Your card was accepted, the screen says the session is starting, and nothing happens. In most cases the payment is fine and the session setup has failed: the car and the charger never completed their handshake, so no power flows. End the session cleanly, check its state, and try once more — if it fails again, move to a different unit instead of paying again on the same one.
Key Takeaways
- A paid session that will not start is usually a failed handshake or an unlatched connector.
- End the session cleanly, re-seat the connector, check the car’s limits, retry once — then change units.
- Card holds are temporary reservations, not charges; the bill is for energy actually delivered.
- Note the unit number and report genuine faults; corridor stations must meet a 97% uptime rule.
First, Work Out What State the Session Is In
The display and the app tell you where things broke down:
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Payment accepted, “starting” never changes | The car and charger did not complete their connection checks | End the session, unplug, plug in again until it latches |
| App shows an active session at 0 kW | The session exists but the car is not drawing power | Check the car for a charge limit, schedule or paused state |
| Reader error right after you tapped | The authorisation never completed | Do not keep tapping; try a different card or the app |
| Session ends itself after a few seconds | The connector was not fully seated or the unit faulted | Re-seat the connector firmly; if it repeats, change units |
Our guide to how to use a public EV charger shows the normal start sequence, so you can spot where yours stalled.
The Five-Minute Reset Routine
- End the session properly. Stop it in the app or on the screen and wait for confirmation, so the unit releases the connector and closes the billing record.
- Unplug and re-seat. Pull the connector out, wait a few seconds, then push it in until it clicks. A half-latched connector is the most common cause of a dead start.
- Check the car, not just the charger. A charge limit below the battery level, a schedule or a paused session all look like a broken charger.
- Start once more. One clean retry settles most cases.
- Then move. If the same unit fails twice, use another unit rather than authorising a third payment on a faulty one.
About That Hold on Your Card
Many networks place a temporary hold on your card when a session starts. It reserves funds so the session can run; it is not the final charge. The amount and how fast it is released vary by network and by your bank. The final charge is based on the energy actually delivered — zero for a session that never started. Keep a screenshot of the failed session and the unit number in case you need the operator to clear a charge.
On federally funded corridor stations, the NEVI rules in 23 CFR Part 680 require contactless card payment with no membership needed, so an app account is never your only route to pay. Our explainer on whether charging stations take credit cards covers the options.
When It Really Is the Station
Sometimes the unit is simply down. Corridor stations built under NEVI funding must hold average annual uptime above 97%, but that still leaves room for a bad day on a single unit. Note the unit’s ID number, report the fault through the number or app on the charger, and find the next site rather than waiting — our guide to where to find EV charging stations shows how to line up a backup. Never force a connector that will not latch.
For site owners, failed starts are a reliability problem before they are a billing one. EVDANCE’s EV-RHDC30K-L compact DC fast charger delivers 22 kW with OCPP 1.6J network management in an IP54 enclosure. See the wider range on our commercial EV charging page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be charged twice if I start the session again?
You are billed for energy delivered, so a session that delivered nothing should bill nothing. Temporary holds can stack up while they clear, which looks like a double charge for a day or two — check the final posted amounts, not the pending ones.
How long does a card hold from a charging session last?
It varies. The network requests the hold, but your bank controls when it is released. If one from a failed session is still there after several days, contact the operator with the unit number, date and time.
The screen says charging but my car shows nothing. Who is right?
Trust the car’s delivered-energy figure. If the car shows no energy accepted, end the session, check the car’s limit and schedule, and restart once. If it still takes nothing, change units.
Related Reading
- How to Use a Public EV Charger (and How to Stop It)
- Do EV Charging Stations Take Credit Cards?
- Where to Find EV Charging Stations: Maps, Apps and Tips
