> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.pexcard.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Single Use Virtual Card

> Create a virtual card for a single purchase or bill payment — set the exact dollar amount, pick an expiration from 1 month to 5 years and send the card to a merchant

Need to pay one vendor invoice, or cover a one-off purchase for a team member who is traveling? You can create a virtual card, fund it with the exact amount of the purchase and send the card details straight to the merchant. No plastic card, no shared company card number and no surprise charges.

<Note>
  **Coming soon:**

  A true single-use card that closes itself automatically after one payment. Until then, use the setup below to get the same control today.
</Note>

## How to set up a single use card today

Instead of giving the card a high limit, put the dollar value of the purchase on the card. The card can only spend what you put on it, so it behaves like a single use card.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Order the card

    * For a vendor or bill payment, order a **Vendor** card. See [How to Create Vendor Cards](/administrator-guide/how-to-create-vendor-cards)
    * For an employee purchase — travel, a conference or a one-time supply run — order a **Team Member** virtual card. See [Creating Virtual Cards](/administrator-guide/creating-virtual-cards)
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Set the expiration

    Choose the shortest expiration that covers the purchase. See [Expiration terms](#expiration-terms) below.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Fund the card with the exact amount

    Under **Funding**, select **Add funds to card** and enter the exact purchase amount. Leave the recurring funding frequency off, and leave **Use Auto Card Funding** off so the card can't pull more from your business balance.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Lock the card to the merchant (Vendor cards only, recommended)

    Check the vendor locking box and select the merchant. The card will only work with that merchant, which prevents unauthorized charges and makes reconciliation easier
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Send an invitation to the merchant (Vendor cards only)

    This step applies to Vendor cards. Team Member cards can't be sent to a merchant — the Cardholder uses the card details themselves.

    From the **Card details** page, hover the card image and click **Send to vendor** to email a secure invitation. The merchant follows the link to collect the card number, expiration date and CVV, then charges the card to settle your bill. The link expires as soon as it's opened, or after 30 days. See [How to send card to vendor](/administrator-guide/how-to-send-card-to-vendor)
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Close the card when the payment clears

    Once the transaction settles, close the card so it can't be used again. See [How to Close a Card](/administrator-guide/how-to-close-a-card)
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  **Note:**

  Sending a card to a vendor requires an administrator with **Funding of Cards** and **View Card Usage** permissions and multi-factor authentication enabled.
</Note>

## Expiration terms

PEX expiration terms are flexible. On the card order form you can choose:

* 1 month
* 3 months
* 6 months
* 1 year
* 3 years
* 4 years
* 5 years — the longest term available

For a one-time payment, 1 month is usually enough. Give yourself a longer term when a vendor bills on a delay or when the same card will cover a multi-month engagement.

<Note>
  **Note:**

  Custom card expiration depends on your plan. If the **Card expiration** dropdown isn't on your order form, contact [adminsupport@pexcard.com](mailto:adminsupport@pexcard.com)
</Note>

## When to use a single use card

* **Bill payments.** Pay one vendor invoice without handing out a reusable company card number. See [Bill Pay: Create & Send a Bill Payment](/administrator-guide/create-and-send-a-bill-payment)
* **Team member travel.** Fund a flight, a hotel or a client dinner for an employee on the road
* **Events and conferences.** Cover registrations, booth fees or catering for a single event, with a card that expires soon after
* **One-off suppliers.** Buy from a merchant you don't expect to use again

## Recurring spend instead?

If the same charge repeats every month — software and SaaS subscriptions, insurance premiums, ad spend, utilities — create a vendor card with recurring funding rather than a single use card. Set a funding frequency (or auto card funding with a time-based spend limit) and a longer expiration term so the card keeps paying the bill.

* [How to Create Vendor Cards](/administrator-guide/how-to-create-vendor-cards) — funding options and vendor locking
* [Using a Vendor Card for Subscriptions (Step by Step for Google Workspace)](/administrator-guide/using-a-vendor-card-for-subscriptions-step-by-step-for-google-workspace) — a worked subscription example
* [Using Auto Card Funding Instead of Manual Card Funding](/administrator-guide/using-auto-card-funding-instead-of-manual-card-funding)
* [Scheduled Card Funding](/administrator-guide/scheduled-card-funding)

## Single use card FAQs

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does the card close itself after one payment?">
    * Not yet. Fund the card with the exact purchase amount so nothing is left to spend, then close the card once the transaction settles. Automatic closure after one payment is coming
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if the merchant charges more than the amount on the card?">
    * The transaction is declined for insufficient funds. If the final amount can vary — a hotel incidental hold, for example — add a small buffer, or set a time-based spend limit instead. See [What are the reasons for card declines?](/administrator-guide/what-are-the-reasons-for-card-declines)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do these cards count against my plan's card count?">
    * Vendor cards are free and don't count toward your allotted card accounts. Team Member cards do count
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can a team member add the card to a digital wallet?">
    * Team Member virtual cards can be added to a digital wallet, so they work for in-store purchases while traveling. Vendor cards are online-only. See [Adding a PEX Card to a Digital Wallet](/administrator-guide/adding-a-pex-card-to-a-digital-wallet-admin-guide)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I reuse the card for the next payment?">
    * Yes. Fund it again with the next exact amount and send it to the merchant, or leave recurring funding on if the charge repeats
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## See related articles

<CardGroup>
  <Card title="Creating Virtual Cards" href="/administrator-guide/creating-virtual-cards" icon="credit-card" horizontal />

  <Card title="How to Create Vendor Cards" href="/administrator-guide/how-to-create-vendor-cards" icon="building" horizontal />

  <Card title="How to send card to vendor" href="/administrator-guide/how-to-send-card-to-vendor" icon="paper-plane" horizontal />

  <Card title="Getting Started with Bill Pay" href="/administrator-guide/getting-started-with-bill-pay" icon="file-invoice-dollar" horizontal />
</CardGroup>


## Related topics

- [Creating Virtual Cards](/administrator-guide/creating-virtual-cards.md)
- [How to Create Vendor Cards](/administrator-guide/how-to-create-vendor-cards.md)
- [Getting Started with Bill Pay](/administrator-guide/getting-started-with-bill-pay.md)
- [Bill Pay: Create & Send a Bill Payment](/administrator-guide/create-and-send-a-bill-payment.md)
- [Managing Cards](/administrator-guide/managing-cards.md)