---
title: "Simulate a card authorization expiry"
method: POST
path: "/sandbox/cards/{id}/simulate/authorization_expiry"
tags: ["Sandbox"]
---

# Simulate a card authorization expiry

`POST /sandbox/cards/{id}/simulate/authorization_expiry`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.lightspark.com/grid/2025-10-13`
- URL: `https://api.lightspark.com/grid/2025-10-13/sandbox/cards/{id}/simulate/authorization_expiry`
- Auth: HTTP basic

Simulate an authorization the merchant never followed through on, so the card network lets it lapse and releases the held funds. Use it to see how your integration handles a hold that quietly goes away instead of settling.
The transaction must still be fully open: once any part of it has settled, it can no longer expire.
Grid processes the expiry in the background. Once it lands, the transaction has `status: VOIDED` and Grid sends a `CARD_TRANSACTION.VOIDED` webhook.

Production returns `404` on this path.

## Path parameters

- `id` string, required

## Request body

- SandboxCardTransactionRefRequest: Sandbox-only request body for simulate endpoints keyed only by an existing card transaction: `POST /sandbox/cards/{id}/simulate/return_reversal` and `POST /sandbox/cards/{id}/simulate/authorization_expiry`.
  - `cardTransactionId` string, required: The id of the `CardTransaction` to act against.

## Response `202`

Simulation accepted. The resulting card operation is delivered asynchronously via the issuer's events webhook. Returns the issuer transaction token that correlates the simulated event.

- SandboxCardSimulationResponse: Response body for the sandbox card-event simulators. The simulate call pokes the card issuer's sandbox; the resulting card operation is delivered asynchronously via the issuer's events webhook, never synchronously in this response.
  - `issuerTransactionToken` string, required: The card issuer's transaction token for the simulated event. Correlates the eventual webhook-delivered card operation back to this simulate call.

## Other responses

- `400`: Bad request - Invalid parameters, or the transaction is not an open authorization
- `401`: Unauthorized
- `403`: Forbidden - request was made with a production platform token
- `404`: Card or card transaction not found
- `409`: Conflict. The simulation targets a card in a program where the card issuer makes authorization decisions. These sandbox simulators support only card programs where Grid makes authorization decisions. This is a property of the card's program, so retrying will not help.
- `500`: Internal service error

## Changes

> 115 revisions in range; 2 not diffed.

- **2026-10-28** `d996ddfb9d2b`: 5 info
  - added the optional property `details/missingFields` to the response with the `400` status
  - added the optional property `details/permission` to the response with the `403` status
  - added the optional property `details/policyDenialReason` to the response with the `403` status
  - added the optional property `details/refusalReason` to the response with the `400` status
  - …1 more
- **2026-10-28** `5abf2bb56bcb`: 1 warning
  - added the new `CORRIDOR_UNDER_MAINTENANCE` enum value to the `code` response property for the response status `403`
- **2026-10-26** `f11f1e76bdd7`: 1 warning
  - added the new `PURCHASE_CARD_LIMIT_REACHED` enum value to the `code` response property for the response status `409`
- **2026-10-26** `0a6dad5815c7`: 1 warning
  - added the new `INVOICE_ALREADY_USED` enum value to the `code` response property for the response status `409`
- **2026-10-24** `715332dcb111`: 1 warning
  - added the new `EXACT_AMOUNT_UNAVAILABLE` enum value to the `code` response property for the response status `400`

[Operation history](https://skmtc.dev/lightsparkdev/apis/grid-api/changes/sandbox/cards/:id/simulate/authorization_expiry/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/lightsparkdev/apis/grid-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/lightsparkdev/apis/grid-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/lightsparkdev/apis/grid-api/revisions/7a1db46ec552?raw)