---
title: "Retrieve a PaymentMethod"
method: GET
path: "/api/payment_methods/{payment_method_ref}/"
tags: ["Payment Methods"]
---

# Retrieve a PaymentMethod

`GET /api/payment_methods/{payment_method_ref}/`

A `GET` request to `/payment_methods/{payment_method_ref}/` retrieves the specified [`PaymentMethod` object](https://docs.joinforage.app/reference/payment-methods#paymentmethod-object).

You can use this endpoint to, for example:
- Retrieve the `balance` of an EBT Card after a customer completes a [Custom Balance Check Session](https://docs.joinforage.app/reference/create-custom-balance-check-session)
- Retrieve information about a reusable payment method to display in a digital wallet

## Headers

- `Authorization` string, required
- `Merchant-Account` string, required
- `API-Version` string

## Response `200`

__OK__ - Success

- TokenizedPaymentMethod — This object represents a customer's payment instrument. It has been tokenized by the server. It does not include all details about the payment method. If the `PaymentMethod` has a type of `ebt`, then the `balance` field will be `null` until the `/api/payment_methods/{ref}/` endpoint is called. The `balance` field will always be `null` for non-EBT payment methods.
  - `ref` string — A unique reference identifier for the `PaymentMethod`. The `ref` is constant for a `customer_id` if the card is `reusable`.
  - `type` string — The card type. One of: - `credit` - `debit` - `prepaid` - `ebt` ⚠️ The `type` value can only be `credit`, `debit`, or `prepaid` in a [Fully Hosted](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/fully-hosted) or [HSA/FSA](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/enable-hsa-fsa-payments) integration.
  - `reusable` boolean — Whether the `PaymentMethod` can be reused. If `false`, then the `PaymentMethod` can only be used for a single transaction.
  - `card` union
    - EBTCardResponse — An object that details information about the EBT Card.
      - `last_4` string — The last four digits of the EBT Card number.
      - `created` string, date-time — A UTC timestamp that indicates when the EBT `PaymentMethod` was created, represented as an [ISO 8601 date-time](https://www.iso.org/iso-8601-date-and-time-format.html) string.
      - `token` string — A token that Forage can use to look up the EBT Card in secure storage.
      - `state` string — The two-letter abbreviation for the US state that issued the EBT Card (e.g. `CA`).
      - `fingerprint` string — ⚠️ Deprecated. Please use `fingerprint_v2` instead. A unique hash based on the card PAN. The `fingerprint` is constant for a card PAN, no matter the `customer_id`. Use the `fingerprint` to track card usage for fraud prevention.
      - `fingerprint_v2` string — A unique hash based on the card PAN. The `fingerprint_v2` is constant for a card PAN, no matter the `customer_id`. Use the `fingerprint_v2` to track card usage for fraud prevention.
    - NonEBTCard — If a [credit/debit PSP](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/ebt-online-101#creditdebit-payment-service-provider-psp) other than Stripe processes the payment, then this object details information about the non-EBT Card.
      - `brand` 'amex' | 'discover' | 'mastercard' | 'visa', required — The card brand. One of: - `amex` - `discover` - `mastercard` - `visa`
      - `exp_month` number, required — The expiration month as listed on the card, without any preceding `0` (e.g. `4` instead of `04`).
      - `exp_year` number, required — The two-digit expiration year listed on the card (e.g. `21`).
      - `last_4` string, required — The last four digits of the card number.
    - StripeCard — If Stripe is the credit/debit [PSP](https://docs.joinforage.app/docs/ebt-online-101#creditdebit-payment-service-provider-psp), then this object details information about the non-EBT Card.
      - `brand` 'amex' | 'discover' | 'mastercard' | 'visa', required — The card brand. One of: - `amex` - `discover` - `mastercard` - `visa`
      - `exp_month` number, required — The expiration month as listed on the card, without any preceding `0` (e.g. `4` instead of `04`).
      - `exp_year` number, required — The two-digit expiration year listed on the card (e.g. `21`).
      - `last_4` string, required — The last four digits of the card number.
      - `payment_method_id` string, required — The unique identifier for the Stripe PaymentMethod that represents the customer's payment instrument.
      - `psp_customer_id` string, required — The unique Stripe identifier for the cardholder.
      - `is_hsa_fsa` boolean — Indicates whether the card is an HSA/FSA card.
      - `bin` string — The BIN portion of the card number.
      - `issuer` string — The name of the card issuer.
      - `address_postal_code_check` 'pass' | 'fail' | 'unavailable' | 'unchecked' — The result of any check done on the delivery address zip code. One of: - `pass`: The provided information is correct and matches the data on file with the card issuer. - `fail`: The provided information is incorrect and does not match the data on file. - `unavailable`: The card issuer will not perform the check. - `unchecked`: The information was provided but has not yet been checked by the card issuer.
      - `cvc_check` 'pass' | 'fail' | 'unavailable' | 'unchecked' — The result of any check done on the CVC. One of: - `pass`: The provided information is correct and matches the data on file with the card issuer. - `fail`: The provided information is incorrect and does not match the data on file. - `unavailable`: The card issuer will not perform the check. - `unchecked`: The information was provided but has not yet been checked by the card issuer.
  - `balance` BalanceResponse — An object that represents an EBT cardholder's account balance.
    - `id` integer — The unique identifier for the balance record.
    - `snap` string, currency — The available SNAP balance in USD on the customer’s EBT Card, represented as a numeric string.
    - `non_snap` string, currency — The available EBT Cash balance in USD on the customer's EBT Card, represented as a numeric string.
    - `updated` string, date-time — A UTC timestamp that indicates when the funds in the account last changed, represented as an [ISO 8601 date-time](https://www.iso.org/iso-8601-date-and-time-format.html) string.
    - `sequence_number` string — A transaction number for this `PaymentMethod`'s most recent balance check. Returned only for POS Terminal transactions; omitted from online merchant balance checks.
  - `customer_id` string — **⚠️ If you’re integrating Forage with a POS Terminal, then do not use this param. It is only supported for online transactions.** A unique identifier for the end customer making the payment. Forage automatically adds the `customer_id` to the Session's corresponding `Order` and `OrderPayments`. This field helps Forage's servers more quickly identify the customer associated with the request. While `customer_id` is not technically required, if you omit it then requests could take longer to process. **It is strongly recommended to pass customer_id.** If you're providing your internal customer ID, then we recommend that you hash the value before sending it on the payload. Each customer should only have one unique `customer_id`. For example, if you create both a `PaymentMethod` and a Forage `Session` (Fully Hosted or Custom) or `Payment` (SDK) for the same customer, then the `customer_id` should be the same in both requests to ensure continuity of stored payment methods.

## Other responses

- `400` — Bad Request
- `401` — Unauthorized
- `404` — Not Found
- `429` — Too Many Requests

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/joinforage/apis/forage-payments-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/joinforage/apis/forage-payments-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/joinforage/forage-payments-api/revisions/4b7212706fae/schema)