> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.dash.fi/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create cards

> Create virtual cards with spend limits, category controls, and cardholder assignments.

Cards are created from the **Cards** tab. Depending on your organisation's settings, you may create a card immediately or submit a card request for approval.

## Create a card or request one

If your organisation has card approval enabled, the button reads **Request Card** and your submission routes to an approver before the card is issued. If approval isn't required, clicking **Create Card** issues the card immediately.

See [Card requests](#card-requests) below for how the approval flow works.

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the card creation panel">
    From the [Dash.fi dashboard](https://app.dash.fi), click **Create Card** (or **Request Card**) in the top-right of the Cards tab. A panel slides out from the right.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a template (optional)">
    Choose a spend template to pre-fill category controls. Available templates include:

    * **Advertising** — ad platform spend
    * **Shipping** — shipping and carrier spend
    * **Software / SaaS** — software subscriptions
    * **Plastiq** — bill payment via Plastiq
    * **PayPal** — unrestricted (all categories allowed)
    * **Apple Wallet / Google Wallet** — general expenses with tokenisation enabled
    * **General Expenses**, **Professional Services**, **Travel & Entertainment**, **Office Supplies**, **Meals & Expenses**, **Gas & Auto**

    You can skip template selection and configure categories manually.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the card name">
    Give the card a descriptive name. Names must be unique — you'll see an error if a card with the same name already exists.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the card type">
    Select **Recurring** (multi-use, for ongoing charges) or **Single-Use** (deactivates after the first successful transaction). This setting is permanent and can't be changed after the card is created.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the spend limit">
    Choose a limit frequency and amount:

    | Limit type | Description                       |
    | ---------- | --------------------------------- |
    | Unlimited  | No limit on spending              |
    | Daily      | Resets every 24 hours             |
    | Monthly    | Resets each calendar month        |
    | Lifetime   | Total cap for the card's lifetime |

    Minimum spend limit: **$50** for recurring cards, **$5** for single-use cards. The limit cannot exceed your account's overall daily or monthly limit.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign a cardholder">
    The cardholder defaults to you. Administrators and account owners can change this to any other person on the account. Cardholder assignment is locked after the card is created.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure spend controls (optional)">
    Expand **Spend controls** to restrict which merchant categories the card can be used at. Categories are pre-filled if you chose a template. If no categories are selected, the card will decline at all merchants — make sure to select at least one, or use the PayPal template for unrestricted spend.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create or submit">
    Click **Create Card** to issue immediately, or **Request Card** to submit for approval.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Card requests

When card approval is enabled for your organisation:

* Submitting a card creation opens an approval request in the reviewer's inbox
* You can view your pending requests in the **Your Requests** tab on the Cards page
* Statuses: **Pending** (submitted), **Changes Requested** (returned by reviewer — you can edit and resubmit), **Approved**, **Declined**
* To withdraw a request, open it from **Your Requests** and click **Delete**

Approvers can approve, decline, or return a request with comments. If returned, you'll receive a notification and can update the card settings before resubmitting.

## Billing address

Every card uses the billing address registered on your Dash.fi account. Merchants use this for card verification. If the address entered at checkout doesn't match, the transaction may be declined.

To check your billing address, go to **Settings → Business**.