AILA Announcements
Credit Card Declined Codes
1/27/23
AILA Doc. No. 23012795.
This table includes a list of credit card error codes, what they mean, and how to fix them. For assistance, contact shop@aila.org.
| Code | Description | The Problem | The Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Lost card | The card owner has reported it lost or stolen, so the card issuer has denied the transaction. | If it’s your card, you need to call the bank right away. |
| 43 | Stolen card | The card owner has reported the card as stolen, so the card issuer denied the transaction. | If it’s your card, you need to call the bank right away. |
| 51 | Insufficient funds | The card issuer is blocking the transaction because the account has exceeded the credit limit, or the pending transaction would put the card over. | Contact the bank with the number on the back of the card, use online banking to transfer funds to the card, or use an alternate card. |
| 65 | Activity limit exceeded | The credit card user has exceeded the credit limit (or this transaction would put them over). | Use another credit card. If you have no other cards, you can use online or telephone banking to pay down the card before you try it again. |
| 63 | Security violation | The three-digit CVV2 or CVC or the four-digit CID security code was incorrect or wasn’t read properly. | Restart the transaction from the beginning and carefully type the correct security code. |
| 96 | System error | There’s a temporary issue with the payment processor. | Restart the transaction. If the issue persists, try another credit card. If nothing works, it’s likely an issue with the merchant’s payment processor. |
| CV | Card type verification error | The card reader had a problem verifying the card. This could be an issue with the microchip or the magnet strip. | Try the age-old trick of wiping the credit card against your shirt and carefully swiping it again. If that doesn’t work, key in the number, or contact the issuing bank. |
| 01 | Refer to issuer | The issuing bank (Mastercard, Visa, Discovery, etc.) prevented the transaction without a specific reason. | Call the bank and ask them to explain the issue. |
| 02 | Refer to issuer (special condition) | The customer’s bank prevented the transaction (similar to code 01). | Use the number on the card to call the bank and ask for an explanation. |
| 05 | Do not honor | The customer’s bank stopped the transaction and told the merchant to “not honor” the card (not to accept payment). | Call the bank and ask for an explanation. |
| 06 | Other error | The issuing bank can’t specify the error, but something went wrong with the transaction. | Try again and call the bank if the issue persists. |
| 10 | Partial approval | The issuing bank accepts a part of the payment but blocks the rest, typically due to exceeding the credit limit or funds in the account. | Call the bank to clear up the issue. |
| 12 | Invalid transaction | The transaction attempted is invalid. This could be due to any number of faulty operations. | Before you call the bank, restart the transaction from the beginning, and make sure all the information entered is correct. |
| 14 | Invalid card number | The card number is invalid, and the credit card processor cannot find the related account. | Start the transaction over again and be careful to enter the digits accurately. If the issue persists, call the issuing bank. |
| 15 | No such issuer | The first digit, which identifies the card’s issuing bank, was incorrect. | Carefully type the credit card number again, making sure to include the first digit correctly. |
| 19 | Re-enter | An unknown error occurred. | Restart the transaction and be careful to enter all the information correctly. If the issue persists, call the card issuer. |
| 28 | No reply/response | An error occurred during the transaction without the reason specified. | Restart the transaction and be careful to enter all the information correctly. If the issue persists, call the card issuer. |
| 54 | Expired card | The expiration date has already passed. | Use a credit card that is still valid. |
| 57 | Transaction not permitted | This code shows up when you’re trying to use a card for a transaction that’s specifically not allowed, like transferring funds to a foreign merchant account. | Use an alternate card without such limitations or call the issuing bank to clear up whether you have the option to allow such transactions. |
| 62 | Invalid service code, restricted | The invalid service code can refer to two specific situations. 1: You’re trying to process an American Express or Discover card, but the system doesn’t support those card issuers. 2: You tried to pay for online purchase with a card that doesn’t support online payments. Try a credit card from a different issuer, like Visa. |
If the merchant advertises accepting payments from your card issuer, you need to contact the bank to ask about your card’s configuration for online payments. |
| 85 or 00 | Issuer system unavailable | This error code shows up when there’s a temporary communication error between the merchant and the issuing bank. | Wait a few moments, then start the transaction over from the beginning. |
| 85 | No reason to decline | The issuing bank can’t identify a specific problem, but the transaction still didn’t go through. | Start the transaction again from the beginning, and if the issue persists, call the issuing bank. You can also try using another credit card to see if the issue is merchant-specific. |
| 91 | Issuer or switch is unavailable | The terminal or payment processor was unable to complete the payment authorization. | Start the transaction from the beginning, and if the problem persists, call the issuing bank. |
| 92 | Unable to route transaction | The terminal cannot reach the card issuer to process the transaction. | Wait a few minutes and try again. If the issue persists, contact your bank. |