Authorize.Net · Decline codes
What does Authorize.Net 16 “The transaction cannot be found” mean?
Checked
Authorize.Net response reason code 16, "The transaction cannot be found", means the transaction ID was properly formatted but the gateway has no record of it. Authorize.Net says a common cause is a refund where the original transaction was processed on a different Authorize.Net account than the one sending the refund. Refund from the account that took the payment.
- Type
- Error (refund or void)
- Who declined
- Authorize.Net's records
- Retry
- Only with the right transaction ID and account.
- Shopper action
- Nothing; the store handles refunds.
- Merchant action
- Refund from the same Authorize.Net account that took the payment.
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC refunds an Authorize.Net payment with the transaction ID it recorded at checkout on the same store account, and voids an unsettled capture instead of refunding it, the order Authorize.Net requires.
Why it happens
Refunds and voids reference the original transaction by ID. If it belongs to another account, or the ID is wrong, Authorize.Net cannot find it.
What the store can do
Log into the Authorize.Net account that processed the original sale and refund from there. If the ID is right, Authorize.Net suggests asking your merchant service provider to check the setup for that card type.
For developers
errors[0].errorCode "16"; check refTransId and the merchantAuthentication used.
Frequently asked questions
- Why can't Authorize.Net find my transaction for a refund (code 16)?
- Most often the refund is being sent from a different Authorize.Net account than the original sale.
- Is Authorize.Net code 16 a card decline?
- No. It concerns the transaction ID you referenced.
Sources
- Authorize.Net Response Code Tool (response reason codes) — Authorize.Net
- Authorize.Net response codes (JSON list behind the Response Code Tool) — Authorize.Net
Related
- 50 — You can only refund a settled transaction; this one has not settled yet.
- 54 — The refund can't be issued: unsettled, wrong type or currency, bad ID, or settled over 180 days ago.
- 55 — This refund plus earlier refunds would be more than the original payment.
- E00027 — The API reports the transaction failed; the real reason is in the transaction's errorCode.
- E00007 — The API Login ID or Transaction Key is wrong, or sent to the wrong environment.
- E00001 — Authorize.Net hit an internal error; the request was not completed.