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

# What happens when a promoted athlete's payment fails?

> The 24-hour payment-pending grace flow when a waitlist promotion charge doesn't clear.

<Note>
  **Must know**

  * A promoted-but-unpaid spot is reserved for 24 hours and counts against capacity — automatic promotion won't fill it, though staff can still promote someone manually.
  * The family always sees a banner prompting them to add a card; adding one triggers an immediate charge that, on success, finalizes the enrollment. Uplifter also emails them automatically — a payment-failed notice now, and a spot-released notice if the 24-hour window lapses.
  * If the 24-hour window lapses, the enrollment is cancelled automatically. Whether the next person is then promoted depends on the program's **Automatic Promotion** setting — with it off, staff promote the next athlete by hand.
</Note>

When an athlete is promoted off the waitlist but the saved card declines — or there's no card on file — the promotion isn't cancelled. Instead the athlete goes into a **Waitlist Payment Pending** state that holds their spot.

**The spot is reserved for 24 hours.** During that window the pending enrollment counts toward the program's capacity — automatic promotion and new marketing-site joins can't take the spot, though staff can still promote another athlete manually.

**The family is prompted to pay.** A persistent amber banner appears across their portal explaining that a spot opened but the payment failed, and points them to add a payment method before the deadline. Uplifter also emails them the **Waitlist Payment Failed** notice automatically, so they hear about it even without opening the portal. Adding a card charges it right away and, on success, finalizes the enrollment; the banner flips to green to confirm.

**Uplifter retries automatically — up to a point.** An hourly check re-attempts the charge on the card on file, up to three times in all (the promotion charge plus two retries). A brief decline can clear itself this way; after that Uplifter stops re-charging and waits out the window.

**If the window lapses**, the enrollment is cancelled outright and the spot is freed. With the program's **Automatic Promotion** setting on, the next athlete is promoted into it; with it off, staff promote the next athlete by hand from the **Waitlist** tab. Uplifter emails the family the **Waitlist Payment Expired** notice automatically to let them know the spot was released. A cancelled athlete drops off the waitlist, so if the family still wants a spot they'll need to rejoin the waitlist to be reconsidered.

Pending promotions appear in the program's athletes list with a **Waitlist Payment Pending** status.

**Related:** [What is a family charged when promoted off a waitlist?](/club/waitlists/what-is-a-family-charged-when-promoted-off-a-waitlist) · [What happens when a spot opens in a full program?](/club/waitlists/what-happens-when-a-spot-opens-in-a-full-program) · [What families see when a waitlist payment fails](/families/families-registering/waitlist-payment-failed)