Complete List of Credit Card Declined Codes in 2023

Did your credit card get declined when you tried to use it?

Are you wondering if the reason for your blocked transaction was because you’re out of funds or for location restrictions? Or something else?

With this list of credit card declined codes, you can determine the source of the problem.

In this article, we’ll help you figure out exactly what’s going on with your (or your customer’s) credit card and why the transaction didn’t go through. We’ll cover all standard — and less common — credit card declined codes in detail, including what they mean and what you should do about each one.

Let’s go!

Check Out Our Video Guide With a Complete List of Credit Card Declined Codes Explained

What Is a Credit Card Decline Code?

A credit card decline code is the code that appears on a credit card processor when a transaction, or payment, has been declined.

If you’re in a store and can’t get your credit card to work, you and the vendor will get an error that can direct you to what went wrong.

You can also get error codes when trying to make online purchases.

This can happen whenever a transaction is stopped by the vendor, bank, or card issuer.

When you have this issue, you’ll get a short error message of one to three numbers (or letters, in some cases).

This error message is what’s known as a credit decline code. The code can explain what the actual issue is… as long as you know what it means.

First, we’ll cover some of the most common reasons a card is declined — and the relevant codes associated with them — before doing a deep dive into all potential credit card decline codes.

Most Common Reasons a Card Is Declined

First off, let’s start by covering a few common reasons that a transaction might be declined.

The problem can be something as simple as the payment processor struggling with your card, insufficient funds, or an electronic issue connecting with your bank or credit card company.

Some of the most common card decline reasons include:

• Credit card verification error (Code CV): There could be an issue with your card’s microchip or magnetic strip, making it impossible to use for transactions.
• Insufficient funds (Code 51): You don’t have enough money in the accounts associated with your card (both credit and debit cards).
• Exceeded credit limit (Code 65): Even if you have money in your accounts, you need to pay it down if you’ve exceeded the credit limit for the card before you can use it again.
• Expired card (Code 54): All credit cards have an expiration date, and trying to use a card after that date will give you an error message.
• Transaction not permitted (Code 57): This occurs when you try to use your card for a transaction that is not allowed (for example, if you’ve blocked online transactions or international payments).
• Wrong card number (Codes 14 & 15): There are two wrong ways to enter the card number improperly. If the very first digit is incorrect, you’ll see error code 15 for “no such issuers” since the first digit pinpoints the card’s issuing bank. If you get any other wrong numbers, you’ll get error code 14 for entering an invalid card number.
• Wrong security code (Code 63): This occurs when you type the three-digit CVV or CVC code on the back of your card or the four-digit CID code on the front of your card incorrectly.

For many of these issues, you may also see error code 12 or error code 85. These simply denote an invalid transaction. Credit card issuing banks often use these two errors as catch-all response codes, making it harder to know what’s wrong.

You might have mistyped a credit card number, used the wrong verification code, entered an invalid expiration date, or attempted something inherently impossible, like trying to refund a refund.

If you didn’t see your error code in this section, you could browse the table below, which includes over 50 credit card decline codes in numerical order, along with details as to why each code happens and how to fix the problem.

Complete List Credit Card Declined Codes

This table includes a list of all credit card error codes, exactly what they mean (the actual problem), and how to fix them.

Error Codes for Fraud

Whether you’re a merchant or a cardholder, the worst-case scenario is when you get an error code for fraud.

As a merchant, you want to avoid chargebacks and related fees and damages. As a cardholder, you obviously don’t want to have someone else using your card at will.

But credit card fraud is a lot more common than you might think. In 2019, there were 271,823 cases of credit card fraud in the US alone.

With hundreds of thousands of instances of credit card fraud each year, you need to be on the lookout for customers who aren’t the real owners of the cards they’re using. You also need to be vigilant and aware of how your own cards are being utilized.

Here are all the credit card decline codes associated with fraud:

• Code 7 — Pick up the card, special condition (fraud account): The card issuer has flagged the account for fraud and therefore denied the transaction.
• Code 41 — Lost card, pick up (fraud account): The real owner reported this card as lost or stolen, and the card issuer has blocked the transaction.
• Code 43 — Stolen card, pick up (fraud account): The owner has reported the card stolen, and the issuing bank has blocked the transaction.
• Code 215 — Lost/stolen card: The real cardholder has reported the card as lost or stolen, and the card issuer blocks the transaction.
• Code 534 — Do not honor, high fraud: The transaction failed PayPal or Google Checkout risk modeling.
• Code 596 — Suspected fraud: Again, the card issuer suspects fraud and has blocked the transaction.

Note: If you accept payments online and you’re worried about fraud and chargebacks, we’ve written a guide on how to reduce credit card fraud by up to 98%.

What Do I Do if My Credit Card Is Declined?

The first thing you should do when your credit card is declined is to look for the error code (or write it down if you’re using the payment processor yourself).

Then, check if the issue with your credit card/account or with the merchant’s terminal.

Finally, you must take the appropriate action required to solve that particular issue. That could be restarting the transaction, typing in everything carefully, calling the bank, or trying another card.

Troubleshooting boils down to a simple three-step process:

1. Ask for the declined code.
2. Learn the meaning of the code.
3. Take appropriate action (usually calling the issuing bank or trying another credit card).

You may think that you’ve got your funds in order or that your credit card limit hasn’t been met, but it never hurts to check with the bank.

Most of us have multiple cards, and it can be hard to keep track of them all. There are over one billion credit cards in use in the US alone.

So if you ever get an error code when using one of your cards, avoid moving straight to using the next card. First, make sure you contact the bank to find out the real situation.

You don’t want to get hit with unnecessary overdraft or late payment fees, or a nasty surprise bill after you’ve been the victim of fraud.

Credit Card Declined Codes FAQs

Are you still confused about the error codes? Check out these frequently asked questions.

Why Is My Credit Card Declined When I Have Money?

There are a number of reasons why your credit card might be declined, even though you have money in your account:

• You might have exceeded your credit limit. Unless you’ve set up automated payments, you must clear your credit card debt before you can use it again.
• You could be trying to use a credit card for a transaction it’s not approved for, like online payments or payments in a foreign country.
• Your credit card number may have been flagged for fraud.
• You may have typed in your credit card number, CVV2 code, or PIN incorrectly.
• The issue maybe with the merchant’s terminal and not with your credit card at all.

What Does Credit Card Code 51 Mean?

The credit card declined code “51” means that you’ve exceeded your credit limit (if it’s a credit card) or run out of funds (if using a debit card).

Why Is My Card Declined When I Order Online?

Your credit card can be declined for three potential reasons: account settings, lack of funds, and inaccurate information.

1. Your credit card may not be set up to handle online payments. Contact your bank to confirm whether this is the case.
2. You may be entering the credit card number, CVV2, CVC, CID, PIN, or name incorrectly.
3. You may not have enough funds remaining in your account or have exceeded your credit limit.

Summary

Whether it’s your own credit card or a customer’s credit card that gets rejected, knowing the actual reason is crucial to deciding on the right response.

If you don’t know which issue you’re having, you might just use another credit card and get on with your day. However, exercise caution at all times by monitoring your credit usage and protecting yourself from identity theft.

Hopefully, this list has helped you figure out what was going on with your credit card and has given you the knowledge needed to take appropriate steps to fix the issue.