You can reject a Venmo payment before you accept it, or cancel one you sent
A pending Venmo payment — one that has been sent to you but not yet accepted — can be rejected directly in the app. Once you reject it, the money stays in the sender's Venmo account and is never transferred to yours. If you sent the payment yourself and want to cancel it before the recipient accepts, you can do that too, though the window to cancel closes once they tap accept.
The process takes seconds and leaves no record of the transaction on your account. The sender will see that you rejected the payment, but the money is not lost — it simply returns to their balance.
Key Takeaways
- Tap and hold a pending payment sent to you, then select "Reject" to send the money back to the sender's Venmo account.
- You can only cancel a payment you sent if the recipient has not yet accepted it; once they accept, cancellation is no longer an option.
- Rejecting a payment does not delete it from your transaction history — both you and the sender can still see it marked as rejected.
- If a payment was sent by mistake or you believe it is fraudulent, rejecting it is faster than asking the sender to cancel on their end.
How to reject a payment someone sent you
Open the Venmo app and look at your home feed. Find the pending payment — it will show the sender's name, the amount, and a note about what it was for. Tap and hold on that payment until a menu appears with options.
Select "Reject" from the menu. Venmo will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, the payment is rejected. The money returns to the sender's Venmo balance immediately, and both of you will see the transaction marked as rejected in your history.
You do not need to give a reason or send a message. If you want to explain why you rejected it, you can send the sender a separate Venmo message or text them directly.
How to cancel a payment you sent
If you sent a payment and want to take it back, open the app and find the payment in your feed. Tap and hold on it. If the recipient has not yet accepted the payment, you will see a "Cancel" option. Tap it and confirm.
Once you cancel, the money returns to your Venmo balance. The recipient will see the payment marked as cancelled in their history, but they will not receive a notification — they may only notice if they check their pending payments.
If the recipient has already accepted the payment, you cannot cancel it through the app. At that point, you would need to ask them to send the money back to you, or you can request it as a new payment.
What happens if you reject a payment by mistake
If you rejected a payment and the sender actually meant to send it, they can simply send it again. There is no penalty or limit on how many times someone can send you the same payment.
The rejected payment stays in your transaction history so you can see what happened, but it does not affect your Venmo account balance or your ability to send and receive money in the future.
Rejecting payments that look fraudulent or suspicious
If you receive a payment from someone you do not know, or if the note attached to it seems suspicious, reject it immediately. Rejecting it is the safest first step because it prevents the money from entering your account.
After you reject it, you can report the sender to Venmo if you believe the payment was part of a scam. Open the payment in your history, tap the three dots, and select "Report." Venmo will review the account and may take action if they find a pattern of fraudulent activity.
Do not accept a suspicious payment and then try to reverse it later — rejecting it before acceptance is cleaner and faster.
Rejected payments and your Venmo history
When you reject a payment, it remains visible in your transaction history marked as "rejected." Both you and the sender can see this status. You cannot delete a rejected payment from your history, but it will not appear in your balance or affect any of your account activity.
If you need to provide proof that you rejected a payment — for example, in a dispute with the sender — you can take a screenshot of the transaction showing the rejected status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the sender get notified when I reject their payment?
Yes, the sender will see that you rejected the payment. Venmo does not send them a push notification, but when they open the app and look at their sent payments, they will see the status marked as rejected. They will not see a reason unless you message them separately.
Can I reject a payment and then accept it later?
No. Once you reject a payment, it is gone from your pending list. If the sender wants to send it again, they have to initiate a new payment. You cannot undo a rejection and accept the original payment.
What if I rejected a payment but I actually wanted the money?
Contact the sender and ask them to send the payment again. There is no way to reverse a rejection on your end. They can resend it in seconds, and you can accept it the second time.
Does rejecting a payment hurt my Venmo score or reputation?
No. Rejecting payments does not affect your Venmo account standing, your ability to send or receive money, or any other aspect of your account. Venmo does not penalize users for rejecting payments.
Can I reject a payment if it has already been accepted?
No. Once a payment is accepted, it has been transferred to your account and you can no longer reject it through the app. If you need to reverse an accepted payment, you would need to send the money back to the sender as a new payment, or request it from them.