Where to find your payment methods on Amazon

Your payment methods live in your Amazon account settings, not in a shopping cart or checkout page. To reach them, sign into your Amazon account, go to the top right corner where your name appears, and click the dropdown menu. Select Your Account, then look for Login & security in the left sidebar. From there, click Payment options.

This takes you to a page showing every card, bank account, and other payment method linked to your account. You can add new ones here, delete old ones, or change which one Amazon uses by default when you check out. The page also shows your billing addresses — each payment method can have its own address, which matters if you use cards from different countries or accounts.

Key Takeaways

  • Payment methods are in Your Account > Login & security > Payment options, not in your shopping cart.
  • You can add a new card or bank account without removing the old one, then set which one Amazon uses first at checkout.
  • Each payment method can have a different billing address, which Amazon checks against your card issuer's records.
  • Removing a payment method does not cancel subscriptions or recurring charges tied to it — you must change those separately in Your Account > Memberships & subscriptions.

Adding a new payment method

Click the Add payment method button on the Payment options page. Amazon will ask whether you want to add a credit card, debit card, or bank account. For a card, enter the card number, expiration date, CVV (the three-digit code on the back), and the name on the card. Then enter or confirm your billing address — this must match what your card issuer has on file, or the card may be declined at checkout.

Amazon saves the new method immediately. You do not have to use it right away. At your next checkout, you will see all your payment methods listed, and you can pick whichever one you want for that purchase. If you want Amazon to default to the new card for future purchases, go back to Payment options and click the radio button next to it to set it as your preferred method.

Changing which payment method Amazon uses by default

On the Payment options page, each method has a radio button next to it. Click the button beside the card or account you want to use first when you check out. Amazon will remember this choice and show that method selected the next time you shop, though you can still switch to a different one at checkout if you need to.

This default only applies to new purchases. If you have an active Prime membership, a Subscribe & Save order, or an Audible subscription, those keep using whatever payment method you chose when you set them up. Changing your default payment method does not change the card they charge — you have to update each subscription separately in Your Account > Memberships & subscriptions.

Removing a payment method you no longer use

Find the card or account you want to remove on the Payment options page and click Delete next to it. Amazon will ask you to confirm. You can only delete a payment method if it is not currently set as your default — if it is, you must first set a different method as default, then come back and delete the old one.

Before you delete a card, check whether any subscriptions or recurring charges use it. Amazon will not automatically switch them to your new default payment method. If you delete a card that a subscription is using, Amazon will try to charge your default method next time the subscription renews, but if that fails, the subscription will pause. To avoid this, go to Your Account > Memberships & subscriptions and manually change the payment method for each active subscription before you delete the card.

What to do if a card is declined at checkout

A card decline at checkout usually means one of three things: the billing address you entered does not match your card issuer's records, the card has expired, or your bank flagged the charge as suspicious. Check the error message Amazon shows — it often tells you which one it is.

If it is an address mismatch, go back to Payment options, click the card, and make sure the billing address matches exactly what your bank has on file. Capitalization and abbreviations matter — if your bank has "Street" and you typed "St", it may not match. If the card has expired, delete it and add the new one. If your bank declined it for fraud, call your bank to let them know the charge was legitimate, then try again. You can also try a different payment method at checkout while you sort it out.

Using a different address for a specific purchase

At checkout, after you select your payment method, you will see the billing address associated with that card. Click Change next to the address if you need to use a different one for that purchase. Amazon will let you enter a temporary address for just that order without changing your saved payment method.

This is useful if you are using a card registered to an old address but shipping to a new one, or if you have a card with a billing address in another country. The temporary address only applies to that one order — your payment method keeps its original address saved for future purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use someone else's card to pay for my Amazon order?

Yes, you can add another person's card to your account and use it at checkout. However, the cardholder's name does not have to match your account name. The billing address must match the card issuer's records, not your shipping address. If the cardholder later removes the card from their own account, it will stop working on yours too.

What happens to my subscriptions if I delete a payment method?

Subscriptions keep using the card you originally chose for them, even if you delete it from your account. When the next charge is due, Amazon will try to charge that card. If it no longer exists, Amazon will try your default payment method instead. If that fails too, the subscription pauses. Change the payment method in Memberships & subscriptions before deleting the card to avoid this.

Why does Amazon ask for a CVV every time I check out?

Amazon asks for the CVV (the three-digit code on the back of your card) at checkout for security, even though the card is saved. This is a standard fraud-prevention step. You cannot turn this off. If you find it annoying, you can use Amazon Pay on other websites, which remembers your CVV for faster checkout there.

Can I change my payment method on an order I already placed?

Not directly. If the order has not shipped yet, you can cancel it and place a new one with a different payment method. If it has already shipped, you cannot change the payment method for that order. Contact Amazon customer service if you need to dispute the charge or discuss a refund.