This guide explains payment decline reasons and provides instructions to resolve the issue and receive payment quickly. Use this guide as a quick reference to minimize declines and resolve overdue payments and delinquencies faster.
Tips for handling payment declines
- Ask for an alternative payment method if the issue cannot be resolved immediately (e.g., insufficient funds, expired or restricted cards, or suspected fraud).
- Retry the same card if the issue is fixable (authentication required, incorrect details, or a temporary bank issue).
- Avoid making repeated retries on the same declined card, as this typically results in more failures and delays.
Rejection reasons and resolution
| Rejection code | Rejection reason | Recommended next step |
| Most common payment rejection reasons | ||
| insufficient_funds | Insufficient funds | Ask the customer to use a different payment method |
| card_not_supported | Card not supported for purchase | Ask the customer to use a different card or method |
| expired_card | Card expired | Ask the customer to use a different card |
| invalid_number | Invalid card number | Retry the same card with the corrected card number |
| incorrect_number | Incorrect card number | Retry the same card with the corrected card number |
| stolen_card | The card was reported stolen | Ask for a different payment method |
| pickup_card | The card cannot be used | Ask for a different payment method |
| not_permitted | Transaction not permitted | Ask the customer to use a different payment method |
| transaction_not_allowed | Transaction not allowed | Ask the customer to use a different payment method |
| card_velocity_exceeded | Transaction limit exceeded | Ask the customer to use a different payment method |
| generic_decline | Generic or risk decline | Ask for a different payment method |
| token_not_found | The payment method is no longer valid or has been removed due to a previous failure | Ask for a different payment method |
| Less common payment rejection reasons | ||
| authentication_required | Authentication (3DS) required | Retry the same card and complete authentication |
| authentication_not_handled | Required authentication was not performed | Retry the same card with authentication |
| mobile_device_authentication_required | Mobile wallet authentication required | Retry the same payment using the mobile device |
| approve_with_id | Issuer requires a retry | Retry the same card once; if it fails, use another payment method |
| issuer_not_available | Issuer temporarily unavailable | Retry the same card once; then use another payment method |
| processing_error | Processing error | Retry the same card; if it fails again, try later or another method |
| reenter_transaction | The issuer couldn’t process the transaction | Retry once; if declined again, use another payment method |
| deprecatedtry_again_later | Temporary issuer issue | Retry once; if declined again, use another payment method |
| duplicate_transaction | Duplicate transaction detected | Do not retry; check if the payment has already succeeded |
| incorrect_address | Incorrect billing address | Retry the same card with the corrected address |
| incorrect_cvc | Incorrect CVC | Retry the same card with the corrected CVC |
| incorrect_zip | Incorrect postal code | Retry the same card with the corrected postal code |
| invalid_cvc | Invalid CVC | Retry the same card with the corrected CVC |
| invalid_expiry_month | Invalid expiry month | Retry the same card with the corrected expiry date |
| invalid_expiry_year | Invalid expiry year | Retry the same card with the corrected expiry date |
| incorrect_pin | Incorrect PIN | Retry the same card with the correct PIN |
| invalid_pin | Invalid PIN | Retry the same card with the correct PIN |
| withdrawal_count_limit_exceeded | Withdrawal or limit exceeded | Ask the customer to use a different payment method |
| currency_not_supported | Currency not supported | Ask the customer to use a different card or method |
| invalid_amount | Invalid or unsupported amount | Adjust the amount or use a different payment method |
| service_not_allowed | Service not allowed | Ask the customer to use a different payment method |
| fraudulent | Suspected fraud | Do not retry; ask for a different payment method |
| merchant_blacklist | Blocked by merchant rules | Ask for a different payment method |
| lost_card | Card reported lost | Ask for a different payment method |
| restricted_card | Card restricted | Ask for a different payment method |
| call_issuer | Issuer requires contact | Ask for a different payment method |
| no_action_taken | Issuer declined with no action | Ask for a different payment method |
| revocation_of_authorization | Authorization revoked | Ask for a different payment method |
| revocation_of_all_authorizations | All authorizations revoked | Ask for a different payment method |
| security_violation | Security violation | Ask for a different payment method |
| stop_payment_order | The issuer stopped payment | Ask for a different payment method |
| new_account_information_available | Card details changed | Ask the customer to update the card or use another method |
| offline_pin_required | PIN required (card-present) | Retry the same card using chip + PIN |
| online_or_offline_pin_required | PIN required | Retry the same card with PIN. Otherwise, use another method |
| testmode_decline | Test card used | Use a real card in live mode |