Sometimes the payment processor returns vague decline codes. While your specific bank will know the reason for the error, the table below gives the most decline codes with both an explanation and recommended action to take.
Note: these error codes may differ from gateway to gateway since there are no standardized error codes. We recommend following the error message and reaching out to your specific bank if the reasons below do not clarify the issue.
| Code number | Reason | Explanation |
| 00 | Transaction Approved Successfully | The bank has approved and successfully completed the transaction. |
| 01 | Refer To Card Issuer | The issuer has refused the transaction. The cardholder will want to contact the issuing bank to clarify the situation. Additionally, cardholders may want to use a separate card or try again after resolving the issue with the bank. |
| 03 | Invalid Merchant Number | This error indicates that the entered details are incorrect or the merchant facility is non-functional. |
| 04 | Pick Up Card | The issuing bank has declined the transaction, and requested the merchant retain the card as it may be reported as lost or stolen. The customer will want to use a separate card or contact their bank to resolve the issue. |
| 05 | Do Not Honor | The issuing bank is unwilling to accept the transaction. The customer will want to use a separate card to complete the transaction or contact their bank for more details. |
| 06 | Error | When the code occurrs for a one-time transaction, do not run the card again, Do not provide any more goods or services to the cardholder. For a recurring or scheduled transaction, make sure that the card isn’t incorrectly flagged as fraudulent. The customer will want to contact their bank or update their payment details with a new card. |
| 12 | Invalid Transaction | An error occurred while processing the card. Make sure that payments are correctly configured. |
| 13 | Invalid Amount | Double check what is entered and make sure it isn’t negative or included incorrect symbols. |
| 14 | Invalid Card Number | The card issuing bank has declined the transaction because of an incorrectly entered a credit card number or a number that doesn’t exist. Double check the card details and try processing again. |
| 15 | No Issuer | The customer’s card issuer doesn’t exist. Double check the card number and try processing the transaction again. The card number should start with 3 (AMEX), 4 (Visa), 5 (MasterCard), or 6 (Discover). |
| 22 | Suspected Malfunction | The issuing bank is not responding during the transaction. The cardholder should check the card information and try processing again. |
| 30 | Format Error | Double check the setup on your merchant account, as it may be incorrect. |
| 31 | Bank Not Supported By Switch | The customer’s bank has declined the transaction because it doesn’t allow using the card for mail/telephone, fax, email or internet orders. The error usually comes with the Discover card, so the customer should use a separate card. If a Discover card wasn’t used, the cardholder will want to contact their bank. |
| 34 | Suspected Fraud, Retain Card | The issuing bank has declined the transaction due to suspected fraud on the credit card number. The cardholder will want to contact their bank. |
| 37 | Contact Acquirer Security Department | The customer’s card issuer has declined the transaction and requested the merchant to retain the cardholder’s card. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 41 | Lost Card | The issuing bank has declined the transaction as the owner of the card reported it as lost or stolen. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 42 | No Universal Account | The issuing bank has declined the transaction as the account type is not valid for this card number. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 43 | Stolen Card | The issuing bank has declined the transaction as the credit card owner has reported this card as stolen. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 49 | The Card Was Declined | The customer’s card issuer has declined the transaction as the credit card is not enabled for online transactions. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 51 | Insufficient Funds | The issuing bank has declined the transaction as there aren’t enough funds in the associated bank account to complete the payment or the transaction will put the customer’s credit card over the limit. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 54 | Expired Card | The card is expired and no longer valid to use. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card. |
| 56 | No Card Record | The issuer has declined the transaction as the credit card number doesn’t exist. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card. |
| 57 | Function Not Permitted To Cardholder | The issuing bank has declined the transaction as this card cannot be used for this type of transaction. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 58 | Function Not Permitted To Terminal | The code appears when the card cannot be used for this type of transaction or when the merchant processing account is not properly configured. The response usually appears when test cards are used on the live gateway. |
| 59 | Suspected Fraud | The issuer has declined the transaction because it appears fraudulent. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 61 | Withdrawal Limit Exceeded | The issuer has declined the transaction because it will exceed the customer’s card limit. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 62 | Restricted Card | The card is invalid in a certain region or country or the customer tried to pay online with a card that doesn’t support online payments. |
| 67 | Capture Card | The issuing bank has declined the transaction because the card is suspected to be counterfeit. The cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 91 | Card Issuer Unavailable | There was a problem contacting the issuing bank to authorize the transaction. The customer should attempt to process this transaction again. If the problem persists, the cardholder will want to use an alternate card or contact their bank. |
| 92 | Unable To Route Transaction | The customer’s card can’t be found for routing and the code is mostly used for a test credit card number. The cardholder should try to complete a transaction again. |