Account Features

With a Charlie account, you can customize your payment experience in person and online.

Register for a Charlie Account

You can register for a Charlie account with your email or your Google, Facebook, or Apple account through the Charlie website. 

By registering, you will be able to:

• Manage multiple family accounts
• Set personalized preferences for accessibility, language and notifications
• Get notifications via email or text
• Protect your privacy and personal data

Registering is optional.

Choose Your Preferred Language

The new Charlie system supports the following languages:

• English
• Spanish (Español)
• Portuguese (Português)
• Chinese (汉语)

You can set up your preferred language by logging into your Charlie account. Information will automatically display on the screen in your preferred language any time you log into the website or tap on a fare reader, gate, or vending machine.

Note: These languages were selected based on an analysis of the most recent census data for the MBTA service area. We will re-evaluate rider needs every three years to evaluate the need support additional languages.

Set Up Account Notifications

You can choose to receive alerts via email or text message.

To enable notifications:

• Register for a Charlie account
• Tap the 'Account' icon and select 'Notifications'
• Choose email and/or SMS
• Select 'Save'

You can choose to enable or disable notifications at any time. You can only opt out of 'Optional Notifications.' 'Required Notifications' are necessary to deliver information about your account. 

Note: Notifications are currently only supported in English.

For more information on how rider information is used, view the MBTA privacy policy and the Charlie terms of use.  

Review Your Charges

In the event of accidental taps or other concerns, you can review your charges on the Charlie website.

You can review charges without registering for an account, but having an account will allow you to view details such as the card number, and where and what time a charge occurred. You can dispute a charge by doing the following:

1. Go to the Charlie website and select trip history.
2. Enter your account information or card number.
3. Select the three dot “more” icon and select “Dispute Trip” on the right side of the chosen trip activity.
4. Wait for a response from customer support. If the dispute is approved, you will be refunded on the card used to pay the fare. If not, customer support will notify you that the dispute has not been approved.

Note: You can only dispute a charge within seven days of completing a trip.

Help Manage Someone Else’s Account

Once you register for Charlie, you can authorize family, friends or other users so you can manage their accounts, or they can manage yours.

With a Charlie account, you, your parent, guardian, or caretaker can:

• Designate an authorized account manager to manage your account on your behalf
• Have another user authorize you to manage their account
• Have your authorized account managers make changes to your account
• Become an authorized account manager
• Grant access to a trusted family member or caretaker to manage your Charlie account