;
};
In general, when you refund a transaction, Blnk reverses the money movement from the original - funds return from the destination balance to the source balance.
Blnk records the reversal as a new transaction; the original record is not modified. You can refund each original transaction only once. A second attempt is rejected.
***
## Which transactions can be refunded
Not every transaction can be refunded. Refund eligibility depends on the transaction’s status and the type of transaction you want to refund.
For inflight or split transactions, the ID you pass matters. Use the table below to understand which transaction ID to send and what Blnk does with it.
| Transaction ID | Refundable? | Notes |
| :---------------------- | :---------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `APPLIED` | Yes | The source and destination balances are reversed. |
| `INFLIGHT` | Yes | Only if the inflight transaction has been committed or voided. |
| `QUEUED` | Yes | Refunds all child `APPLIED` transactions linked to the queued parent. Use the `meta_data.QUEUED_PARENT_TRANSACTION` to refund. |
| `VOID` | No | To refund a voided transaction, use its parent inflight transaction ID instead. |
| `SCHEDULED`, `REJECTED` | No | Not refundable. |
***
## Applying refunds
Use the [Refund transaction API](/reference/refund-transaction) and pass the `transaction_id` of the transaction you want to refund.
By default, refunds are queued with `skip_queue: false`.
The initial response returns `status: "QUEUED"` and sets the refund `reference` to `{original_txn_id}_refund`.
When the queue processes the refund, Blnk creates the final applied transaction with the reference `{original_txn_id}_refund_q`, following the same `_q` convention used for other queued transactions.
```bash cURL wrap theme={"system"}
curl -X POST "http://YOUR_BLNK_INSTANCE_URL/refund-transaction/{transaction_id}" \
-H "X-blnk-key: "
```
```typescript TypeScript wrap theme={"system"}
const response = await blnk.Transactions.refund(
'{transaction_id}',
);
```
```go Go wrap theme={"system"}
txn, resp, err := client.Transaction.Refund("{transaction_id}")
```
```python Python wrap theme={"system"}
response = blnk.transactions.refund(
"{transaction_id}",
)
```
```java Java wrap theme={"system"}
ApiResponse response = blnk.transactions().refund("{transaction_id}");
```
```json 201 Created (queued) {13} wrap theme={"system"}
{
"amount": 50,
"amount_string": "50",
"precision": 100,
"precise_amount": 5000,
"transaction_id": "txn_af70986c-fbdc-450a-bf81-c1af034ce840",
"parent_transaction": "txn_b0468e80-5941-4ca8-b5d2-e44f4572926e",
"source": "bln_f76360da-68db-410d-8a8b-1d960e2a766f",
"destination": "bln_b1bd741e-eeb6-4dd4-a562-df35374bbaf9",
"reference": "txn_b0468e80-5941-4ca8-b5d2-e44f4572926e_refund",
"currency": "USD",
"description": "Card payment on Stripe",
"status": "QUEUED",
"allow_overdraft": false,
"inflight": false,
"created_at": "2024-11-26T09:33:35.265582042Z"
}
```
To apply the refund immediately, set `skip_queue: true` in the request body.
```bash cURL wrap theme={"system"}
curl -X POST "http://YOUR_BLNK_INSTANCE_URL/refund-transaction/{transaction_id}" \
-H "X-blnk-key: " \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"skip_queue": true
}'
```
```typescript TypeScript wrap theme={"system"}
const response = await blnk.Transactions.refund(
'{transaction_id}',
{ skip_queue: true },
);
```
```go Go wrap theme={"system"}
txn, resp, err := client.Transaction.Refund(
"{transaction_id}",
&blnkgo.RefundTransactionRequest{
SkipQueue: true,
},
)
```
```python Python wrap theme={"system"}
response = blnk.transactions.refund(
"{transaction_id}",
{"skip_queue": True},
)
```
```java Java wrap theme={"system"}
ApiResponse response = blnk.transactions().refund(
"{transaction_id}",
RefundTransactionRequest.create()
.skipQueue(true));
```
```json 201 Created (synchronous) {13} wrap theme={"system"}
{
"amount": 50,
"amount_string": "50",
"precision": 100,
"precise_amount": 5000,
"transaction_id": "txn_4c8be5c7-7c40-493f-b4a1-c09fcf8e7e7b",
"parent_transaction": "txn_b0468e80-5941-4ca8-b5d2-e44f4572926e",
"source": "bln_f76360da-68db-410d-8a8b-1d960e2a766f",
"destination": "bln_b1bd741e-eeb6-4dd4-a562-df35374bbaf9",
"reference": "txn_b0468e80-5941-4ca8-b5d2-e44f4572926e_refund",
"currency": "USD",
"description": "Card payment on Stripe",
"status": "APPLIED",
"allow_overdraft": false,
"inflight": false,
"created_at": "2024-11-26T09:33:35.265582042Z"
}
```
***
## Refunding inflight transactions
Only [inflight](/transactions/inflight/creating-inflight) transactions that have been committed or voided can be refunded. Active inflight holds cannot be refunded.
Always pass the original `INFLIGHT` transaction ID to the API, not the ID of its `APPLIED` or `VOID` child.
Pass the inflight transaction ID.
Blnk reverses the committed amount the same way it refunds a standard `APPLIED` transaction.
```bash cURL wrap theme={"system"}
curl -X POST "http://YOUR_BLNK_INSTANCE_URL/refund-transaction/{inflight_transaction_id}" \
-H "X-blnk-key: "
```
```typescript TypeScript wrap theme={"system"}
const response = await blnk.Transactions.refund(
'{inflight_transaction_id}',
);
```
```go Go wrap theme={"system"}
txn, resp, err := client.Transaction.Refund("{inflight_transaction_id}")
```
```python Python wrap theme={"system"}
response = blnk.transactions.refund(
"{inflight_transaction_id}",
)
```
```java Java wrap theme={"system"}
ApiResponse response = blnk.transactions().refund("{inflight_transaction_id}");
```
Pass the inflight transaction ID. Do not pass the `VOID` child transaction ID.
Blnk restores the voided amount as a reverse-direction `INFLIGHT` hold instead of applying it immediately.
Using the `VOID` child ID to refund will result in a `404 TXN_NOT_FOUND` error. This is because the `VOID` child is not considered a valid transaction to refund.
```bash cURL wrap theme={"system"}
curl -X POST "http://YOUR_BLNK_INSTANCE_URL/refund-transaction/{inflight_transaction_id}" \
-H "X-blnk-key: "
```
```typescript TypeScript wrap theme={"system"}
const response = await blnk.Transactions.refund(
'{inflight_transaction_id}',
);
```
```go Go wrap theme={"system"}
txn, resp, err := client.Transaction.Refund("{inflight_transaction_id}")
```
```python Python wrap theme={"system"}
response = blnk.transactions.refund(
"{inflight_transaction_id}",
)
```
```java Java wrap theme={"system"}
ApiResponse response = blnk.transactions().refund("{inflight_transaction_id}");
```
***
## Refunding split transactions
Use this flow when the original payment was a [multiple sources](/transactions/multiple-sources) or [multiple destinations](/transactions/multiple-destinations) split.
Refunding the entire split in one call only works when the original transaction request uses the queue (`skip_queue: false`).
When you submit the split, Blnk returns a queued parent response. Each child leg is recorded separately and linked through `meta_data.QUEUED_PARENT_TRANSACTION`:
```json Split response {33} wrap theme={"system"}
{
"precise_amount": 3000000,
"amount": 30000,
"amount_string": "30000",
"precision": 100,
"transaction_id": "txn_0b59f6e6-6c4a-4efa-915c-526f77ef61ab",
"parent_transaction": "",
"source": "bln_92e4b9b6-0b85-4ef4-87a2-682c31500d38",
"reference": "ref_001adcfgf",
"currency": "USD",
"description": "Payment from Sarah",
"status": "QUEUED",
"skip_queue": false,
"destinations": [
{
"identifier": "bln_f2073f6b-905a-4e3e-b5a2-8d1b3dc2fb7f",
"distribution": "20%",
"transaction_id": "txn_59347177-aa7e-d8ad-9f4f-d09628b32ec3"
},
{
"identifier": "bln_64c50fb5-32d5-4f78-9f4a-e8b01aaf025d",
"distribution": "10000",
"transaction_id": "txn_7ddc8d4f-3b77-4b7d-a37f-240216ab074c"
},
{
"identifier": "bln_7d98dfe9-5c3e-4c9b-b96a-65f6d9f7b89b",
"distribution": "left",
"transaction_id": "txn_5aad04dd-ed53-4f77-9f01-4916d31fac5f"
}
],
"created_at": "2025-09-18T01:26:30.648049042Z",
"meta_data": {
"QUEUED_PARENT_TRANSACTION": "txn_0b59f6e6-6c4a-4efa-915c-526f77ef61ab"
}
}
```
Use the value in `meta_data.QUEUED_PARENT_TRANSACTION` as the ID to refund.
Keep `skip_queue: false` so all legs refund together.
```bash cURL wrap theme={"system"}
curl -X POST "http://YOUR_BLNK_INSTANCE_URL/refund-transaction/{queued_parent_transaction_id}" \
-H "X-blnk-key: " \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"skip_queue": false}'
```
```typescript TypeScript wrap theme={"system"}
const response = await blnk.Transactions.refund(
'{queued_parent_transaction_id}',
{ skip_queue: false },
);
```
```go Go wrap theme={"system"}
txn, resp, err := client.Transaction.Refund("{queued_parent_transaction_id}")
```
```python Python wrap theme={"system"}
response = blnk.transactions.refund(
"{queued_parent_transaction_id}",
{"skip_queue": False},
)
```
```java Java wrap theme={"system"}
ApiResponse response = blnk.transactions().refund(
"{queued_parent_transaction_id}",
RefundTransactionRequest.create()
.skipQueue(false));
```
Blnk refunds every `APPLIED` child from its destination back to its source. The response matches the shape in [Applying refunds](#applying-refunds).
***
## Need help?
We are very happy to help you make the most of Blnk, regardless of whether it is your first time or you are switching from another tool.
To ask questions or discuss issues, please [contact us](mailto:support@blnkfinance.com) or [join our Discord community](https://discord.gg/7WNv94zPpx).
Sign up and manage your ledger with our back-office dashboard. You can invite teammates to collaborate and manage your ledger operations directly from the dashboard.