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When a stored card expires and the cardholder receives a new card with the same number but a new expiration date (and new CVV), you need to update the token. This avoids the friction of asking the guest to re-enter their full card details and prevents failed charges on recurring bookings. This is common for hotels and travel platforms that store guest cards for future bookings, no-show charges, or recurring invoicing. When the card issuer sends a replacement with a new expiration date, you can update the token without asking the guest to go through the full card entry process again.

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Choosing the Right Approach

The best method depends on whether you need only the new expiration date or also the new CVV.
Use the API to update the expiration date directly. This is the simplest approach and does not require any interaction with the cardholder.Best for: Situations where CVV is not required for charges (e.g., merchant-initiated transactions, recurring billing without CVV).

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Simple Case: Update Expiration Only

If you only store card number and expiration (no CVV), use the Update Expiration API to submit the new month and year. The existing token is updated in place. No cardholder interaction is required.

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Full Case: Update Expiration and CVV

If you also need the new CVV, follow this workflow:
  1. Update the expiration date. Call Update Expiration with the new month and year.
  2. Send a CVV capture link. Use CVV Capture (via Card By Link) to send the cardholder a link to enter their new CVV.
  3. Cardholder enters CVV. The cardholder receives the link and enters the new security code.
  4. PCI Booking creates a new token. A full copy of the original card details is created with the captured CVV attached. You receive the new token in a callback.
  5. Set CVV retention policy. If needed, configure a CVV Retention Policy for the new token.
  6. Delete the old token. Call Delete Token to remove the old entry.
  7. Update your database. Replace the old token with the new one in your system.
At the end of this process, you have one token with the updated card details.
If you use network tokenization, card networks (Visa, Mastercard) can automatically update card details when a replacement card is issued. This eliminates the need for manual updates in many cases. Contact support@pcibooking.net to learn more about network token lifecycle management.