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Payment Knowledge Hub

Decline Reasons Codes

A comprehensive list of decline codes, their meanings, and recommended actions to resolve payment issues.

Decline CodeNameDescriptionRecommended Action
01Refer to IssuerThe issuing bank requires the cardholder to contact them for further verification.Ask the cardholder to call their bank.
02Refer to card issuer's special conditionsSimilar to Code 01, but may involve specific conditions like suspected fraud.Ask the cardholder to contact their bank.
03Invalid MerchantThe merchant's account is not properly set up with the payment processor.Contact your payment processor to verify account status.
04Pick UpThe card has been flagged for potential fraud or other issues; the issuer wants it confiscated.Do not attempt the transaction; request another payment method.
05Do Not HonorThe issuing bank has blocked the transaction, often due to suspected fraud or account issues.Ask the cardholder to contact their bank to resolve the issue.
06ErrorA general error occurred during processing, often due to technical issues.Re-enter the transaction or contact the payment processor.
07Pick Up Card, Special ConditionSimilar to Code 04, but with specific fraud-related conditions.Do not attempt the transaction; request another payment method.
12Invalid TransactionThe transaction type is not supported by the card or processor.Verify transaction details or request another payment method.
13Invalid AmountThe transaction amount is incorrect or exceeds allowable limits.Check the amount and retry or request another payment method.
14Invalid Card Number (no such number)The card number provided is incorrect or not recognized by the issuing bank.Verify the card number with the cardholder and re-enter.
15No Such IssuerThe card's issuing bank cannot be identified based on the card number.Confirm card details or request a different payment method.
19Re-enter TransactionA processing error requires the transaction to be resubmitted.Re-enter the transaction or contact the payment processor.
20Invalid ResponseThe payment processor received an invalid or unreadable response from the issuer (bank).Retry the transaction; check data formatting.
21No action takenThe transaction was not processed, possibly due to an error or timeout.Retry with stable connectivity or use another method if needed.
22Suspected MalfunctionThe issuer suspects a technical issue (e.g., system error, communication failure).Retry later or contact their bank to confirm whether there are any holds or restrictions on the card.
23Unacceptable transaction feeThe transaction fee is too high or not accepted by the issuer.Use a different card or adjust payment amount.
24File update not supported by receiverThe merchant or processor does not support the requested file update (e.g., card details update).Manually update details or request a new payment method.
25Unable to Locate Record on fileThe issuer cannot find the account associated with the card.Ask the cardholder to verify card details or use another payment method.
27File update field edit errorAn error occurred while trying to update customer payment information due to invalid or malformed data in one or more fields.Verify that all the data is valid.
28File update file locked outThe issuer's system is temporarily down or unavailable.Wait and retry the transaction later.
29File update not successful, contact acquirerThe merchant's system failed to update payment details (e.g., card expiration date, billing info) due to a technical issue with the processor.Contact your payment provider (acquirer) to resolve the file update error.
30Format ErrorThe transaction data was formatted incorrectly by the merchant's system.Check transaction data and retry or contact the processor.
31Bank not supported by switchThe card issuer (bank) is not recognized or supported by the payment network being used for processing.Check transaction data and retry or contact the processor.
33Expired CardThe card used for the transaction has passed its expiration date and is no longer valid for payments.Update payment method.
34Suspected FraudThe card issuer has flagged the transaction as potentially fraudulent.Do not retry the transaction, and contact the bank to confirm your identity and approve the transaction.
35Card acceptor contact acquirerThe merchant (card acceptor) must contact their payment processor (acquirer) for further instructions.Retry the transaction, and if it persists, contact your payment processor for resolution.
36Restricted CardThe card is restricted (possibly expired, blocked, or limited to specific transactions).Verify if the card is expired or reported lost/stolen, or use a different card, or contact the bank.
37Card Acceptor Call Acquirer SecurityPotential fraud suspected-merchant must call their processor's security team.Do not retry the transaction, and contact your payment processor's fraud department immediately.
38Allowable PIN Tries ExceededToo many incorrect PIN attempts (common in debit/ATM transactions).Ask the customer to use another payment method (or correct PIN if possible).
39No Credit AccountThe card is not linked to a valid credit account.Request another payment method.
41Lost CardThe card has been reported lost, and the issuer has blocked the transaction.Do not attempt the transaction; request another payment method.
42No universal accountThe card issuer (bank) does not recognize the account type being used for this transaction.Verify the card details or use a different card. If it persists, contact the card issuer bank.
43Stolen Card, Pick UpThe card has been reported stolen, and the issuer has blocked the transaction.Do not attempt the transaction; request another payment method.
44No Investment AccountThe card is linked to an investment account, not a standard credit account.Request another payment method.
46Closed AccountThe cardholder's account has been closed.Request another payment method.
51Not sufficient fundsThe cardholder's account lacks sufficient funds or credit for the transaction.Request an alternative payment method or lower amount.
52No Checking AccountThe card is not linked to a valid checking account (for debit transactions).Request another payment method.
53No Savings AccountThe card is not linked to a valid savings account (for debit transactions).Request another payment method.
54Expired CardThe card has passed its expiration date.Ask for a valid card or updated card information.
55Incorrect personal identification numberThe PIN entered for the transaction is incorrect.Ask the cardholder to re-enter the PIN or use another method.
56No card recordThe card number is invalid, closed, or does not exist in the issuer's system.Verify the card details or use a different card. If it persists, contact the card issuer bank.
57Transaction not permitted to cardholderThe transaction type is not allowed for this card (e.g., restricted card type).Ask the cardholder to use a different card or payment method.
58Transaction Not Permitted To TerminalThe merchant's terminal is not authorized for this transaction type.Contact the payment processor to verify terminal settings.
59Suspected FraudThe issuer has flagged the transaction as potentially fraudulent.Ask the cardholder to contact their bank or use another method.
60Card acceptor contact acquirerThe transaction was flagged for manual review by the payment processor or issuer.Do not retry the transaction, and contact your payment processor's fraud department immediately.
61Exceeds Withdrawal LimitThe transaction exceeds the card's withdrawal limit.Suggest a lower amount or request another payment method.
62Restricted CardThe card is restricted due to specific limitations set by the issuer.Request an alternative payment method.
63Security ViolationThe transaction violates security protocols (e.g., incorrect CVV).Verify security details (e.g., CVV) or request another method.
64Original amount incorrectThe transaction references a previous authorization, but the amount doesn't match the original authorized sum.Verify the transaction amount matches any previous authorizations exactly, and check your authorization records if this is a follow-up transaction. For refunds, ensure you're not exceeding the original transaction amount. Process as a new transaction if you can't resolve the amount discrepancy.
65Exceeds withdrawal frequency limitThe transaction exceeds the card's allowable limit for a single purchase.Suggest a lower amount or request another payment method.
66Card acceptor call acquirer's security departmentHigh-risk transaction flagged for potential fraud.Do not retry the transaction, and contact your payment processor's fraud department immediately.
67Hard capture (requires that card be picked up at ATM)Issuer has blocked the card permanently due to: Reported lost/stolen, Suspected compromise, Fraudulent activity.Decline the transaction - No retry possible, and notify customer discreetly to contact their bank.
68Response Received Too LateThe issuer's response to the transaction request was delayed.Retry the transaction or contact the payment processor.
70Contact Card IssuerApplies for Mastercard. The issuer requires direct contact from the cardholder for verification.Please check the specific provider decline codes.
70PIN Not SuppliedApplies for Visa. The transaction requires a PIN, but none was provided.Please check the specific provider decline codes.
75Allowable number of PIN tries exceededThe cardholder has exceeded the number of PIN attempts allowed.Ask the cardholder to contact their bank or use another method.
78Card Not ActivatedThe payment card (typically a new or replacement card) has not been activated by the cardholder before use.Activate the card or use an alternative payment method.
79Life CycleApplies for Mastercard. The transaction is refused due to invalid card data.Please check the specific provider decline codes.
80Visa transactions: credit issuer unavailableThe issuing bank cannot be reached.Try again or use another payment method.
82CVN Mismatch: Negative CAM, dCVV, iCVV, or CVV resultsThe CVN code provided is incorrect.Ask the cardholder to re-enter the CVN or use another method.
82Invalid card expiration dateThe expiration date is incorrect.Input the correct card expiration date.
83Fraud Card / SecurityApplies for Mastercard. The card is flagged for fraud with no legitimate cardholder.Please check the specific provider decline codes.
86Cannot Verify PINApplies for VISA. The PIN could not be verified by the issuer.Please check the specific provider decline codes.
91Issuer or switch is inoperativeThe issuing bank's system is down or unreachable.Wait and retry the transaction later.
92Financial institution or intermediate network facility cannot be found for routingThe transaction cannot be routed to the correct issuer.Contact the payment processor to resolve routing issues.
93Transaction cannot be completed. Violation of lawThe transaction is illegal or violates regulatory requirements.Do not attempt the transaction; contact the processor.
94Duplicate TransmissionThe transaction appears to be a duplicate of a previous one.Confirm with the cardholder and avoid reattempting.
95Reconcile errorThe transaction data contains errors (e.g., incorrect fields).Verify all data and retry or contact the processor.
96System MalfunctionA technical issue with the issuer or processor caused the decline.Wait and retry the transaction or contact the processor.
1AAuthentication RequiredVisa requires authentication.Retry with 3D Secure for PSD2 transactions (soft decline).
5CTransaction not supported/blocked by issuerVisa issuer refused transaction.Contact the bank or use another method.
9GBlocked by cardholder/contact cardholderCardholder blocked card.Use another payment method.
R0Stop payment orderVisa cardholder stopped a specific recurring payment.Contact shopper about cancellation.
R1Revocation of authorization orderVisa cardholder stopped all recurring payments.Contact shopper about cancellation.
R3Revocation of all authorizationVisa cardholder canceled all recurring payments.Contact shopper about cancellation.
Z1Offline-declinedVisa non-cardholder request (e.g., advice) declined offline.Please check the specific provider decline codes.
Z3Unable to go online; offline-declinedVisa non-cardholder request (e.g., advice) declined offline.Please check the specific provider decline codes.
N3Cash service not availablePrivate use or maximum online refund limit reached.Contact bank to check restrictions; use another payment method or non-refunded transaction.
N4Cash request exceeds issuer limitPrivate use or maximum offline refund limit reached.Verify limits with bank; try smaller amount or different payment method.
N7Decline for CVV2 failurePrivate use or declined due to customer-selected negative file reason.Re-enter CVV2; contact bank if flagged; use another payment method.

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