Visa Awards Card FAQs

You can use your Card to pay for purchases at millions of places that accept Visa Debit Cards in the United States (U.S. territories are excluded). Awards Cards can't be used overseas or for recurring bill payment transactions

How to use your card:

• Before making your first purchase, sign the back of the Awards Card.
• When ready to pay, select CREDIT and sign the receipt. Or, select DEBIT, if prompted, and enter your PIN.
• Each time you make a purchase, the amount is automatically deducted from the Card balance. It’s important to keep track of your balance. The Card doesn’t offer a line of credit like a credit card.

With your Navy Federal Awards Card in hand, visit our Awards Card page and click "Activate My Card". If this is a new Awards Card, you’ll be required to create a 4-digit PIN and create a username to sign in to our Awards Card page.

Once signed in, to register your Card, click "My Profile" under the "My Settings" drop-down menu, and enter your name, address and phone number.

Registering your Navy Federal Awards Card has several benefits:

• Enables you to make purchases online and by phone. Most online retailers don’t accept payments without a valid "billing" address.
• Lets Customer Service Representatives assist you more quickly when you need help.
• Protects you if your Card is ever lost or stolen, so you can be reimbursed for unauthorized purchases

If you haven’t received your Navy Federal Awards Card within 10 business days, please sign in to online banking at navyfederal.org and send us a message or call 1-888-842-6328.

Registering your Awards Card helps Navy Federal assist you more quickly if your Card is lost or stolen. If you haven’t registered your Awards Card, or you don’t know the 16-digit Card number, please sign in to online banking at navyfederal.org and send us a message with your information, or call us immediately at 1-888-842-6328.

If your Awards Card was previously registered, report a lost or stolen Card immediately by calling 1-866-809-2679. You may also write to us at Visa Debit Processing Service, P.O. Box 026098, Miami, FL 33103. If you tell us within 2 business days after you discover the loss or theft of your Card, you won’t be liable for losses if your Card was used without your permission. If you don’t tell us within 2 business days, you may be liable.

To request a replacement Awards Card, you’ll need to provide the entire 16-digit Card number for it to be canceled and a replacement issued.

To ensure authorized use of your Navy Federal Awards Card, be sure to sign the back of the Card before using.

To check your balance online, visit our Awards Card page, enter your username in the "Username" field and click "Sign In". If you haven't created a username for your Card, select "Need Username?" under the "Username" field.

It's important to know your remaining balance before you make a purchase. Your purchase could be denied if it's greater than your balance. Keep a record of your purchases and remaining balance.

You should keep your Card until you know you won’t be returning anything you purchased with it. If you try to make a return, the store may require you to present the Card you used to make the purchase. Once you’re sure there’s no further need, destroy the Card.

Using your Navy Federal Awards Card is similar to using a debit card. When you’re ready to pay, select CREDIT, sign the receipt and you’re all set. Or, select DEBIT if prompted and enter your PIN.

Each time your Card is used for a purchase, that amount is automatically deducted from your balance. It’s recommended that you know your balance before making a purchase because some merchants won’t be able to provide that information.

To make a purchase in an amount greater than the available balance, you‘ll need to use a second form of payment to cover the difference.

Tell the cashier the amount you’d like applied to your Navy Federal Awards Card, then pay the balance with your second payment method.

If your purchase is declined after you’ve verified the Card has sufficient funds, call the toll-free number listed on the back of the Awards Card.

Let the cashier know you want to cancel the purchase. If the merchant cancels a transaction after it was processed, it will take 3 to 7 days for the authorization hold to be removed from your Card and the funds to become available again.

If you decide to return merchandise purchased with your Navy Federal Awards Card, you may be asked to present the Card to process that return. Be sure to hold onto your purchase receipts and your Card—even after the balance is depleted. If store policy is to credit the Card used to make a purchase, it will take 3 to 7 days to be added back to the available balance on the Card. When returning an item purchased online, you may need to provide your Awards Card number.

The funds on your Awards Card expire on the date displayed on the front of the Card. You can make purchases using your Card until the expiration date or the full value of the Card is depleted. Any transaction attempted after the expiration date will be declined.

You can use your Navy Federal Awards Card at millions of places that accept Visa Debit Cards, including retail stores, online merchants and over the phone. Awards Cards are only valid in the United States (U.S. territories are excluded).

You can't use Awards Cards overseas or for recurring bill payment transactions.

Your available balance reflects purchases that have been authorized but haven’t cleared your account. Your actual balance reflects all purchases that have cleared.

Yes. You can use your Navy Federal Awards Card anywhere Visa Debit Cards are accepted in the United States (U.S. territories are excluded).

Yes. We caution against using this Card at an automated fuel pump, as the transaction may be declined or a hold may be placed on available funds for several days. In this situation, we recommend pre-paying for fuel with the cashier.

Yes. You can authorize your transaction for an additional 20% above your total bill. The tip amount is your choice.

Be sure the balance on your Card is enough to cover the bill and the tip. If not, the transaction will be declined.

Yes. You can use your Navy Federal Awards Card for the final payment for both hotels and car rentals. Some car rental companies and hotels may require a credit card to make a reservation. At check-in, hotels will put a hold on the estimated amount of your stay, making those funds unavailable for a period of time. Avoid a hold on your Awards Card by checking in with a credit card, then using your Navy Federal Awards Card for final payment.

Yes. To make an online or phone purchase, you'll need to register your Card by visiting our Awards Card page, entering your username in the "Username" field and clicking "Sign In". If you haven't created a username for your Card, select “Need Username?” under the “Username” field.

After signing in, select "My Profile's under "My Settings" and enter your name, address and phone number.

When you make an online or phone purchase, the name, address and phone number you use must be exactly the same as the information you provided when registering your Card. If the information is different, the transaction may be declined.

No. Your Awards Card won’t be accepted at locations outside the United States. It’s welcome at millions of locations where Visa Debit Cards are accepted within the United States (U.S. territories are excluded).

Card Program Fees

Note: Navy Federal Awards Cards aren't connected to any personal checking or savings accounts; therefore, any fees assessed will only be charged to the Navy Federal Awards Card.

If you’ve forgotten your PIN, visit our Awards Card page, enter your username in the "Username" field and click "Sign In". If you haven't created a username for your Card, select “Need Username?” under the “Username” field.

Once signed in, select "My PIN" under the "My Settings" drop-down menu, and then select "Forgot PIN".

Yes. Visit our Awards Card page, enter your username in the "Username" field and click "Sign In". If you haven't created a username for your Card, select "Need Username?" under the "Username" field. After signing in, select "My Profile" under "My Settings" and make updates.

Yes. Using your Navy Federal Awards Card signifies that you accept the Terms & Conditions.