A list of card decline codes and what each means:

A declined payment can be frustrating for both customers and businesses. Customers may wonder why their card or account isn't working, while businesses are left uncertain if the transaction will go through. Payment declines can happen in various situations, whether it's at the store register, during online checkout, or with recurring payments.

There are many reasons why a card payment might get declined, and this can result in a lost sale. To avoid these issues, it's important to understand how credit card transactions work and what can cause a decline. Payment processors provide decline codes that explain why a transaction was rejected. Businesses should familiarize themselves with these codes to effectively handle declined transactions and potentially save the sale.

What exactly is a decline code?

A decline code is like a little message that tells us why your card payment didn't go through. It's usually a short combination of letters and numbers, and it helps us understand what went wrong with the transaction. While these codes can come from different places like your bank or the company processing the payment, we might not always know the exact code.

View our article about Understanding Declines.

Various Types of Card Declines:

1. Not Enough Money or Credit: Sometimes, there's just not enough money in your account or on your card to cover the payment. This is the most common reason for declines, and unfortunately, there's not much we can do about it.

   
   

2. Making Mistakes: When you're shopping online, you have to type in your card details, like the number, CVV, and expiration date. If you make a mistake, like typing in the wrong number, your payment might get declined. Luckily, this is an easy fix – just double-check your details and try again.

   
   

3. Fraud Suspicions: Sometimes, if you're making a big purchase or lots of purchases in a short time, it might look suspicious to the system and your payment could be declined. You can usually fix this by contacting your bank and confirming that it's really you making the purchases.

   
   

4. Card Stuff: If your card hasn't been activated yet or it's expired, your payment won't go through. You'll need to activate your card or use a different one.

   
   

5. Card Damage: If your card's chip or strip is damaged, the machine might not be able to read it, and your payment could be declined. In this case, you can try typing in your card details manually or using contactless payments if that's an option.

   
   
6. Terminal Compatibility: Sometimes, the machine you're using doesn't work with the type of card you have. For example, if the machine doesn't accept American Express cards and you're trying to pay with one, your payment won't go through. Luckily, most payment systems work with all major card types, so this doesn't happen often.

List of Card Decline Codes:

Here is a compilation of decline codes that processors may use to indicate why a transaction cannot be processed. Codes may vary by acquiring bank. Each code signifies a distinct reason for the decline.

• 01: Refer to issuer
• 02: Refer to issuer (special condition)
• 03: Invalid merchant
• 04: Pick up card (no fraud)
• 05: Do not honor
• 06: Error
• 07: Pick up card (fraud)
• 10: Partial approval
• 12: Invalid transaction
• 13: Invalid amount
• 14: Invalid account number
• 15: No such issuer
• 19: Re-enter transaction
• 21: No action taken
• 25: Unable to locate record in file
• 28: File temporarily not available for update or injury
• 41: Lost card, pick up
• 43: Stolen card, pick up
• 51: Insufficient funds
• 52: No checking account
• 53: No savings account
• 54: Expired card
• 55: Incorrect PIN
• 57: Transaction not permitted—card
• 58: Transaction not permitted—terminal
• 59: Suspected fraud
• 61: Exceeds approval amount limit
• 62: Invalid/restricted service code
• 63: Security violation
• 64: Transaction does not fulfill AML requirement
• 65: Exceeds withdrawal limit
• 70: PIN data required
• 75: Allowable number of PIN entry tries exceeded
• 76: Unsolicited reversal
• 78: Blocked, first use
• 79: Already reversed
• 82: Negative CAM, dCVV, iCVV, or CVV results
  • A decline code that indicates the card's security values failed verification . This can happen when the cardholder enters the wrong security value.
• 85: No reason to decline
• 86: Cannot verify PIN
• 91: Issuer or switch unavailable
• 92: Unable to route transaction
• 93: Transaction can’t be completed—violation of law
• 96: System error
• 97: Invalid CVV
• 1A: Additional customer authentication required
• R0: Recurring charge stopped at customer request
• R1: Recurring charge stopped at customer request