Creating a Relay debit card

This article will walk through how to create physical and virtual Relay debit cards.

Relay provides up to 50 free Visa debit cards per business. An account can have up to 50 active Visa debit cards, and this does not apply to cards that have been terminated.

Please note: Relay debit cards will only pull available funds from their source account, and will only carry out transactions if there are available funds in the account.

Virtual cards

Virtual cards are issued and activated instantly. They can be used for online transactions and are compatible with Apple, Google, and Samsung Pay for in-person payments at participating merchants.

Physical cards

Once issued, physical cards are expected to arrive in 8-10 business days at your business address or an alternative preferred U.S. address. You must activate this card on Relay via the Cards tab once you receive it before it can be used.

Please note: we currently only ship physical debit cards within the United States.

Default cards

A physical and virtual card will automatically be created and sent to your business address when you first open your account. You will be able to confirm the shipping details of your first physical card during registration; alternatively, if you do not need a physical debit card, you can opt out of having one sent to you during registration.

How to create a debit card

Sign in to your Relay account.
Navigate to the Cards tab.
Click Create card at the top-right corner of your screen.
Choose your card type (physical or virtual).
Enter your Card nickname. This is the name you will use to identify your card on your dashboard. This will not be the name printed on your physical card.
Select if the card is a Shared or Individual card (learn the difference here).
Select the Primary cardholder from the drop-down menu. Only team members with Administrator, Manager, and Cardholder permission levels can be selected as a primary Cardholder.
Select the Source account. This is the checking account that money will be drawn from when this debit card is used. Debit cards cannot be linked to savings accounts.
If you're creating a physical card, choose what name(s) you would like printed on the card. You will see a preview of what the name(s) will look like when printed. Please note that the name(s) printed on your card are limited to 21 characters per name.
[Optional] Set custom daily and monthly Spending limits and ATM withdrawal limits.
If you're creating a physical card, choose your shipping address. This section will not appear if you're creating a virtual card. When you're done, click Next.
Review your card details, then click Order card.

Sign in to the Relay app on your mobile device.
Navigate to the Cards tab.
Tap the plus sign on the top-right of your screen.
Choose your card type (physical or virtual).
Enter your Card nickname. This is the name you will use to identify your card on your dashboard. This will not be the name printed on your physical card.
Select if the card is a Shared or Individual card (learn the difference here).
Select the Primary cardholder from the drop-down menu. Only team members with Administrator, Manager, and Cardholder permission levels can be selected as a primary Cardholder.
Select the Source account. This is the checking account that money will be drawn from when this debit card is used. Debit cards cannot be linked to savings accounts.
If you're creating a physical card, choose what name(s) you would like printed on the card. You will see a preview of what the name(s) will look like when printed. Please note that the name(s) printed on your card are limited to 21 characters per name.
[Optional] Set custom daily and monthly Spending limits and ATM withdrawal limits, then tap Continue.
If you're creating a physical card, choose your shipping address. This section will not appear if you're creating a virtual card. When you're done, tap Continue.
Review your card details, then tap Order card.

It will take between 8 to 10 business days for your physical card to arrive in the mail once you've created it. If you've created a virtual card, you can start using it right away!

How can I activate my physical card once I've received it in the mail?

For instructions on how to activate your physical debit card, please see Activating a physical card.

How can I view my card details?

For instructions on how to view your card details, please see Viewing your debit card number, CVV, and expiry date. Your card must be active for you to view this information.

How can I edit my debit card?

For instructions on how to edit your card nickname or spending limits, please see Editing your Relay card.

Please note: card types cannot be changed once a card has been created. If you would like to update your physical card to a virtual card (or vice versa), a new card will need to be created altogether.

How can I freeze or terminate my debit card?

For instructions on how to freeze or terminate your Relay debit card, please see Freezing or terminating a Relay debit card.

Can I change the source account linked to my debit card?

No, the checking account linked to your debit card cannot be edited once the card has been issued. If you want to change the source account for your debit card, you will need to create a brand new card and link it to your desired account.

Can I update the shipping address for my debit card after I've created it?

Your physical card shipping address cannot be updated once you've created the card. If you entered the wrong shipping address and need to update it, please terminate the card and create a new one with your preferred shipping address.

Can I change the cardholder assigned to a debit card?

Assigned cardholders cannot be changed once a card has been created. If you would like to change the cardholder assigned to your card, a new card will need to be created.