Authorize.Net · Decline codes
What does Authorize.Net 27 “The transaction has been declined because of an AVS mismatch” mean?
Checked
Authorize.Net response reason code 27 means the transaction was declined because of an AVS mismatch: the address provided does not match the billing address of the cardholder. The fix is almost always on the shopper's side, by entering the street address and postcode the bank has on file. If many legitimate orders fail this way, review how strict your AVS filter is.
- Type
- Hard decline for these details
- Who declined
- Address Verification (AVS) result, applied by your settings
- Retry
- Only with the correct billing address.
- Shopper action
- Enter the billing address exactly as it appears on the card statement.
- Merchant action
- Check your AVS filter if valid international cards are being rejected.
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC classes Authorize.Net code 27 as never-retry on the same details: checkout keeps the shopper on your Authorize.Net account and asks for corrected details rather than rerouting the same mismatch elsewhere. On a subscription renewal the code is not retried: the subscription is held past due and the customer gets an email with a link to add a new card.
Why it happens
Address Verification compares the numbers in the street address and postcode with the bank's records. A recent move, a typo, or a shipping address entered as the billing address all cause a mismatch.
What the shopper can do
Use the address printed on your card statement, not the delivery address, and double-check the postcode.
What the store can do
If many genuine orders fail with code 27, review which AVS results your filter rejects in the Merchant Interface; rejecting partial matches is stricter than rejecting only full mismatches.
For developers
errors[0].errorCode "27"; transactionResponse.avsResultCode carries the AVS result letter. Code 127 is the variant where the automatic void failed.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Authorize.Net code 27 mean the card is stolen?
- Not necessarily. Most AVS mismatches are typos or an old address, though fraudsters also fail AVS.
- Can the shopper retry after code 27?
- Yes, with the billing address the bank has on file.
Sources
- Authorize.Net Response Code Tool (response reason codes) — Authorize.Net
- Authorize.Net API reference: createTransactionResponse fields — Authorize.Net
Related
- 127 — An AVS mismatch declined the sale and the automatic void failed, so a hold may stay on the card.
- 45 — Both the address check and the security code check hit the rejection rules you set.
- 2 — The card issuer, or the processor on its behalf, refused the payment without a specific reason.
- 128 — The shopper's bank does not currently allow transactions on this account.
- 250 — The payment came from an IP address you blocked in Authorize.Net's fraud tools.
- 251 — A Fraud Detection Suite filter declined the payment, including the blocked-IP filter.
- 252 — The payment was accepted but is held for your review by a fraud filter set to hold.
- 253 — The card was authorized, but a fraud filter is holding the payment for your review.