You can turn off Pay Over Time on your American Express card through your online account, the Amex mobile app, or by calling the number on the back of your card. The whole process takes just a few minutes regardless of which method you choose.
How to Disable Pay Over Time Online
Log in to your American Express online account and navigate to Account Services. From there, select “Payment & Credit Options,” then click “Manage Pay Over Time.” You’ll see a toggle or option to switch the feature off. Confirm the change, and the feature will be deactivated on your account.
If you prefer the mobile app, open the Amex app and look for the same Pay Over Time settings within your account management options. The app mirrors the same functionality as the website, so you can toggle the feature off directly from your phone.
If you run into trouble finding the setting in either place, call the customer service number printed on the back of your card. A representative can turn it off for you over the phone.
What Pay Over Time Actually Does
Pay Over Time is a feature on American Express charge cards that lets you carry a balance on eligible purchases from month to month instead of paying your full statement balance by the due date. Traditional charge cards require payment in full each billing cycle, but Pay Over Time essentially adds a revolving credit option on top of that structure. When it’s turned on, you only need to pay a minimum amount, and any remaining balance accrues interest.
Many cardholders activate the feature because Amex offers bonus Membership Rewards points as an incentive, sometimes 10,000 or more points just for enrolling. Others turn it on thinking they might need the flexibility at some point. The catch is that carrying a balance means paying interest charges, and the variable APRs on Amex charge cards can be steep.
What Happens After You Turn It Off
Once you deactivate Pay Over Time, your card reverts to standard charge card terms. That means your full statement balance will be due each billing cycle, with no option to carry a portion forward. If you currently have a balance you’ve been paying over time, be prepared for the possibility that the remaining amount could become due on your next statement. Before turning the feature off, check your current balance and make sure you can handle paying it in full.
Turning off Pay Over Time does not affect your Membership Rewards points. American Express confirms that using or not using the feature has no impact on how you earn or redeem points. If you received bonus points for enrolling in Pay Over Time, those points are yours to keep. The enrollment offer was tied to activating the feature, not to keeping it active indefinitely.
Why You Might Want to Turn It Off
The most common reason is simply avoiding interest charges. If you activated the feature for the enrollment bonus but never intend to carry a balance, leaving it on creates unnecessary risk. One month of forgetfulness or an unexpectedly large statement could mean you pay only the minimum without realizing it, triggering interest on the remaining balance.
Some cardholders also prefer the financial discipline that comes with a traditional charge card. Knowing you must pay the full balance every month keeps spending in check. With Pay Over Time enabled, the safety net of partial payments can quietly encourage larger purchases than you’d otherwise make.
There’s also a credit reporting consideration. When Pay Over Time is active, American Express may report a credit limit and utilization ratio to the credit bureaus, similar to a regular credit card. Some people prefer the way a traditional charge card (with no preset spending limit and no reported utilization) interacts with their credit profile. The effect varies depending on your overall credit picture, but it’s worth knowing the reporting can change based on whether the feature is on or off.
Re-Enrolling Later
If you change your mind down the road, you can typically turn Pay Over Time back on through the same account settings. However, you likely won’t receive the original enrollment bonus a second time, since those promotional point offers are usually one-time incentives for first-time activation. The feature itself remains available on eligible cards whenever you want it, just without the signup sweetener.