Adyen · Decline codes
What does Adyen refusal reason 42 “3DS Authentication Error” mean?
Checked
Adyen refusal reason 42, "3DS Authentication Error", means 3D Secure authentication failed because of an issue at the card network or the issuer, not because the shopper got it wrong. Adyen advises retrying the transaction, or retrying with a different payment method. If many shoppers hit it at once, a network or issuer incident is the likely cause.
- Type
- Authentication error (technical)
- Who declined
- The card network or issuer
- Retry
- Yes; retry, or retry with another payment method.
- Shopper action
- Try again or use another card.
- Merchant action
- Allow a retry or offer another method.
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC does not connect to Adyen; its checkout runs on Stripe and PayPal. Its Stripe rail does not retry authentication without the shopper; a payment that needs authentication waits for the customer to confirm it.
Why it happens
Adyen describes it as an issue at the card network or issuer during 3D Secure.
What the shopper can do
Try again in a moment, or pay with another card or method.
What the store can do
Let the shopper retry straight away. Persistent failures for one issuer are worth reporting to Adyen support.
For developers
refusalReasonCode "42". Distinct from 11 (authentication not done or unsuccessful) and 38 (exemption refused).
Frequently asked questions
- Is Adyen refusal 42 the shopper's fault?
- No. Adyen attributes it to the card network or issuer.
- What does Adyen recommend after refusal 42?
- Retry the transaction, or retry with a different payment method.
Sources
- Adyen refusal reasons — Adyen
Related
- 39 — The 3D Secure result never arrived from the card scheme's directory server.
- 11 — 3D Secure authentication was not done or did not succeed.
- 46 — Adyen stopped the attempt itself so you are not charged scheme penalty fees for excessive retries.
- 50 — The shopper disabled the token the merchant used for recurring charges.
- 2 — The issuer refused the payment and gave no usable reason; Adyen's catch-all refusal.
- 3 — The issuer referred the payment: it wants the cardholder (or merchant) to contact it first.
- 4 — Something failed on the acquirer's side, not with the shopper's card.
- 5 — The card is blocked and cannot be used.