Authorize.Net · Decline codes
What does Authorize.Net 20 “An error occurred during processing. Please try again” mean?
Checked
Authorize.Net response reason code 20 shares its explanation with code 19: a connection issue meant Authorize.Net did not receive data back from the credit card processor. It usually clears quickly. Because an authorization may still have been placed, check for a pending charge before the shopper pays again, and avoid firing several retries in a row.
- Type
- Processing error (temporary)
- Who declined
- The link between Authorize.Net and the processor
- Retry
- Yes, after a few minutes, once you know the first attempt did not authorize.
- Shopper action
- Try again shortly; check for a pending charge first.
- Merchant action
- Hold off on repeated attempts until processing recovers.
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC lists Authorize.Net code 20 among the gateway faults that defer a subscription renewal: no retry rung is spent and the customer is not told their payment failed.
Why it happens
A timeout between Authorize.Net and the processor, not a decision about the card.
What the shopper can do
Give it a few minutes, then try once.
What the store can do
Watch for the same code across many orders; that confirms a processor-side outage rather than individual cards.
For developers
errors[0].errorCode "20". Same handling as 19: transient, retry with backoff.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between Authorize.Net codes 19 and 20?
- Authorize.Net documents the same connectivity explanation for both.
- How long does Authorize.Net code 20 last?
- Authorize.Net says these connectivity issues are usually fixed quickly.
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
- 19 — Authorize.Net did not get an answer from the card processor (a connection problem).
- 57 — The processor could not interpret data in the request, such as a bad CVV length or ZIP format.
- 35 — Your merchant account was set up incorrectly at the processor.
- 63 — Often your business details (such as country) are wrong for a TSYS processor account.
- 120 — The original transaction timed out and the automatic void of it also failed.
- 16 — The transaction ID you referenced (for a refund or void) is not on this Authorize.Net account.
- 50 — You can only refund a settled transaction; this one has not settled yet.