Vendor and category controls let you decide where team members can spend on their Relay cards. You can edit them from web or mobile in under a minute, and changes apply immediately.
What you need before you start
Admin or Owner role on the Relay account
The Relay Visa® Credit Card or Relay Visa® Debit Card you want to update
The list of vendors or spending categories you want to allow or block
Access to the Relay web dashboard or Relay mobile app
What are vendor and category controls?
Vendor and category controls are per-card spending rules you set on a Relay Visa® Credit Card or Relay Visa® Debit Card, so the card only works at the merchants or merchant categories you approve.
Vendor controls limit spending to specific businesses — for example, only Shell, or one software subscription.
Category controls limit spending to a merchant type — for example, only gas stations, restaurants, or travel.
You can use them to issue a gas-only card to a driver, a software-only card to your ops lead, or a card that blocks a single problem vendor.
Each card supports one type of restriction at a time. A card is either restricted by vendor list or by category list — not both.
Controls apply at the moment of authorization. If a transaction falls outside the card's allowed vendors or categories, the card declines.
How do I edit vendor and category controls on the Relay web app?
You can edit vendor and category controls from the Cards tab in your Relay web dashboard.
Sign in to your Relay account at app.relayfi.com.
Go to the Cards tab.
Select the card you want to edit.
Select the Controls tab, then select Set Up or Edit beside Vendor or Category Restrictions.
Add, remove, or update the vendors or categories you want to allow or block.
Click Save.
The updated controls apply to the card right away. No additional confirmation is required.
How do I edit vendor and category controls on the Relay mobile app?
You can also edit vendor and category controls from the Relay mobile app in just a few taps.
Sign in to the Relay mobile app.
Go to the Cards tab.
Select the card you want to edit.
Tap Spending Controls.
Tap the vendor or category controls option.
Add, remove, or update the vendors or categories.
Tap Save.
The new controls take effect immediately, the same as on the web.
How do I block or allow international transactions on a Relay card?
Relay allows you to control whether to allow or block international transactions on specific debit/credit cards. To edit these restrictions, follow the below steps:
On the browser:
Sign in to your Relay account at app.relayfi.com.
Go to the Cards tab.
Select the card you want to edit.
Select the Controls tab.
Under the Card Access header, select the edit button beside “International Transaction” to toggle on or off whether this card can allow international transactions.
Click Save.
On the mobile app:
Sign in to the Relay mobile app.
Go to the Cards tab.
Select the card you want to edit.
Tap Spending Controls.
Select Block International Transactions.
Toggle on or off whether this card can allow international transactions.
Tap Save.
The new controls take effect immediately for future authorizations.
Customers are also prompted whether to allow or block international transactions when creating a new card. When setting up a new debit or credit card, look for the Block International Transactions toggle during the Spend Controls portion of the card creation flow.
What happens after I save new controls?
New controls apply immediately to every future authorization on that card.
Pending transactions that were already authorized before you saved will still settle on the original authorization. New rules only apply to purchases initiated after you save.
Give your team a heads-up before you tighten controls on a card they carry, so they know why a transaction might decline.
Can I combine vendor and category controls on the same card?
You can apply multiple vendors or multiple categories to a single card, but a card can use only one control type at a time. A card is either restricted by vendor list or by category list. If a team member needs both a vendor restriction and a category restriction, issue a second card with the other rule set.
Common issues
A transaction declined at a merchant you allowed. Visa may classify the merchant under a different vendor or category than you expect. Ask the cardholder for the merchant name that appears on the receipt, then check the card's control list against that exact name. Also confirm the merchant spelling matches the vendor you selected, and that the purchase doesn't fall outside the allowed category.
A transaction is still declining after you removed a block. Confirm the card is not frozen, that the transaction category matches an allowed category, and that no other card limits are being hit. See Why did my card decline? in the Help Centre for more troubleshooting.
Vendor or category not appearing in search. The merchant may not be in Relay's supported list yet. Submit a request from the same screen.
Team member says the card doesn't work anywhere. Confirm the rule saved (rather than closing the panel before saving), and confirm at least one vendor or category is enabled.
A specific purchase went through even after the rule was set. Pending transactions authorized before you saved settle on the original authorization. New rules apply only to purchases initiated after save.
Your saved changes didn't apply. Refresh the card detail screen and confirm the controls list matches what you saved. If it still looks wrong, sign out and back in.
You don't see the spending controls option on the card. Confirm your team member role includes permission to edit cards. Owners and admins have access by default; other roles may need to be updated by an owner.
You need both a vendor and a category restriction. Each Relay card supports one restriction type at a time. Issue a second card — for example, two virtual cards to the same team member, one restriction type per card.
Frequently asked questions
Do vendor and category controls work on both Relay Visa Credit and Debit Cards?
Yes. Vendor and category controls work the same way on the Relay Visa® Credit Card and the Relay Visa® Debit Card. The setup screens and steps are identical on both card types.
Can I set multiple vendor or category controls on one card?
Yes. You can select multiple vendors, or multiple categories, on the same card.
Can I combine vendor and category controls on the same card?
No. A single card can carry either a vendor restriction or a category restriction, not both at once. If a team member needs both, issue a second card — for example, two virtual cards to the same person, one for each restriction type.
Can the cardholder see or change these controls?
No. Controls are visible to account owners and team members with card management permissions, not to the cardholder using the card day to day.
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