Card authorization – Bank return codes

Estimated reading: 10 minutes

Issuer response codes returned to CentralPay after a card authorization request.

These values generally correspond to the ISO 8583 “Response code” (DE39) returned by card networks/issuers. Depending on the scheme, country, and routing, you may also receive network-specific or gateway-specific variants (for example alphanumeric or 3-digit codes).

Important: the same code can cover multiple issuer-side reasons. Unless explicitly stated, CentralPay passes these codes as received. For troubleshooting, combine the response code with your transaction context (amount, currency, 3DS result, merchant category, card brand, retries).

Most common response codes

Code	Description	Recommended action
00	Approved	Proceed with capture / fulfillment.
02	Contact card issuer	Ask customer to contact their bank; retry only if customer confirms.
03	Invalid acceptor	Check merchant/terminal configuration (MID/TID, acquirer routing).
04	Pick up / retain card	Do not retry; follow your in-store procedure (if applicable).
05	Do not honor	Generic decline: do not “loop” retries; ask customer to contact issuer or use another payment method.
07	Honor with ID	If card-present: request ID verification; otherwise ask customer to contact issuer.
08	Time-out	Retry once after a short delay; if repeated, check connectivity/acquirer status.
10	Unable to reverse	Escalate to support with trace/reference; avoid repeated reversals.
11	Partial approval	Only relevant if your flow supports partial approvals (often prepaid); otherwise request another method.
12	Invalid transaction	Check request consistency (type, lifecycle, capture/void rules); if persistent, escalate with logs.
13	Invalid amount	Validate amount format/currency decimals; check min/max constraints.
14	Invalid card number	Customer should re-enter card details; if repeated, use another card.
15	Unknown issuer	Use another card/payment method; escalate if routing issue suspected.
19	Try again later	Retry once later; if repeated, ask customer to contact issuer.
30	Format error	Check field formats (PAN/expiry/CVV, currency, recurring flags); escalate if needed.
33	Card expired	Customer must use another card.
38	PIN attempts exceeded	Cardholder must contact issuer / reset PIN; do not retry.
39	Transaction not allowed	Likely product/merchant restriction; ask customer to contact issuer or use another method.
41	Lost card	Do not retry; request another payment method.
43	Stolen card	Do not retry; request another payment method.
51	Insufficient funds	Ask customer to use another method or wait for funds; avoid repeated immediate retries.
54	Expired card	Customer must use another card.
55	Incorrect PIN	Card-present only: customer must retry carefully or contact issuer after repeated failures.
57	Transaction not permitted to cardholder	Issuer restriction; ask customer to contact issuer or use another method.
58	Transaction prohibited at terminal	Check merchant/terminal capabilities & configuration; may be MCC/terminal restriction.
59	Suspected fraud	Do not retry “blindly”; ask customer to contact issuer or use a different method; review fraud rules if frequent.
61	Exceeds withdrawal/amount limit	Reduce amount or ask customer to contact issuer.
62	Restricted card	Issuer restriction; customer should contact issuer.
65	Frequency limit exceeded	Wait and retry later; avoid repeated attempts in short timeframes.
68	Response received too late	Retry once; check acquirer/network status if repeated.
75	PIN attempts exceeded	Same as 38: cardholder must contact issuer.
82	Invalid CVV	Customer should re-enter CVV; if repeated, use another card.
91	Issuer/switch unavailable	Retry later; if widespread, treat as incident (issuer/network outage).
94	Duplicate request	Avoid immediate retries with same identifiers; ensure idempotency / unique reference.
95	Contact acquirer	Escalate to support/acquirer with transaction reference.
96	System malfunction	Retry later; if repeated, escalate with traces/logs.

All response codes (exhaustive)

The following codes may be returned depending on the network, country, routing, or integration. This section is exhaustive compared to the previous version of this page, and includes both standard and non-standard variants.

Code	Description	Recommended action
00	Transaction approved or successfully processed	Proceed with capture / fulfillment.
02	Contact card issuer	Ask the customer to contact their issuer; retry only if issuer confirms.
03	Invalid acceptor	Check merchant/terminal configuration (MID/TID), acquirer routing, and credentials.
04	Keep card	Do not retry; follow in-store procedure if applicable; request another payment method.
05	Do not honor	Generic decline: avoid retry loops; ask customer to contact issuer or use another method.
06	Transaction invalid for terminal	Check terminal capability / transaction type compatibility; verify integration parameters.
07	Honor with ID	If card-present: request ID verification; otherwise ask customer to contact issuer.
08	Time-Out	Retry once after a short delay; if repeated, check network/acquirer connectivity.
09	No original	For reversals/adjustments: ensure you reference an existing original transaction; escalate if needed.
10	Unable to reverse	Do not repeat reversals blindly; escalate to support with transaction references.
11	Partial approval	Handle partial approval if supported (often prepaid); otherwise request another method.
12	Invalid transaction	Check transaction type/lifecycle (auth/capture/void/refund), parameters; escalate with logs if persistent.
13	Invalid amount	Validate amount format, currency decimals, and min/max constraints; retry after correction.
14	Invalid cardholder number	Customer should re-enter card details; if repeated, use another card.
15	Unknown card issuer	Try another card/payment method; if widespread, suspect routing/config issue and escalate.
17	Invalid capture date (terminal business date)	Check terminal business date / batch settings; retry after correction if applicable.
19	Repeat transaction later	Retry once later; avoid multiple attempts in a short window; ask customer to contact issuer if repeated.
20	No From Account	Not typical for purchase flows; verify transaction type and account fields; escalate if unexpected.
21	No To Account	Not typical for purchase flows; verify transaction type and account fields; escalate if unexpected.
22	Account not verified	Ask customer to contact issuer; consider another payment method.
23	Account not saved	Retry later if applicable; otherwise use another method; escalate if recurring.
24	No Credit Account	Ask customer to contact issuer; use another method.
25	Unable to locate record in file	For adjustments/reversals: verify original reference; escalate with trace/reference.
26	Record duplicated	Check idempotency and uniqueness of references; do not retry with same identifiers.
27	‘Edit’ error in file update field	Check field formats and constraints; escalate with payload/logs.
28	File access denied	Configuration/permission issue: escalate to support/acquirer with context.
29	File update not possible	Escalate with trace/reference; avoid repeating the same update operation.
30	Format error	Check request formatting (amount/currency, PAN/expiry, flags, message structure); escalate with logs.
31	Identifier of acquiring organization unknown	Check acquirer routing and merchant configuration; escalate to support/acquirer.
32	Transaction partially completed	Check final status via retrieval; avoid blind retry; escalate if inconsistent.
33	Card validity date exceeded	Customer must use another card.
34	Implausible card data	Customer should re-enter details; verify card data collection; use another card if repeated.
38	Number of PIN attempts exceeded	Do not retry; customer must contact issuer / reset PIN.
39	Transaction not allowed	Check transaction type and merchant capability; ask customer to contact issuer or use another method.
41	Lost card	Do not retry; request another payment method.
42	Special Pickup	Do not retry; request another method; in-store: follow procedure if applicable.
43	Stolen card	Do not retry; request another payment method.
44	Stolen card	Do not retry; request another payment method.
51	Insufficient funds or overdraft	Ask customer to use another method or wait for funds; avoid repeated immediate retries.
54	Card expired	Customer must use another card.
55	Incorrect PIN	Card-present: retry carefully; if repeated, customer contacts issuer.
56	Card not on file	Verify card details; customer should contact issuer or use another card.
57	Transaction not authorized to this cardholder	Issuer restriction; ask customer to contact issuer or use another method.
58	Transaction prohibited at terminal	Check merchant/terminal capabilities and MCC/terminal restrictions; adjust configuration.
59	Suspected fraud	Avoid retry loops; customer contacts issuer or uses another method; review risk rules if frequent.
60	The card acceptor must contact the buyer	Ask customer to contact issuer / confirm details; avoid repeated attempts.
61	Withdrawal amount over limit	Reduce amount or ask customer to contact issuer.
62	Card use restricted	Customer contacts issuer; use another method.
63	MAC Key Error	Cryptographic/config issue: escalate to support/acquirer with trace and timestamps.
65	Frequency limit exceeded	Wait and retry later; avoid multiple attempts in short timeframe.
66	Acquirer limit reached	Escalate to acquirer/support; retry only after confirmation.
67	Card withheld	Do not retry; request another method; in-store: follow procedure if applicable.
68	Response not received or received too late	Retry once; if repeated, check acquirer/network status and escalate.
75	Number of PIN attempts exceeded	Same as 38: do not retry; customer must contact issuer.
76	Invalid Account	Ask customer to contact issuer; use another card/method.
77	Issuer not participating in service	Use another card or method; escalate if routing/regional issue suspected.
78	Function not available	Remove/disable unsupported feature; verify transaction type and integration flags.
79	Key validation error	Cryptographic/config issue: escalate to support/acquirer with trace.
80	Approved for purchase amount only	If you requested cash-back/extra: retry without it; otherwise proceed as approved.
81	Unable to verify PIN	Card-present: retry; if repeated, customer contacts issuer or use another method.
82	Invalid CVV	Re-enter CVV; if repeated, use another card.
83	Not refused	Treat as non-decline / ambiguous: verify final status via retrieval; escalate if inconsistent.
84	Invalid transaction lifecycle	Check auth/capture/void/refund ordering and timing; fix integration logic.
85	No key to use	Cryptographic/config issue: escalate to support/acquirer.
86	KME synchronization error	Cryptographic sync issue: escalate with logs, trace, timestamps.
87	PIN error	Card-present: retry; if repeated, customer contacts issuer.
88	MAC synchronization error	Cryptographic sync issue: escalate with logs, trace, timestamps.
89	Security violation	Stop retries; escalate to support/acquirer; review fraud/security configuration.
90	Temporary system shutdown	Retry later; if persistent, treat as incident and escalate.
91	Card transmitter inaccessible	Retry later; if widespread, treat as issuer/network outage.
92	Card issuer unknown	Use another card; if repeated across cards, suspect routing/config and escalate.
93	Transacation cannot be finalized	Retry later once; if persistent, escalate with trace/logs.
94	Duplicate request	Ensure idempotency / unique references; do not resend the exact same request.
95	Contact acquirer	Escalate to support/acquirer with transaction reference and timestamps.
96	System malfunction	Retry later; if repeated, escalate with traces/logs.
97	No Funds Transfer	Not typical for purchase flows; verify transaction type; escalate if unexpected.
98	Duplicate Reversal	Do not repeat reversal; verify original reversal status; ensure idempotency.
99	Duplicate Transaction	Check idempotency and client retries; ensure unique transaction identifiers.
N3	Cash Service Not Available	Not applicable to purchase flows; ignore unless supporting cash services.
N4	Cash Back Request Exceeds Issuer Limit	Reduce cash-back amount or remove cash-back.
N7	Declined for CVV2 failure	Re-enter CVV; if repeated, use another card.
R0	Stop Payment Order	Do not retry; customer must contact issuer.
R1	Revocation of Authorisation Order	Do not retry; customer must contact issuer.
R3	Revocation of all Authorisations Order	Do not retry; customer must contact issuer.
A0	Withdrawal in contact mode	Not applicable to e-commerce purchase flows; verify transaction type; remove cash/withdrawal feature if not supported.
A1	VADS fallback	Routing/fallback case: verify gateway/acquirer configuration; escalate if frequent or unexpected.
000	Approved	Proceed with capture / fulfillment.
001	Approve with ID	If supported: apply ID verification; otherwise treat as approved.
002	Partial approval (prepaid cards only)	Handle partial approval if supported; otherwise request another method.
100	Reject	Generic decline: avoid retry loops; ask customer to contact issuer or use another method.
101	Card expired / invalid expiry date	Customer must use another card.
106	PIN attempts exceeded	Do not retry; customer must contact issuer.
107	Please call issuer	Customer must contact issuer; retry only after confirmation.
109	Invalid merchant	Check merchant configuration and routing; escalate to support/acquirer.
110	Invalid amount	Validate amount format/limits; retry after correction.
111	Invalid account / Invalid MICR (traveler’s check)	Ask customer to contact issuer; use another card/method.
115	Requested function not supported	Disable unsupported feature/flag; verify transaction type.
117	Invalid PIN	Card-present: retry carefully; if repeated, customer contacts issuer.
119	Cardholder not registered / not authorized	Customer must contact issuer; use another method.
122	Invalid card security code (alias CID, 4DBC, 4CSC)	Re-enter security code; if repeated, use another card.
125	Invalid effective date	Check date fields / terminal business date; escalate if applicable.
181	Format error	Check request formatting and fields; escalate with logs if persistent.
183	Invalid currency code	Verify ISO currency code and acquirer configuration; correct and retry.
187	Refuse – New card issued	Customer must use another card; advise contacting issuer.
189	Refuse – Merchant cancelled or closed / SE	Check merchant status/configuration; escalate to support/acquirer.
200	Refuse – Pick up card	Do not retry; request another method; in-store: follow procedure if applicable.
900	Accepted – ATC synchronization	Proceed but monitor; if repeated, escalate (potential chip/crypto sync issue).
909	System malfunction (cryptographic error)	Escalate to support/acquirer with trace, timestamps, and logs.
912	Issuer not available	Retry later; if widespread, treat as issuer outage / incident.