Members will, after that, enjoy a 3-cent-per-gallon discount on all fuel grades. After that, it can go up to 20 gallons.

BP Gas Station

  • Sign up for BP Rewards and save $5 on every gallon you buy for the rest of the month.
  • Prices to be held vary from $1 to $100, depending on the card issuer/bank.
  • You may also continue your 5-point incentive by spending $100 on gas monthly.

Ampm

  • After you sign up for Ampm, you’ll save $5 per gallon until the end of the month.
  • Ampm holdings vary, usually less than $75.
  • After saving 5/month, you must spend $100 monthly to qualify for the discount.

ExxonMobil

  • When you use the Exxon Mobil Rewards+ app to pay for your first fill-up, you will receive 25 points per gallon.
  • With Mobile Rewards and the program, you can save up to 3 cents per gallon.
  • The amount held varies between $50 and $100, depending on the card issuer/bank. You can also get two points for every dollar spent in stores or on car washes.

Costco

  • With Costco, the Amount retained is up to $100, depending on the card issuer/bank.
  • Costco is relatively cheap to use compared to other gas stations. Costco’s prices are sometimes 30 cents less than its nearest competitor’s.
  • You can find 30% cheaper gas here, which may help you save up to $172 a year.

Racetrac / Raceway

  • With RaceTrac‘s gasoline rewards program, you may earn one point for every gallon you buy.
  • Depending on the card issuer/bank, the amount retained can be up to $75.
  • Also, make one point for every $0.25 spent at a RaceTrac location.

Shell

  • Shell Silver Status saves you 3 cents per gallon on fuel purchases, and Gold Status saves you 5 cents per gallon.
  • The fee ranges from $1 to $75, depending on the card issuer/bank.
  • With the Shell Fuel Rewards card, you can earn $0.10 per gallon for every $50 you use at the restaurant.

Chevron

  • Download the new Chevron app and connect your Techron Advantage Credit card, PayPal, Venmo, or personal credit card to earn petrol rewards at Chevron. 
  • Chevron Amount held varies between $1 and $100, with an average of less than $20.
  • You can also earn gasoline credits of up to 47 cents per gallon.

Phillps66

  • As a Phillps66 cardholder, you can now earn 3 cents on every fuel purchase when you swipe your card 
  • Amount retained by Phillips 66: Up to $100, depending on the card issuer/bank.
  • Save 5 cents per gallon in Rewards when you use the Phillips Credit Card in the My Phillips App.

Circle K

  • The amount stored by Circle K varies depending on the card issuer/bank. You can earn 10 points per gallon on gas purchases. 
  • Earn $2 in Circle K Cash for every 2,000 points deposited preceding a reward rate of 1,000 points per dollar.
  • Get 20 points per dollar spent on retail goods such as food and alcoholic beverages with Circle K Easy Rewards.

Kwik Fill

  • You’ll save 3 cents per gallon with Kwik Fill
  • The amount on hold is determined by the card issuer/bank
  • Fill your Charge Card instantly to save up to 8 cents per gallon at the pump.

Valero

  • If you fill 50 to 74.9 gallons in a billing cycle, you’ll get a 4-cent discount per gallon with Valero.
  • Moreover, the Valero card allows its loyal customers to earn a refund of four or eight cents per gallon of petrol purchased, depending on how much you buy each billing cycle. 
  • Valero Amount held varies depending on the card issuer/bank.

You might be interested in reading: Gas Stations That Take PayPal.

How To Avoid Gas Station Holds

As long as you use a credit or debit card, gas stations withhold a specific amount and release it a few hours or days after the transaction is confirmed.

The only way to avoid this is to use reloadable prepaid cards instead. Alternatively, you can use cash when filling up at a pump to prevent any hold on your account.

Tip! If you frequently get gas at a specific pump, purchasing their gift card is a good idea. That way, you won’t have to worry about the hold, which might also get you reasonable cashback offers and rewards.

What Gas Stations Don’t Put a Hold On Your Card

If you pay with a credit line, almost all gas stations will put a hold on your card. The only way to avoid this is to pay at the register.

When you are paying in cash or through contactless payment methods linked with your bank account, gas stations do not put a hold, and thus, your report will not get hit by any surprise payments.

Why Do Gas Stations Pre-Authorize Transactions

The only reason gas stations pre-authorize a certain amount in your account is to confirm that you will have enough funds to cover the fuel cost later. If the customer has a sufficient amount, the gas station will be able to recover the money, and that can create a problematic situation.

Gas stations typically pre-authorize $50, $75 or even $150. It depends on gas station policies. In any case, the amount is released once the transaction is confirmed.

How Long Will It Take a Pre-Authorization To Cancel

You will have to wait up to 3 days for the pre-authorization to cancel. Card issuers typically need 24 to 72 hours to process the transaction information and release the hold.

  • Some credit card issuers even take five days to clear pre-authorization, and a few will get it done in under 48 hours. 

However, the exact time depends on the gas station and the card issuer. If your bank has a policy related to holding the fund before canceling the pre-authorization, it is ideal to contact customer support service and confirm it.

The Bottom Line

We have gathered the best gas stations that hold only one dollar, although the amount held by some gas stations varies depending on the debit/credit card supplied by the bank.

Every spot has its distinct bonuses and prizes for saving pennies per gallon of fuel. For example, there are gas stations that do cash backs and other that offer free air. Now, drive free and visit your nearest gas stations to get the most benefits out of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the amount that the gas station will hold on credit card payment?

Typically, it may place a hold of up to $50 that remains until the transaction is cleared. This can take up to 3 days.

Can I overdraft at gas station?

Banks have the authority to allow or reject overdrafts. There are banks that allow overdrafts, offer highest limits, but there are also other banks that do not have this feature.

Where to find the best gas stations that only hold $1 near me?

It is ideal to check the list given above and confirm that gas stations that only hold $1 in the US. Then search for the gas stations near you from this list.

How does $1 dollar gas trick works?

$1 gas trick means you can pump gas at the station with just $1 in your account. This is because certain stations only hold $1 and let you get gas after the minimal pre-authorization. However, the remaining transaction is charged to your credit account and you will have to pay it with interest if you the dues are not cleared on time.

Can I get gas with $1?

There are gas stations that only hold $1 which means you can get gas if you have only 1 dollar in your account and you are paying with a credit card. However, in that case, the credit card company is temporarily paying on your behalf and will eventually charge you. If you are not keeping a thorough check on your monthly statement, you may end up incurring a lot of debt.

What gas stations let you overdraft?

The ability to overdraft your savings at a gas stations depends on which bank you are using. Therefore, any gas station would accept an overdraft if the associated bank allows it. Moreover, the bank takes a couple of hours to process overdraft request.