Recurring Payments {#credentials-recur-intro}
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A recurring payment is a credentials-on-file (COF) transaction in a series of payments that you bill to a customer for a fixed amount at regular intervals that do not exceed one year between transactions. The series of recurring payments is the result of an agreement between you and the customer for the purchase of goods or services that are provided at regular intervals. Recurring payments are also known as *subscriptions*.  
Mastercard uses standing order and subscription payments instead of recurring payments. See [Mastercard Standing Order Payments](/docs/vas/en-us/payments/developer/amexdirect/rest/payments/credentials-processsing-intro/credentials-mit-stand-order-intro.md "") and [Mastercard Subscription Payments](/docs/vas/en-us/payments/developer/amexdirect/rest/payments/credentials-processsing-intro/credentials-mc-subscription-intro.md "").

Recurring Billing Service for Recurring Payments
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IMPORTANT Do not use this document for the Recurring Billing service.