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Once you have a card acceptor list, you apply it as one of two rule types:
  • Deny list – purchases from listed card acceptors are blocked, while purchases from all other card acceptors are permitted
  • Allow list – purchases from listed card acceptors are permitted, while purchases from all other card acceptors are blocked
There are two places to apply a list. Use a spend policy to cover many Cardholders at once, or a Cardholder’s spend rules to cover one card.
Note:You need at least one card acceptor list before you can set a rule. See Creating Card Acceptor Lists.

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How to set a card acceptor rule on a spend policy

A spend policy applies the same rules to every Cardholder assigned to it, so this is the fastest way to cover your business.
  1. Log into dashboard.pexcard.com
  2. Click Business settings in the left side navigation, then open the Spend policies tab
  3. Select an existing policy, or click Create new policy and enter a name
  4. Expand the Card acceptors section
  5. Choose the type of restriction you want:
    • Deny list: Block the card acceptors below
    • Allow list: Only allow spend from the card acceptors below
  6. Select a list from your available lists on the left
  7. Turn on the toggle labeled Add this card acceptor list to deny list or Add this card acceptor list to allow list
  8. Repeat for any other lists you want to include, then save the policy
Every Cardholder assigned to the policy picks up the rule.

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How to set a card acceptor rule for a single Cardholder

  1. Go to the Cards page and select the card on the Team members tab or the Vendors tab
  2. Select the Spend rules tab on the Card details page
  3. Expand the Card acceptors section
  4. Choose Deny list or Allow list
  5. Select one or more lists and turn on the toggle for each one
  6. Save your changes

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How to remove a card acceptor rule

Select No restrictions in the Card acceptors section and save. The Cardholder can spend at any card acceptor again, subject to their other spend rules.

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Card acceptor rule FAQs

  1. Can I use both a deny list and an allow list for the same Cardholder?
    • A Cardholder’s card acceptor rules use one setting at a time — either a deny list or an allow list. If a card acceptor ends up both blocked and allowed, the block wins and the purchase is declined.
  2. What happens if a Cardholder pays at a card acceptor that isn’t permitted?
    • The purchase is declined with the reason “Card acceptor not allowed for this cardholder.”
  3. Do card acceptor rules work alongside a Cardholder’s other spend rules?
    • Yes. All of a Cardholder’s spend rules apply, so a purchase has to satisfy every one of them.
  4. Can I use card acceptor rules for virtual cards?
    • Yes. Card acceptor rules work for both physical and virtual cards.
  5. When do my changes take effect?
    • Right away, for new authorizations. A purchase that was already authorized isn’t affected.
  6. What happens if I edit a list that a rule uses?
    • The rule follows the list, so adding or removing a card acceptor changes what’s blocked or permitted immediately everywhere the list is applied.
See related articles: Creating Card Acceptor Lists
Last modified on October 19, 2026