# Cancel an Outbound Payment

Source: https://docs.gocardless.com/docs/send-money/send-an-outbound-payment/cancel-an-outbound-payment

# Cancel an outbound payment

## Eligibility

Once an outbound payment moves to the `executing` state or beyond, the payment process has started and cancellation is no longer possible.

| Payment type                   | Cancellable states                           |
| ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| Instant outbound payments      | `verifying`, `pending_approval`              |
| Future-dated outbound payments | `verifying`, `pending_approval`, `scheduled` |

## Use cases for cancellation

1. The payment is no longer necessary — for example, the recipient no longer requires the funds, or a business decision changes the need for the payment.
2. You have concerns about the verification results and do not wish to proceed.
3. Since outbound payments cannot be directly updated, cancellation is required if any attributes need to be changed. To modify the amount, description, or other parameters, cancel the existing payment and create a new one.

## No recall process

> **Warning:**
> Once an outbound payment is processed and executed, it cannot be recalled. If funds are sent to
>   the wrong recipient or with the wrong amount, the funds are transferred to the recipient's bank
>   account and we no longer have access to them.

## Example

```http
POST https://api.gocardless.com/outbound_payments//actions/cancel HTTP/1.1
```

## What's next?

  
#### [Create an outbound payment](/docs/send-money/send-an-outbound-payment/create-an-outbound-payment)

Create a new outbound payment with the corrected details.

  
#### [Tracking Outbound Payments](/docs/send-money/tracking-outbound-payments)

Monitor payment status and understand the full lifecycle.